Hi, I'm an ITF blue belt, but only go to my Dojang for training a few times a month, because I'm putting my energy into other things that I consider more important to me than TKD. I sometimes feel bad for not showing up every week, especially because everyone else at my Dojang shows up several times a week and dedicates a lot of time to the sport. I was just wondering if there are any other "casual" guys out there and if anyone has some advice for me. Thanks!
Ultimately, the main harm that will come of this as a Kup grade is that you will progress much slower than your peers. Only you can say if you’re comfortable with that. Some people will leave TKD entirely, and return years down the line picking up where they left off grade-wise but having to relearn everything.
I will say that it appears very non-committal to your instructor. How they feel about that is another matter entirely. Some instructors revolve their entire life around TKD, and might expect a similar level of commitment from their students and be bothered by those that aren’t as committed. On the other hand, as some instructors are fine with it as long as you’re a good student in class. You can only really know by talking to your instructor.
Once you’re reaching for dan grades however then only the odd class each month won’t cut it. At that level you should be doing multiple classes per week and attending whatever seminars you can.
What do you like about Taekwon-Do? What do you want to get out of it?
Tons of them, usually more than the 'dedicated' ones. Just know some of the people that started the same time as you will pass you in belt grade. If you are a casual practitioner, don't let this bother you.
I agree it's important not to let it bother you if your peers end up passing you in rank.
I took my time, and moved at my own pace. Many of my old TKD friends are now masters, and I'm still at 2nd dan.
Im still learning to accept this. It is something to be prepared for.
There are even some people on the Internet at my rank, who don't know some of the techniques and history of TKD that I know. Sometimes I have to remind myself that there are also some things they know that I don't know.
I totally concur. My Dojang only offers TKD once a week as it's linked to a karate / kickboxing club. Whilst I'm a 1st Dan (ITF converted from WTF), and I love TKD, it's history, patterns and so forth, it is my "secondary" art to the Jujutsu I'm also studying. Due to work I have missed weeks, and whilst my TKD is very important to me I'm not bothered by the speed of attaining higher rank. I regularly study and practice patterns at home.
End of the day it is a hobby for the vast majority of us. Life happens and we have to work this into it without beating ourselves more up than sparring partners might!
There is no reason to feel bad for taking a break, or moving at your own pace.
TaeKwonDo does Not have to be your top priority.
I teach TKD, and never want students to feel pressured to prioritize TKD, if they are interested in doing something else. Unless they are just being lazy, then as a coach, I want them to do something productive with their time. Otherwise, it's really your choice what you want to do with your time.
That's great! If you're doing something you enjoy and you're able to train safely, that's all that matters. It's your life and free time, you don't have to enjoy it the same way others do. Besides, how we enjoy spending our time changes throughout our lives anyway. Maybe next year you'll train twice as much and enjoy that then, who knows?
In or out of TKD, the journey is yours and yours alone. Life is not only about the destination, but enjoying the trip. If and when you attain the level in TKD you want, the journey is never over.
Also, as a casual, you’re helping your instructors be better at their job as well. It’s easy to train somebody every day. It requires more patience and understanding in a students improvement when they are not consistent, or only train in the dojang.
Don’t feel bad. Enjoy your experiences as you see fit. Happy training!
I wouldn't. I went casually for multiple years (twice a week or so) before wanting to be series about it. I seem to have a fairly good longevity with the sport doing this approach.
I did it from 5 to about 22, and then again from 40 until now.
A lot of people just view it as a fun workout.
There’s no reason to feel responsible for going any amount of time unless you agreed to do something to the contrary. Just being a member of the Dojang doesn’t mean you’re required to spend any time there.
As others have said you’ll progress much slower. But that’s your business not anyone’s at the gym.
The only person who sets your goals and schedule is you.
Instructor over here. Don’t feel bad. Everyone goes through times in their lives when they have to but things on the back burner. Just get on the mats when you can.
Don’t worry dude!
I’d like to believe that an overwhelming majority of us are glad you’re doing this martial art in the first place. If you enjoy it, then have fun! Not everybody has the TIME and ENERGY to go multiple times per week, and that’s %100 okay.
Keep training!
I have a smilar issue, I've been training twice a week for most of the last nearly 8 years, and I'm still only at 5th Kup blue stripe level, I freely admit I have certain physical limits/problems and the instructor tells me to my face that he makes allowances for that (I personally don't think he does, every 3 months when it's grading season, I work my ass off in the mock, and he tells me I'm not good enough to grade)
I'd consider moving to a different club but I just think at 48 I'm too old to start right back at 10th Kup (white belt), especially when it took me most of the first 6 years to get to where I am now.
You are demonstrating perseverance by continuing your training knowing your instructor says you’re not ready to test. It’s a true testament to you as a martial artist that you continue to train even though you may not be progressing like others or at a pace that you might think is acceptable.
You are a true martial artist.
I trained more casually in high school and college and grad school because the workload was overwhelming.
I have this conversation with some other black belts quite often, but for some people taekwondo is a way of life and it is the primary thing that drives a lot of their other choices.
And for some people it's the thing that happens between school and soccer. It's just one more hobby.
Both things are totally okay. You do not have to make taekwondo your entire personality like I have. In fact, probably be good if you had some other hobbies.
If you enjoy it, do you. I think the important thing is to find something in your life to dedicate yourself to and exercise discipline in, if that's not TKD, so be it, but I would encourage you to find something you can pour yourself into, and make sure you're not being "casual" in everything. After spending a couple decades drifting through life on autopilot, committing the last year of my life to physical fitness (weight training/TKD) has significantly changed my life and I hardly recognize the person I used to be.
Lots of casual adults where I train. Some do it for fitness, some do it to spend time with their kids. Some signed a contract a long time ago so they are slogging through to the end of it.
Lots of serious adults too.
No shame is approaching it any way you want to approach it. Live your best life!
This is not a competition. As long as you do it, it always counts.
Well if the culture there is one that is more or less demeaning (for lack of a better word) of people who train less seriously, then it might not be the gym for you. There are plenty of martial arts gyms that offer a more laid back environment, so it might worth checking out some of them. If the guilt you’re feeling is more self inflicted, then you can carry on as you are. There’s nothing wrong with training casually, and it’s certainly better than training not at all. The other option is to let the feelings push you to add in an extra day every week of training. It sounds like you’re going about once a week, so adding even just one more day is a huge increase in your training volume (proportionally, I mean), while still Being a pretty small commitment.
I wouldn't say you should feel bad about it. But I do wonder if you're only going every other week or so - what are you getting out of it?
Haha! It's a side effect of the many color belts. They're designed to make you want to progress and achieve milestones. When someone who's more intrinsically motivated than externally motivated comes along and doesn't care as much about the belt milestones, it can cause this dissonance when you realize everyone around you does, and you aren't "keeping up with the group".
Ultimately though, it doesn't matter. Do it at the pace you are comfortable with. If it takes you a bit longer, but you don't mind, then so be it.
Hello, casual over here myself, and it’s okay to enjoy the training session like a good bit of cardio.
From my personal experience though it’s best to communicate with your instructor and also with yourself. Something I’ve come to notice is that a lot of the black belts in my dojang have a “clique” mentality. Which is understandable as I have seen students come and go before even reaching yellow belt. So expect some of the more hardcore veterans to not take you as seriously.
However do not let this discourage you from going, they are still willing to help people willing to walk the same paths you did. And I won’t deny it gets harder and will require more time to commit to certain techniques. I’m only a green belt mind you and in my 20s, I’ve had many times where I felt the need to quit just because I either felt “too old” or “not talented enough”. But I can say without a doubt the thing that keeps me coming back as a casual is the energy I feel after a good session. I kid you not, I’m training with people who are either already black belts, or same belt as me but have years of previous martial arts experience, but I tell myself it’s worth it.
Don’t be ashamed just be you in the end.
You’ll get out of it what you put into it. It’s that simple.
Im in the same boat but my personal life and professional life are extremely busy so I try to not let it bother me. I will get there at my own pace and that is ok.
Better than not at all! The regulars have more visibility to you as they are always there when you go. There would be other more casual people too who are balancing other commitments.
I know it’s easier said but like others mentioned, don’t feel bad about it. Just do what you can.
I recently got back into TKD (WTF) after a 13 year break and I’m mostly back because my daughter started so I take her nearly every day and I began feeling an itch to practice again about 3 months in. I make it to whatever adult classes I can (max of 2 or 3 times a week) and, unlike before, I mostly get to practice in class. Obviously, I’m not making very fast progress. Because I got my black belt before my hiatus, I returned as a black belt so it’s A LOT of material to practice and relearn to test again.
To me, my embarrassing bit is I have a black belt on, but I’ve forgotten or my body just won’t move the same way. However, I mainly go as a way to be active and work out. A plus would be to eventually relearn everything again. I don’t see myself testing until I can dedicate myself to it and go 5 days a week (I had learned in Korea so it’s a little different to adjust). My kids are still young with my youngest being 3 so I look after him when I take my daughter there, otherwise, I would join my daughter’s class.
The other adults in the adult class also do what they can. Most of the working adults with families don’t come as regularly as the ones who don’t have kids yet. It’s just how it is, but the instructor is always happy to see people when they do make it in.
As a note, my daughter is one of the very few who goes almost every day until recently (she started swimming classes and it takes the place of one of the TKD sessions), so she only goes 4 days a week now. It’s the way I learned and my daughter refuses to practice at home, so it made sense to go when she could. Most of the other kids only go 2-3 times a week, some only once. So definitely don’t feel bad.
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i used to train itf...
now my kid goes to a wtf school, they offer classes for parents to try and keep up with kids.
i go every now and then, don't take it very seriously, but it's fun and i can help my kids practice
ultimately it's about what you want to get out of it. sounds like you're not putting much in, but not expecting much in return, and there's nothing wrong with that