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What is Taekwondo? Taekwondo traces its roots to ancient Korean fighting arts and is the world's most widely practised martial discipline. Literally, tae means "to kick," kwon means "fist," and do means "way." Thus Taekwondo is "the way of kicking and punching." Besides striking techniques, Taekwondo focuses as much on the character growth of its students as it does on their physical development. Exercise: Taekwondo training incorporates extensive stretching and aerobic activity. For students the results are an improved cardiovascular system, increased endurance, flexibility, strength and body awareness. Self-defence: Taekwondo teaches techniques that students of all ages can use. Although known for its wide variety of kicks, Taekwondo practice includes many other effective self-defence applications. Art: Taekwondo is practised for the power, grace and beauty of its techniques, whether in the demonstration of individual or synchronized forms. Benefits of Taekwondo Training In the dojang (training area), age, gender, or racial barriers do not exist; all students begin training with a white belt and progress according to individual ability. During the process, they build strength, stamina, flexibility, coordination and balance. Simultaneously, students develop important character traits like patience, humility, respect, perseverance, self-control, concentration, and self-discipline. Children also increase their confidence and attention span, memory and social skills while learning responsibility and the importance of goal-setting. For all students, Taekwondo is a safe way to burn off excess energy and relieve stress. |
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Philosophy of Taekwondo Taekwondo was founded on a code of good citizenship: loyalty to country, respect for others, honour, integrity, courage, justice and good conduct. Today's Taekwondo practitioners strive for the same ideals. Through rigorous physical exercise, students seek to achieve harmony of mind, body, and indomitable strength of spirit. Often, we value technique and proficiency in skills as the ultimate goal in defensive development. However, in Taekwondo we learn the ability to distinguish appropriate actions in the cause of self-preservation, not the wasting of energy in fear and destruction. Consciously living in harmony with others and your environment rather than using the body as a destructive tool is Taekwondo philosophy in action. |
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Techniques Forms (Poomse): The practice of patterned defensive and offensive techniques against an imaginary opponent. Self-defence (Hosinsul): The practice of escape techniques for grabs and holds initiated by an attacker. These techniques include locks, throws, and takedowns. Breaking (Kyukpa): A self-measuring technique for determining the effectiveness and precision of one's Taekwondo ability, involving the breaking of solid objects such as boards. Sparring (Gyoroogi): Olympic style sparring, in either systematic or free form, against an opponent. (This part of the program is optional for all students). Weapons (Mugisul): Nunchaku, Tahn Bong, and Bo are practiced for both artistic and self-defence purposes. |
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Belt Ranking The practice of Taekwondo involves a system of ranking and promotions. Each student begins training as a white belt and is "promoted" to higher coloured belts such as yellow, orange, green, blue, red, and then finally black belt. Between each colour belt there is a striped belt signifying the intermediate stage of progress from one solid colour belt to the next. Thus, a student holding an orange stripe belt has completed all the requirements for yellow belt and part of those for orange belt. |
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