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It may have a different approach, but the<br />
technique, in principle, is identical.<br />
The last facet is the hardest, complete<br />
mastery of two arts. This one is selfexplanatory<br />
and one that none of us may<br />
ever attain. I must say, it doesn’t hurt to try<br />
though.<br />
The second concern, “<strong>Do</strong>n’t go out there<br />
and learn something that I don’t know<br />
about, or I can’t do”, is unfortunately the<br />
most common one. It usually comes under<br />
the disguise of the first concern. People,<br />
especially instructors who love the<br />
adoration and respect that they get from<br />
their students every day, have a hard time<br />
admitting that there are limits to their<br />
knowledge. In addition they sometimes<br />
fear that if you learn something from<br />
someone else you will not only think less of<br />
them, but then go elsewhere, thus costing<br />
them money. A shame really, but all too<br />
human.<br />
I feel this type of attitude is quite damaging<br />
to all concerned. The teacher is no longer<br />
looking at his students from the historical<br />
60 - <strong>Totally</strong> <strong>Tae</strong> <strong>Kwon</strong> <strong>Do</strong><br />
perspective: “The greatest gift a teacher<br />
can give is to have his students be better<br />
than he is.” What is developing is the<br />
beginning of a cult (my opinion!!). In<br />
addition his students are not free to explore<br />
aspects of their arts that are not<br />
emphasized by the instructor. This takes<br />
away from them developing their own<br />
individual expression, which is supposed to<br />
be what they are there for. That is the<br />
essence of a personal “art”.<br />
I met a kung Fu instructor who has an<br />
open class on Sundays. In this class he is<br />
no longer the Sifu, he is just another guy.<br />
Every other day he teaches you what he<br />
knows. On Sunday you show him what you<br />
know. Should you kick him through the<br />
wall, or throw him to the ground, that is all<br />
fine, he has no problem with that.<br />
I once gave a workshop on the breakdown<br />
of Keumgang that appeared to be well<br />
received. The participants were surprised<br />
that what appeared to be a kind of<br />
“nothing” form, there are no low blocks, no<br />
kicks etc., could contain so many different<br />
types of effective combat techniques. Yet
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