Effectiveness of Taekwondo

Quite a lot of people I speak to that train in different arts seem keen to question the effectiveness of Taekwondo as a self defense system. Now, Taekwondo is an "offensive" martial art, as opposed to Jujutsu which would be classed as "defensive". The basic premise being that the Taekwondo practitioner blocks and then counter attacks with a strike capable of incapacitating the aggressor, whereas in a defensive system, the attack is worked against the aggressor typically using using twisting, painful grab techniques. Some Taekwondo schools perhaps leave it out, but at my club Ho Sin Sul (self defense) is an active part of the curriculum. Ho Sin Sul is in many respects very similar to Hapkido, the most well known Korean self defense system and really the Korean equivalent to Japanese Jujitsu.

Taekwondo itself is, by it's nature, geared towards fancy high spinning kicks. These are perhaps not the best techniques to use on the street as a foot at head height, if grabbed, puts you in a very dangerous position. But that isn't the point. If you can kick hard enough to break a board at head height, you can kick a lot harder, and faster at lower levels.

That being said, the best thing to do in any potentially threatening situation is to get out of the way and leave quickly if possible. Taekwondo students have an instant advantage because due to the very nature of the way Taekwondo is practiced, you get very fit doing it. Practitioners of defensive martial arts don't require, and so don't focus so much on, physical fitness as it's not required so much to perform the techniques.

I'm fortunate that I've only been in a violent situation once since taking up Taekwondo. That being my only experience (thankfully) it perhaps can't be taken as a definite indicator of the effectiveness of my training although I would argue it could. The guy "having a go" fired 4 or 5 punches at my head, each of which I managed to block easily. I resisted the temptation to counter attack. I was sorely tempted, but looking back the use of self control in the situation is not something I regret at all. Getting out of the situation without sustaining injury, and with my integrity intact was for me, the perfect way out.

Make no mistake, had the situation involved more than one person attacking me, I would've run. No question. I've seen people attacked by more than one person and without doubt, however good you may be, multiple opponents (regardless of the eventual outcome) is much more likely to result in you becoming injured.

A word of warning

Yesterday I was standing outside the office, the door was open, when suddenly a gust of wind attempted to blow it shut and lock me out. The old "lightning" reflexes jumped into action and I swiftly and accurately thrust my right leg forward to halt the doors' progress. There was a twofold result.
1. The door was successfully kept unlocked.
2. I lacerated both sides of the ankle as it came under pressure from on one side the (metal - ouch) door, and on the other a rather sharp edged brick wall.

Anyone who's been at Taekwondo for a while has probably found themselves operating light switches, opening doors etc with knife hand techniques, or worse with their feet. Anyone who hasn't and is reading this probably has their mouth open in the sheer stupidity this would appear to imply.

I just hope when it's really important, the reflexes operate properly.