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Wow, what an Olympics we just witnessed! With all the Gold medal bling of Team GB, and the world records broken it was armchair sports fan heaven. But for me, one of the surprise highlights of this Olympics was the taekwondo.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m just stating an observation, but to my untrained eyes, tkd does look a bit funny. I mean, there’s lots of hopping around with arms hanging limply by the sides, a bit of argey bargey interspersed with amazingly acrobatic kicks that seem unrealistic in self defence terms. But I was proved wrong. The success of the GB team meant the BBC showed lots of TKD (well, more than usual) and you only really get a sense of the skills when they show the slo-mo replays. Some of the kicking on display was unbelievable - sheer speed, accuracy and skill. It also highlighted the darker side to sports – the biased judging and ‘blindsided’ reffing that I thought was a hallmark of Olympics long past. I’m really glad the British girl, Sarah Stevenson, got her results changed. It showed what a farce, in these modern times, that such a clearly won technique could go against her. The decision to change the final result was unprecedented apparently, so she’ll go down in history, despite her eventual loss in the semi (she won a Bronze later though). I was also amazed at the Cuban guy, Angel Matos, who kicked a judge in the face with such ferocity and speed, you couldn’t help but he amazed at the skill – but of course we don’t condone his actions do we? Yes, in all the slickness and glamour of the Olympics games this year, it took an ancient martial art to provide some gritty entertainment.
My post ankle injury BJJ is progressing nicely at the moment. I managed to get 5 bouts of sparring in last night, one of them with the female blue belt, multi Gold medal winning whirlwind that is Pippa Grainger. My god, this girl, although petite, is fast and furious and armed with some neat techniques. I managed to get a few sweeps during sparring but she was strong and fast, oh and did I mention she was fast? I’m pretty pleased that I can roll with such a high calibre of students these days, my only concern is that I don’t make a tit of myself too often by getting caught with basic errors.
5 comments:
A Gold medallist contender kicks a bloke in the Head AND catching him unawares and still couldn't put him down.
Not a good advert for the Art.
"Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m just stating an observation, but to my untrained eyes, tkd does look a bit funny. I mean, there’s lots of hopping around with arms hanging limply by the sides, a bit of argey bargey interspersed with amazingly acrobatic kicks that seem unrealistic in self defence terms"
Yea I agree, cause taekwondo in the olympic is more of a sport than anything else.
but generally taekwondo focuses more on kicks, than on armlocks and self defense techniques.
Black belts to learn self defense but honestly speaking, its a load of bullshit cause the instructors just teach a little and call it "taekwondo self defense techniques"
Heh - ancient martial art? ;p
Well, more ancient than you or I.
Wow interesting to read my first meeting of Pippa and possibly my first spar with an experienced female BJJer hence the reason why I noted it. I think that roll may have sparked my respect and admiration for lady grapplers.
Not by all that much though, as it was founded in the 1960s: basically just Shotokan karate before that, which itself only dates back to the early 20th century, IIRC. Can't remember exactly when the invented "everything came from Korea! No, I've never heard of Japanese martial arts!" history came in.
Yeah, Pippa was one of the first women I rolled with too. However, the very first person I ever sparred with was Dom: couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the sport. Shame (for me, not so much for you ;p) that she later moved from RGA HQ to Mill Hill, as Dom is definitely one of the best training partners I know in BJJ.
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