Different Taekwon-do Organisations + Styles Explained / ITF - WT - ATA comparison 

Morning Nora, great video and history breakdown!! I practice WT

I only just started my sixth year in the ITF. Thank you for the informative video!

Great video! I study ITF and I’m in the one under Choi Jung-hwa. Keep up the great videos!

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, ITF competition sparring WAS basically full contact to the body for black belts (it was permissible) especially if the opponent showed poor technique or sloppy defence. A haymaker knockout punch or unsighted spinning backfist however WAS a disqualification - again depending on the belt level And the people sparring. I've done Thai boxing and Kickboxing too and I've seen more injuries in Semi Contact ITF, because there's no conditioning and usually a terrible defence. WTF (as you said) was far more realistic as the opponent had to be staggered to score the point but unfortunately punches were not often used because the judges really needed to see those staggering kicks and not punching to the face? I don't agree with it - I fought WTF proponents in kickboxing matches and to be honest they had no defence whatsoever, but their kicks were full commitment leaving them off balance and exposed (but if they caught you.... night, night). Nowadays, WTF is terrible to watch and should be replaced in the Olympics with WAKO Kickboxing.but... there's a lot of money invested in it at the moment .... ATA? .... sorry from what i've seen that is pure McDojo. The Best TKD exponents are mostly ITF because they can more easily transition into full contact kickboxing and many have done. But, an informative video. thank you.

When I became an ATA black belt back in 1981 the hyung were all Gen. Choi's forms. Apparently many years, perhaps after the passing of HU Lee, they changed completely. Other differences were that sparring was hand/foot pads only with no head contact and no schools provided any type of grappling or weapons training. Now it appears that the ATA does teach weapons but I think it's more of a sport aspect than traditional weapons. Also, I remember when tournament scoring went from 3 points to 5 points with changes to the scoring method for punches (1 point), kicks to the body (1 point), head kicks (2 points), and jumping head kicks (3 points). That was a change I liked, it made for great sport competition fighting.

Brilliant video! I do ITF !

Loving This Very Much 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

All these rules and styles in taekwondo are very very unique each of them has a sport in self-defense programs that teaches the fighter how to relate and also utilize these type of techniques and battle and in fights it's all about knowing how to use it the right way and knowing how to use it the correct way I just wish I should have had stayed in karate in 2011 and learned so much more about it and get into it more than any other way possible 🥋🇰🇷🙏😌🙏🇰🇷🥋

Within the ITF style there is also "traditional TKD" which is still ITF (same patterns and everything) but practices it the original way General Choi taught it. For example it has no sine wave, in fact you were trained to keep your body at the same level as to not bob up and down. They also keup (shout) on every attack in patterns. I'm curious what you said about earning your white belt? I've never heard of this in ITF TKD. Here when you join the club you are a white belt the first belt you earn is yellow stripe. The very meaning of white belt in ITF says "A beginner who has no previous knowledge of TKD.

Thanks for valuable information Nora !.. I am practicing WTF.

Interesting, very informative, of the forms, patterns Or poomsae, which ones do the Songham, Taegeuk or Palgwe

I was/am an ATA blackbelt before switching to WT. WT and ITF are actually much more similar in practice. They draw much more heavily from Taekyeon. ATA practices Songham Taekwondo, which draws much more from Tang soo do (Korean Karate).

Worth noting is in the ATA, Grandmaster H.U. Lee and his team introduced the new forms in '83 or '84. The ATA used to do General Choi's forms (Chong-Ji, Dan-Gun, etc) until then. ATA wanted their own 'brand' if you will, and the new Poomse/hyungs are distinguished by everything being equal on the right and left, whereas the old style sometimes featured kicks mostly on the right.

I am a red belt decided in ATA, and state champion this year in multiple areas. Sparing, combat weapon sparing, traditional forms, creative forms, xtream forms, traditional weapon ( mine is the sword), creative weapons, and xtream weapons. Some parts are all in traditional forms of form and weapon. The other are the students imagination to create thier own form to present. The xtream forms and weapons allow acrobatics and weapon releases from body. Excellent video.

I've seen a lot of people crap on ATA for the style and all, calling it a McDojo especially when it comes to sparring, but seeing with this breakdown of the different styles it just seems to me that there's a major difference in how it's taught and really who the overall style is targeted towards. I've heard people say that the reason it's so padded with ATA sparring is because it's meant for a much broader range of people to be able to try. Little kids or older people might want to take it a bit easier with sparring so ATA's style might be a better option if they want to spar than say ITF and WT. This video has made me want to try these different styles of Taekwondo to see how different they really are from each other up close.

Corrections ATA is world wide not just USA, also weapon style is incorporated differences of ITF

Great video lady, awesome info, I’m not sure you mentioned the breaking boards or bricks, I’m not sure if or how ATA do breaking, but WT i think mostly does more acrobatic, jumping or flying, flashy kicks for breaking were they break many boards one at a time as quickly as they can, and I see mostly ITF do power breaking like Karate where they break many boards at once stacked together with one strike to break through as many as possible

Thanks for explaining each type of TKD.

Solid video

Howdy, I was contemplating getting back into the sport, but in WT this time as I did ITF at age 16. There are uniform differences from what I can see (ITF - korean wordings on the back of the dobok go from top to bottom and WT is left to right). I'm not sure how I would do now as I'm unable to do the splits anymore and also had a sprained knee injury a couple of years ago (95% recovered but still)

Martial arts are not just sports, they are lifestyle, too! Do you prepare others videos about flexibility or musculation?

I used to be in itf taekwondo 🥋

In ATA we are not allowed to punch the face, but we can kick it, that is another thing to add. Good video, I would like to try ITF o WT one day :)

I also trained in ITF in the late 1970s and through the 1980s. Got as high as second degree black belt then gave it all away when TKD became an Olympic sport....which basically killed it. But that’s just my not-so-humble opinion. Our chief instructor was a former All Army Korean Champion and the style he taught reflected his army training. We never had the sine wave in our patterns, but had to keep our head at the same level. Bobbing up and down looks stupid and serves absolutely no purpose. If people knew anything about physics they would know that the energy that is put into the vertical direction by moving up and down has a zero component in the horizontal direction. So why do it? I think some "bright" spark just dreamt it up one day, thought it was a good idea and the mindless masses just went along with it without questioning in first.

I had a red belt (ITF). After 20 years I started practicing WT (black belt version). Now I have an orange belt (WT) and can say there are differences. The main difference for me is while ITF has slow but powerful kicks, WT has quick and weak ones. My best assumption is that they simplified moves as much as possible to make them quicker. However, some kicks are more powerful in WT (like naeryo chagi, no idea why).

ITF black belt here, in all the ITF clubs that I know off, you must be a 7th dan before being seen as a master. And we certainly don't spar semi contact! Nice video :)

Nice. Maybe next explain how many ITFs are nowadays, what happened to GTF and which ITF is the trve one... osu

Good job Nora, I don’t think you mentioned if any of these train in weapons

Have you ever seen movies that are about TKD, or emphasize or use TKD, like an old movie called When Taekwondo Strikes starring Jhoon Rhee, known as the father of American TKD (not ATA)for teaching TKD in U.S., and an 80’s or 90’s movie called Best of the Best starring Phillip Rhee and his brother Simon Rhee (I think not related to Jhoon Rhee) and Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones

I was practising Kukkiwon (WT) but I would liked to practise Chang'Hon (ITF) also. Unfortunately, Chang'Hon has been settle only one place in my country which is a bit far away.

Itf and ata are best for self defense and combat ata seem like a kick boxing

ATA has schools all over the world. In Canada and Europe and other places, the organization is known as W.T.T.U, and in South America, the organization is known as STF.

I trained under a student of Jhoon Rhee in the US. He claimed traditional style, and we weren't part of any federation. I'm up to purple. Now in Germany I'm looking for a new school to continue. Based on this video I think ITF comes closest. Except, females were required a chest guard, males a cup, of course everyone had a mouth piece, helmet, gloves, and feet protector. We had forms, weapons forms, and all the other things. Our forms were also more upright with exceptions. God Bless America being my favorite form. Belt system is also different... none, white, gold, green, purple, blue, red, brown, brown senior and then black. Kids wear plain belts, 14 or 16 and up have black stripe belts. Except for kids with senior brown belts, they also have the black striped belt. Also, as females we were allowed to wear black pants regardless of your belt degree.

How about how there's 3 itfs and also sinewave

Thanks for this. Very informative and respectful. Ryan Oevermann 5th Dan ITF

Is wtf taekwondo olso effective in a self defens situation im asking becaus i am doing wtf and i want to be abl to protect my self

That's stood for Traditional Tae Kwon do Association

I practice itf und gm vb

Do you watch other martial arts videos to perhaps see something that could be helpful or useful like maybe Chloe Bruce, Alex Wong, or Samery Moras or others

I’ve heard that TKD is a mix of some karate and Taekkyon, how true is it

Do you only practice ITF or also another discipline? Have you never practiced krav maga?

ITF and Hapkido all the way ❤

In the itf don't use a hogu chests our groin protector?

That’s me! 12:59 😂😊

Why do you think that a lot of people in Martial Arts start to loose interest or motivation when they are black belt and stop practicing or training, have you seen or experienced this, what would you do or say to help someone who is thinking of giving up and quitting, have you ever felt this in your TKD journey or have you stopped for a while and come back to training or have you not stopped since you started

With a Mixture of PKA

Thank you.

What got you into martial arts, why Taekwondo and not another different martial art, and why ITF and not WT

ITF was formed in 1956 not 1966 and im sorry to say it is sport based and not traditional. I am ranked 8th degree and teach traditional korean TKD which is not competition based, we focus on the application of the technique using every strike and kick

Do you have a favorite martial art movie or show, and do you have a favorite martial art movie star or actor or actress, Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, Cynthia Rothrock, or any other

Also did TTA a different Kwan

the wt belts are wrong, the order is the same as what you showed in itf, there are very few schools that occupy the other grade system, normally it is white, yellow, green, blue, red and black, with their respective stripes between degree and degree

I studied ITF and WTF both but not ATA

Good info, would you ever look into, do a video on, or try any other Korean martial art like, Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, Tukong Moosul, Hwa Rang Do, Moo Duk kwan, Kuk sul wan, Chung Do Kwan, or Chang Moo Kwan, Taekkyon or Choi Kwang Do, Kwon Bup, or Song Moo Kwan, Yun Mu Kwan, Soo Bahk Do, or Kyuk Too ki, Gwonbeop, Won Hwa Do, Hankido, Yongmudo, Ssireum, Han Mu Do, Kong Soo Do, Shippalgi

ATA has weapons style as well

In WTF (PH), Belting system is as follows: While -> Yellow (2 classes) -> Blue (2 classes) -> Red (2 classes) -> Brown (2 classes) -> Junior Black (Red/Black belt) for less than 13yo -> Black. Sadly, I do not like the direction of WTF as it seems to be like foot fencing. Less power and it tends to be more on sport than self defense. Modern WTF TKD seems not applicable for defending yourself on the streets unlike the old school TKD. Old school WTF TKD was faster and powerful compared to the modern style WTF TKD Sparring.

wta & ata

Is taekwondo wtf Olson effectiv for real fights

I'm a white belt in WT.

6:30

Similar to WTF

But if world taekwondo is a sport can you still use that taekwondo style in street fight?

ITF was founded in 1954 wasn't it?

I wonder why WT is in the Olympics but not ATA or ITF

I'm a 3rd Dan Certified Instructor in WTF; Poomsaes are not only self defenses put together, but have History. For an Example: Poomsae Koryo comes from The Koryo Dynasty. We also have Self Defenses for each belt level, as well as Kicking Techniques; 1 Step, 2 Step, 3 Step, & Advanced Step Sparring for each belt level. We also have a breaking technique such as front kick for white belt to yellow belt. My Great Grand Master in in his 60s, is from Seoul, Korea, and served in the Korean Army. I also have Blackbelts in Shudokan Karate & Judo, and have trained under my Great Grand Master (9th Dan), off and on since I was a teenager up into my 30s. We teach real self defenses and then we have Tournament Classes for Sparring. Tournament Sparring is different because it's using proper technique, not actually trying to hurt your opponant. I used my Martial Arts in the US Army, and was even a Hand-To-Hand Combat Instructor for 2 Operations. Please do some more research. Especially on WTF! By the way, where I live now, we only have an ATA Do-Jang. My daughter is 3 years old, in the Tiger Program (ages 3-6 years). They do start with their White Belts. However, for kids 3-6, the Test for half a level, so they actually test for their second half of their White Belt (and stay as a Turtle). Then test first half of orange to earn their Tiger, then the second half at the following test. And so on until they turn 7 years old. ATA has longer Poomsaes than WTF, especially White Belts. My daughter is under a 7th Dan Senior Master. Still, not too bad of a Taekwondo video on the 3 major differences. 😎👍🥋✝❤

Traditional taekwondo wasn't developed by Choi hong Hi . He was merely one of the developers among many. These kinds of outrageus claims make me dislike itf taekwondo Also, WT taekwondo also includes all those aspects you mention: forms, board breaking, forms, self defence and one to three step sparring! Only difference is that WT has different set of tournament rules and doesn't include sine-wave, theory of force or the breathing technique . It is based on sport science It is a shame that WT style doesn't in itself produce efficient fighters anymore. You have to complement it with something that includes throws and punches to the face.

We never had to earn our white belt. White belt just means you have no previous knowledge of Taekwondo; first belt we earn is yellow striped white.

You miss GTF

Good video ma'am. If I may say in my opinion no disrespect at all. The ATA yes mainly American . However they are not really a cross between WT and ITF. Their gear is consider is over-protective. An ATA competitor would not have much of a chance against ITF . No disrespect to H.U. Lee but ATA is their own "world" I grew up learning ITF but did WTF sparring before the electronics

I will earn my blackbelt tomorrow in WTF. I do punch.. a lot. I love this style but WTF does not teach a lot in punching at all. If u want to win against a WTF student.. PUNCH! I also practiced Kung Fu for 8 yrs.. so.. ya. It always throws my cassmated off.

You are missing a lot of information about the politics and split. You totally bypassed the Korean Tae Kwon Do Federation and the Association which is part of the real TKD before they watered it down and heavily commercialized it as sport martial arts. Anyway! Keep working on it. Grandmaster Lucky Riley.

Wtf

Wtf taekwon doe is the funniest shit ever

WT and ATA suck. ITF is the best