Will taekwondo help me in becoming a police officer?

Question

Will taekwondo help me in becoming a police officer?

Answer 1

Yeah Taekwondo will help you become more confident in throwing punches and kicks and blocking, but as a police officer you wont be doing much of that..

Police officers really dont need any martial arts training but if you do your going to want to train in a soft style of Hapkido

Hapkido consist of joint locks/manipulation, kicks, punches, blocks, throws, and balance perfect for a police officer because you will learn how to put some one down with out permanently injuring them..

Answer 2

Sounds like you have a "Walker, Texas Ranger" complex. This martial arts is mostly fist and foot offense/defense. Depending on the department you may join, the department may have regulations as to what defensive skills you possess and can use to avoid any lawsuits to you and the department. Life isn't like "Walker world". But if you're in control of your emotions the art could be used constructively. I use Tang Soo Do/Aikido in my security gigs when necessary.

Answer 3

It is not good for police work. You need a totally different type of training. Styles that teach joint locks and pain compliance techniques are of much more use to police.

EDIT: Jamesf24   You said, "People need to stop thinking that TKD only teaches the jump spin hook kick and that is the only technique a TKD black belt would use in a street fight. We use knees, elbows, throws, joint locks, low kicks, etc."

I think you an I are on two different ideas here.  I'm well ware of the Real TKD and what it offers. If you are talking survival skills, I would agree with you.  I'm thinking about skills that police can use to apprehend a suspect. You can't kick, elbow, ...  although your TKD would teach them some skills that they could use, in this case, I feel that there are other arts that would be more in line with their needs in this case.  

Be well!

Answer 4

Depends what you are looking for out of it. As far as staying fit flexible and to develop self control any of the arts will help. Taekwando is better than nothing. I would prefer some art like Akedo or Hapkido where you will learn more locks and submission holds. I would only recommend Taekwando if you can find a school that teaches traditional style where you will learn some ground work and locks and submissions. If you take taekwando and you are not learning some of the throws submissions and locking work than you seriously need to cross train.

I am only recommending this way as most schools today do not teach all of the art of Taekwando. It is very hard to find a school that will open this art up for you.

Answer 5

I would agree with those that are talking of trying other arts. TKD is not the best for the type of job you're going to be doing. I would suggest find something that emphasizes joint manipulation, and is soft. I say that because you don't want to get sued, fired, or your department sued for you breaking some crackhead's chest. If you train to do it, it becomes second nature and sometimes when you see that opening you bite, excessively.

Just remember that you're big job is protecting rights, you're not an infantryman (unless you are) so your job is not to kill the guy... generally.

You're going to be carrying a gun, taser, OC spray, a flashlight, and cuffs. That's a lot of weapons to have, so if you really get down too it. Your local LE training will help you get along just fine in that particular world. I might even suggest you wait to take a MA until you've talked with some of the other officers in your unit. They might have some recommendations for you to go by and you could even join with a group of your coworkers, building better teamwork, and faith in each other. I commend you for becoming a LE officer, and good luck.

Answer 6

try aikido this art is very useful in any line of work

Answer 7

try do to do hapkido. I take taekwondo and hapkido. taekwondo is mostly kicks. hapkido will help you with making criminals give up if they don't.

Answer 8

Yes it will.  TKD is taught to the Korean military and secret police.  

Pugpaws, we have several police officers and correctional officers (prison guards) at our school.

People need to stop thinking that TKD only teaches the jump spin hook kick and that is the only technique a TKD black belt would use in a street fight.  We use knees, elbows, throws, joint locks, low kicks, etc.  I train at a WTF school, the Olympic style sparring rules are only one aspect of TKD as a whole.  

The school you choose needs to include more than just sparring.  For example, at our school, you learn punching defense (what to do if someone is punching you and you see it coming), self defense (what to do if someone grabs you, how to escape, how to capture, joint locks, etc.) as well as forms and sparring.

We also have done seminars for the FBI.

Not all schools are created equal, just make sure that that the school you train at has a self defense curriculum.  

The style (karate, kung fu, tae kwon do) won't matter that much, it will help you.

James

Answer 9

Actually, Aikido or Hakko-Ryu Jiu Jitsu are ideal for police work.

Tae Kwon Do was developed by Army General Choi as a military style performed while wearing full combat uniform (helmet, boots, webgear, rucksack, and holding a rifle).  That's why TKD is 70% kicks to the head.  This is impractical for a street cop who has to deal with drunks, mentally ill, drugged up suspects, and other violent sorts.

Answer 10

Try Krav Maga

Answer 11

tkd isnt so different from tang soo do to whoever said that.

bottom line...any cop will tell you they have basic compulsory karate and judo training in most places as a basic. from there it gets more into the "tactical" stuff like hock hochheim or jim wagner teaches...more akin to krav maga type stuff.

and any cop will probably tell you any martial arts training is beneficial in some way. infact i have trained with a police officer who is a taekwondo instructor!!

the thing you have to realize is that tkd is a striking art and cops cant just walk up and start kicking people or punching people.

Answer 12

I am a Police Officer and a Martial Arts Instructor.  Will TKD help you get hired?  Depends on the department, but not likely.  A martial arts background is not a specific item that agencies look for.  In fact some agencies may not hire you because of it.  They may fear a use of force complaint.  If you get hired will TKD help you as a police officer?  I've been a Police Officer for 10 years and have never kicked anyone, also kicks are difficult with armor and weapon belt on.  So a very kick oriented martial art is probably not that great for law enforcement.