Barrie Taekwondo Club

Sport Taekwondo and a Vanishing Martial Art
Where do we go from here?

A Recent Conversation went more or less like this:

“Can we please make the curriculum simpler? New students don’t like step sparring, boxing skills, weapons defence, takedowns, submissions… and really why do we need this in taekwondo?
‘It takes too long to get a black belt in this system.’
‘We want to grade students up in belts for sparring and kicking skills and a poomse. So can we move to a faster path to black belt?”

Well yes I suppose you can, but I can’t.

I like sport taekwondo for the fast and skilled activity it is. I’ve competed, coached students and family, and officiated over many years. It’s fun, competitive and has value to players and for those who would just like to learn the skill set. But should a taekwondo black belt be awarded for this alone?

Beginning in the 1970s an enormous, calculated and wildly successful push was put on by the South Korean government to export taekwondo around the world, not exclusively but mainly the sport in hopes to have it recognized one day as a full medal Olympic sport. Enormous resources and world wide efforts of influence went into this.
And so, at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, tkd became a full medal sport.

My Grandmaster, KH Min 9th Dan was sent to Canada in the ‘70s for just this reason. He was the Canadian National tkd team coach and produced Pan-Am, World and Olympic champions.
His teacher was Great Grandmaster Kang Won S*k, first head of Kukkiwon. I had the privilege of tea and conversation with them both in the office of the President at Kukkiwon in 2010 and heard a number of discussions over five days on how the world wide state of the art was seen in its highest offices.

And then there is now, and our fears about what was to become the contemporary version of taekwondo are realized.
There are new masters who do not know nor care about the meanings of our patterns nor what they represent; they do not know hosinsul or how or why to teach it. The Tenets of Taekwondo are an afterthought at best. To get up to a black belt mid dan level only Taegeuk patterns plus one, some sparring skills and money have been required.

This has produced generations of tkd black belts that only know a set of sport movements and have not been gifted with skills of personal self defence nor the grounding that comes from traditional martial arts training.
Sorry, you can’t argue with me on this one.
I have seen what I have seen.

What General Choi and the original Kwans taught bear little to no resemblance to what people know as Taekwondo today. Acrobatic kicks, one style of sparring and kids activities is the new accepted curriculum.

I believe Kukkiwon is aware and to their credit, have attempted through various means to keep the art and effective self defence components alive. That said at the school level, this effort is on life support.
But there are some that push back and some that teach by the old methods.

Master Chris Lawrenson and I have taught together and developed an expansive curriculum over decades. We believe in our system and the results are shown in many dozens of highly capable black belts produced.

Master Lawrenson and I are only taking students from age 13 (or so) and up. One class of 90 minutes minimum each time we get together, three times a week at Pro Spar Martial Arts Center in Barrie.
Maximum number of students we will offer this to is 18.
We are not a tournament focused school.
We are for those who want to truly earn a real martial arts black belt and the valuable life-long skills that go with it.
We are Barrie Taekwondo Club.
Thank You
🙏
dc

One of the very best times as a martial arts teacher is this; presentation of a black belt Dan ranking to a deserving student. We are blessed to be able to have such an effect on peoples’ lives.

There’s always a moment where stopping feels easier.

That exact moment? That’s where growth lives. Choosing to keep going—just one more round, one more rep, one more effort—separates those who improve from those who stay the same.

Hold the line. You’re closer than you think.

When drills get tough, it’s easy to go through the motions or mentally check out. That’s where progress stalls.

Stay focused. Stay intentional. Even when it’s challenging—especially then.

The students who improve the fastest are the ones who stay locked in when it counts.

The moments that feel the hardest are the ones doing the most for you.

Every missed attempt, every correction, every time something doesn’t click right away—it’s all shaping a stronger version of you.

Don’t avoid the struggle. That’s where the transformation is happening.

Growth doesn’t come from what’s easy—it comes from what stretches you just enough.

This week, raise your hand. Try the harder variation. Partner with someone new. Push one step outside your comfort zone.

You might surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.

Confidence isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build.

Each time you rely on your training instead of second-guessing, you take another step forward. Small moments like that stack up quickly.

Trust what you’ve practiced. That’s where real confidence comes from.

It starts with how you stand… but it doesn’t stop there.

Through consistent practice, students develop stronger posture, sharper focus, and a deeper sense of self-worth. What begins as physical training quickly shapes how they think and carry themselves every day.

Strong body. Clear mind. Confident presence

Before the speed… before the strength… comes control.

Strong stances, proper alignment, and balance are what make every strike more effective. Without that foundation, power doesn’t land the way it should.

Slow it down. Build it right. The power will follow.