About Colin Wee Expertise Do you need some insight on your martial arts path? Do you find you're lacking direction? I'm happy to share my knowledge as a martial arts and self defence instructor.Colin does Traditional Taekwondo in Perth W. Australia.
Experience Started training in 1983 and have participated in three main styles in three continents over the last 23 years. I have a 4th Dan in Taekwondo, 1st Dan in Renzhe Kung fu, and while unranked, have trained for several years under an Aikijujutsu instructor. I have teaching certification from two organisations, and play an active role in an international martial arts organisation. The last couple of years have seen me researching and documenting the evolution of Taekwondo and its bunkai. My approach is to pair pattern applications and drills to student skill level. Lastly, while I enjoy the respect and comradeship from my colleagues, I am an instructor working with a small group of students, and am on my own martial path.
Organizations American Karate and Taekwondo Organization
Molum Combat Arts Association
International Alliance of Martial Arts Schools
Publications 1. http://a-kato.org/articles.html
2. Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do Hae Sul: Real Applications To The ITF Patterns
3. Combat Magazine (UK) - part of an interview
Education/Credentials BBA 1995 Cox School of Business
MBT 2005 University New South Wales
Awards and Honors Teachers Certification 2003
MLCAA Honor Society Award 2004
Past/Present Clients A few years in the past had me deal with a range of corporate and retail students, though mostly I don't teach for or charge any money.
Expert: Colin Wee Date: 1/24/2007 Subject: martial arts style
Question I am a 21 year old female in okay shape and I would love to get involved in martial arts. I have taken a self defense class that I loved and would love to continue I just don't know what type I want to study. I think I would love the kicks of tae kwon do but I also live by myself and want something that would help if I was attacked. I was also wondering if the stretching machines I have seen online actually work? Thank you!
Answer Brandi
Firstly, let me congratulate you for taking the effort and time to look after your personal self-defence needs. Not enough young adults (or adults for that matter) take heed of the necessity of such training.
Now, the self defence training you have taken will probably be different from what is offered in a regular martial arts class. Most martial arts classes introduce basic stances, movement, and simple blocks and attacks. Newer techniques are taught that require this foundation. Self defence courses however, look at how to communicate the most practical movements in as short amount of time as possible – whether or not you’re performing it correctly or maximally is an entirely different matter. So don't expect a continuation of what you did during that SD course.
Each martial art style has its own plusses and minuses. It is difficult to generalise but many martial art schools just don't get you into effective fighting form until you spend at least a few years training with them. Some of the few that do, and which might cater to your immediate needs, in a relatively short time are: Krav Maja or Wing Chun or some Philipino system. Just how quick and how effective is dependant on a number of things, the most obvious one being who your instructor is and what he wants the class to accomplish.
Saying that, other systems, even those may even delve into the competitive arena may give you excellent and practical skills. This too depends on the instructor.
Might I suggest that most hard style ‘sporting’ martial arts are not good for women or for your self defence needs. Sporting styles improve your strength and fitness for competitive performance. Few of them teach you skills to pit yourself against a real live hard-core opponent who will eat those techniques (typically high kicks and light punches) for breakfast and you along with them. Sporting type schools are those that might have a lot of children in their class, or which might have lots of trophies at the door, or which might have a very ‘glossy’ exterior – a beautiful website or slick dojo. This is a generalisation of course.
It seems the less polished the school is with customer service, the better it may be for real martial arts training. My own instructor said to me the other month, I’d rather not have beginners come to me, and I’d rather that they quit quickly … so I can get on to train those that really are interested in training. So go into those training halls and smell the sweat, look at the dullness of their uniforms, and see their seriousness. Those are the places where you’re going to learn some practical skills. Doesn’t matter if they call themselves Taekwondo, or Karate, or Jeet Kune Do. The labels don’t matter.
Re: Stretching machines. Don’t waste your money. Do some research on the web regarding how to stretch. There are a few interesting and modern techniques that will help you lengthen your muscle fibre safely. Those same articles will describe to you exercises you can do by yourself. I’ve been able to do splits since I was 14. I’m now 37 and still have that flexibility – and yet no stretching machine has graced my home.
Lastly … deep breathe … how well you’re going to do depends entirely on how far you are willing to take your practice. If you want a way to get into shape and stay fit, that’s what you’re going to get. If you want something that will cover some self defence needs, that’s what you’re going to get. If you want to be a serious martial artist and also cover your self defence needs, then your path will be made clear to you … after you stick with something year in and year out.
