Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tae Kwon Do

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As an instructor and a school owner, I have found this book to be the best resource for the new (and not so new) student or parent that I have yet come across. It is clearly written, well organized, an easy read, and is full of relevant information.

It immediately gained a place in my school library and I have recommended it to my members and their families. You are not going to learn to be a martial artist here, but you're not going to learn it from any other book, either.

The writers concentrate on the ideas and concepts of the art that are universal, rather than on being a step-by-step "how-to" manual on techniques: Something which is best left to the instructor, anyway.

One very nice thing: It is not specifically devoted to any one Taekwondo organization to the exclusion of all others, a flaw I have commonly found in other beginner books.

It's too bad this book is burdened with the unfortunate "Idiots" label, because it is a very smart choice.

I bought this book shortly after my first promotion, and quickly realized it was not going to help me move forward. The book seems to be intent on exposing people who may be thinking about studying martial arts to "the world of Tae Kwon Do", and it does this just fine. However, if you're looking for ways to learn or improve your techniques, you will need to look elsewhere.

For those parents who are unsure of the safety in the martial arts for theri children, or have any general doubts about how the martial art is designed and how it is run, this book is definetly for you.

I am currently study Tae Kwon Do several times a week, and I am assistant instructor with the school I study at. Many times, when we have parents coming to see what a class is like before letting their child participate, they have a lot of questions.

The biggest thing I have noticed, is that there is perhaps a bit of doubt for the parent in letting their child join.

This is were the terrific layman's terms book written by Karen Eden comes in. Karen has done a masterful job of explaining some of the quirks and etiquette of the martial, and in a very humorous way at times.

I read this book when I had already been in the Martial Art for a while, and I found it still helped to understand exactly who the head instructor thinks, and why the etiquette we have is in place.

I highly recommend this book to any student that is studying Tae Kwon Do, and also to any parent who is considering letting their child join. This book is a wealth of resources that will be sure to benefit you many years down the line in your studies.

After purchasing several TKD books with little but personal advertisements for the authors, I finally found one that is not actually a tool for self promotion.It is specially suited for beginners contemplating a start in this wonderful activity

Great book for anyone considering starting taekwondo. If you read this book and practice the things shown, you will have an edge over all the other white belts in your class. It shows basic blocks, kicks, hand techniques, basic sparring, and of course, how to tie your belt so you don't look stupid.

It also explains a lot about the history and traditions of the martial art without getting wound up in any particular style. Mr. Yates has been teaching martial arts for over 30 years, and his experience is invaluable, plus his writing style is very conversational. Ms. Eden writes well, too. Both explain things without either getting too technical or "talking down" to the readers.

I found this bok to be very useful. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in beginning taekwondo.

I've been learning Taekwondo since I was 9. I'm 13 now and I'm a jr. black belt. I find this book really good in explaining the art of TKD to beginners & learners.

I guess I thought the book was going to be more than it was. It was very comprehensive and I wanted more detail on the forms. I did learn that one of the authors (yates) has written a book just on the forms. I will be buying that.

As a Martial Arts Instructor and a continuing student of Tae Kwon Do, I always look to further my knowledge. From the moment that I picked this book up, I couldn't stop reading it. It provided a very accurate account on the state of the art today. Mrs. Eden, et al. need to be commended for their diligence and the vital information they have provided. This book contains a wealth of information for the beginner as well as a solid reference for a seasoned veteran.

I was a little disappointed in this book. I have been practicing Taekwondo for the past 3 weeks. I was hoping to get some information on forms and some more technical aspects, in order to advance in the class. Instead this book sounded like it was for someone who never took a class before in their life, and was not sure if they wanted to start. Although I am no expert, the book seemed to focus on just explaining how wonderful Taekwondo is, and some other basic information. Also, I found it focused too much on Taekwondo as a sport instead of an artform. As the title suggests, it really did seem a like the perfect guide for an idiot.

You will realize why the title of this book is correct if you buy it. There is very very little information in it; just a lot of rambling. I have picked it up at least ten times in hopes of finding some information but I just get the urge to trash it. If you are looking for a book to direct you in any way regarding forms, techniques,or basics; this isn't it.