How do I know you’re legit?

Question

How do I know that a Tae Kwon Do instructor knows what they’re talking about?

Answer 1

Let's dive in! To know whether or not you have a LEGIT instructor, here are three things you can look for.

1.) Knowledge over power. False instructors will ALWAYS try to 'prove themselves' by doing some feat of strength or skill. THIS DOES NOT DETERMINE A GOOD TEACHER!!! This determines an ego. A real instructor is solely focused on YOUR skills and development. They feel no need to prove themselves cause they know they got it like that!

2.) REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS!!!! Check the reviews of the person! Any basic google search will get you info, and if you cannot find their info fairly easily... RUN LIKE YOU'RE ON FIRE!!! Credibility is easy to track. Most places will have reviews and their business already on google so if they don't, thats a great way to tell. AND OBVIOUSLY IF THEY HAVE BAD REVIEWS RUN LIKE YOU'RE ON FIRE!!!

3.) IF THEY ASK FOR PAYMENT ON FIRST LESSON, THEY ARE A SCAM!!! No respectable business will make you pay for trying. Every single RESPECTABLE gym should always offer a free lesson to see if you're interested in even joining, and EVEN THEN, BE CAREFUL! FOLLOW THE FIRST TWO STEPS BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT PAYING ANYONE!!!

Unfortunately we live in a time where credibility can be faked very easily. That's why it's SO IMPORTANT to do your due diligence before spending your money on ANYTHING!!!

Answer 2

For Taekwondo, the best way to know whether your instructor is legit or not is if they are able to perform the techniques and if their body is in fit shape. If you take a trial class and the instructor is unable to perform a split stretch, or they're not able to kick head high, that would be my red flag.

I wouldn't entirely trust their certifications nor plats on "Best Instructor 20XX" or something like that. You can definitely tell based on their techniques. Of course there are some exceptions depending if they are old, but most valid instructors I see even in their 50s-60s are able to perform the techniques very well.

Also, FYI, it's not hard to buy a Kukkiwon black belt certification online, so I wouldn't fully trust in that either. And if they're somehow a 6th or 7th dan but under the age of 60, that's also another red flag.

Answer 3

For Tae Kwon Do, we have an international governing body and credential system. The Kukkiwon is the international governing body of Tae Kwon Do. They help determine the strict criteria needed to become a black belt. A Kukkiwon certified black belt is required to be knowledgeable in the forms, techniques, and information for their rank.