Tradition
Butokukan, or any martial art for that matter, carries a lot of tradition and history, and this is something very important if you are going to get involved in it. The same of course, can be said of any martial art, however the age of the art depends on the amount of tradition that exists. When it comes to an art such as Iaido, which is samurai sword training, the traditions and history run back hundreds and hundreds of years. An art like Butokukan does not have quite as rich a history, however it certainly bears it’s own traditions that need to be respected.
This is where the question falls on the school it’s self. On the one hand, a school that is very traditional may also seem somewhat stifling and difficult. A school that doesn’t follow traditions as closely may seem too loose. It all depends on what you are looking for. If you are purely looking for fitness, then a less traditional school may be the perfect place for you.
However, if you aim to master the art in both its physical and spiritual forms, then you will need to learn of the traditions at some point. The other thing that tradition does is give more validity to a school and it’s training. A school draped in the history of the art shows that it’s founders studied the art for a long time and with a great amount of care and consideration for tradition.
Usually traditional schools will have more complicated acts such as bowing in then a less traditional school may have. You also find that a traditional school will seek to create a tight knit community, something that may or may not be important to a less traditional school.
Ultimately the choice comes down to whether you are looking for serious training or a tool for fitness such as weight lifting or running. Tradition breeds excellence, but depending on your dedication, that may not be what you are looking for, but rest assured, you can have fun no matter where you train!
Butokukan Sparring
Butokukan Sparring is the act of practicing combat against a live opponent, without actually having to pick a real fight! It is almost unheard of to practice Butokukan without at least doing some light sparring, as this is an integral part of your training not only in Butokukan, but in martial arts in general.
Sparring should be done in a controlled environment, with senior students, or better yet, instructors, present, as it can be dangerous if not handled properly.
When sparring in class it is common to practice partial contact sparring, which has been discussed here before, however in tournament sparring your goal is to defeat your opponent, and full contact sparring is usually practiced when fighting in an adult division.
When you spar it is customary to bump fists before fighting as a show of respect. You goal should NOT be to hurt your opponent, but to score points.
In full contact competition sparring you will usually end up with and inflict a few bruises, however in a class environment the goal is to better yourself and your opponent, so you should avoid injuring yourself or your opponent.
Respect is perhaps the most important part of Taekwondo sparring, by learning to respect your opponent despite the clear objective of defeating him, you better yourself as a martial artist and a person.
Perhaps even more difficult (and by far more important) is to accept a defeat with good sportsmanship and respect.
In order to succeed at sparring, you will need to have control over your techniques, strike quickly, and above all avoid telegraphing you’re attacks.
Telegraphing is the act of giving away a strike before actually doing it, by raising your leg early or flexing a shoulder muscle prematurely you can set your opponent up for an easy block and counter.
On the flip side, you should try to recognize subtle movements from your opponent in order to see their moves before they come, allowing you to block and set up a counter.
In closing, Taekwondo sparring is very important to your training, and as such you should become comfortable with it as soon as possible!
Forms
Butokukan is practiced one of two ways, through performing forms, or patterns of movement, or through sparring. Forms really form the groundwork of Butokukan Training. A form is made up of many moves strung together in logical fashion. Often times practicality is not the goal of practicing a form, instead the goal is to further one’s ability to perform the techniques present in the form. The number of forms depends on the school and organization, though it is common to learn one new form per rank, and possibly more forms per rank at higher ranks. Forms vary in their complexity, and tend to get more complex as rank increases. The first step in form practice is memorization.
As the forms can often get quite complex, it is important to be able to perform them confidently from memory. Usually when learning a form, it is helpful to practice alongside an instructor or senior student who knows the form well.
After memorization comes refinement, refinement of both the techniques found in the form and also the pacing and structure of the form it’s self. Pacing is very important to a form, when you get off pace it can lead to difficulty performing the moves correctly and also to balance issues. Another important aspect of Tae Kwon Do in general, and forms specifically, is the Kihap. The Kihap is a loud yell done after certain points in the form. It improves the form overall, as well as showing the strength and power of the individual performing the form.
Sometimes it is helpful so film yourself practicing the form so as to review things you may be able to improve upon that you may not notice while performing the form. When the time comes to show the form to an instructor, usually as a test to gain rank, or in competition, you must be able to execute the form comfortably and confidently, performing kihaps at the proper time and showing energy and strength throughout. Keep these things in mind during training and on testing day and your form will be top notch.
