TaeKwon-Do is a Korean martial art. It originated in Korea and was officially named on 11th of April 1955, following extensive research and development by General Choi Hong Hi, who is known as the father of modern TaeKwon-Do. After studying various Koren arts and spending considerable time in Japan studying Shotokan Karate, he modernized and refined the art which, incidentally, has been practised in Korea since the 6th century AD.
General Choi was born on November 9 1918 and died on June 15 2002, leaving an estimated 50 million practitioners of various forms of TaeKwon-Do throughout the world.
TaeKwon-Do is a complete self-defence system which takes dedication to master. Training will also develop fitness, concentration, self confidence and self esteem, and you will become a better person by using the tenents of TaeKwon-Do in your daily life.
TaeKwon-Do is an original art which employs the extra length and strength of the legs to good effect by emphasizing jumping and kicking techniques.
General Choi Hong Hi, took 15 volumes to explain in detail what is TaeKwon-Do. We will try to explain in a few short paragraphs the unique qualities associated with the martial art that is called TaeKwon-Do.
TaeKwon-Do literally means:
TAE – To kick or smash with the foot
KWON -To punch or destroy with the fist
DO – Art or Way
The Tenets Of TaeKwon-Do
COURTESY, INTEGRITY, PERSEVERENCE, SELF CONTROL, INDOMITABLE SPIRIT.
Students are taught to follow the tenets of Tae Kwon Do from their very first lesson. These tenets are the basic values and ideals that underpin physical training in TaeKwon-Do. From the moment a student enters the dojang (training hall), they are taught to extend courtesy to their fellow students and to blackbelts. This is the very foundation of TaeKwon-Do. Although it is a form of unarmed self defence, TaeKwon-Do develops the personality as well as the body.
TaeKwon-Do training can be beneficial for everybody. Self defence, fitness, and confidence can all be developed. With enough dedication, the student can attain the highly coveted black belt and progress to run their own school.
All students practice the same basic disciplines:
Patterns (Tul) – A series of blocking and attacking movements against an imaginary opponent.
Sparring (Matsogi) – Application of fundamental techniques against a moving opponent.
Power (Weeryok) – Smashing boards to demonstrate power.
Special Techniques – Demonstrating the ability to attack opponents over obstacles or at a distance or height.
Training in Tae Kwon Do gives both sexes and all ages the necessary skills to defend themselves against an assailant. Tae Kwon Do can be lethal when used in the wrong circumstances, which is why such a strong emphasis is put on discipline in the training hall.
Tae Kwon-Do in martial art terms is relatively new. 1955 signalled the beginning of Tae Kwon-Do as a formally recognised art in Korea. During that year, a special board was formed which included leading masters, instructors, historians and prominent leaders of society. A number of names for the new martial art were submitted. On the 11 April 1955, the board summoned by General Choi, decided on the name, chosen by General Choi, of TaeKwon-Do. This single name of TaeKwon-Do replaced the different and confusing terms of preceding Korean martial arts.
From that day forward to the present TaeKwon-Do has continually pushed forward new and greater standards in the world of martial arts. General Choi’s relentless persistence in developing the partial art scientifically allowing individuals to gain the ultimate use of their body, regardless of age and sex.
The feats of TaeKwon-Do are great in number. For instance, flying over eleven people in line to attack a target with the foot; smashing two house bricks with a punch; breaking six or seven ‘l’ pieces of wood with foot or hand; breaking four targets in the air simultaneous with the same foot; breaking five targets in the air with alternating feet and hands. To the unfamiliar, this may sound impossible or the fiction from a film set but to the TaeKwon-Do practitioner these are ordinary occurrences requiring no special camera angle, and in some cases precedent for high level examination. TaeKwon-Do is a martial art for the future as it has been built on a solid foundation with traditional values and will continue to grow upward steadily.