Taekwondo

Meaning of the word “Taekwondo”

"Taekwondo is an empty-hand combat form that entails the use of the whole
body. Tae means "to Kick" or "Smash with the feet," Kwon implies "punching" or
"destroying with the hand or fist," and Do means "way" or "method." Taekwondo thus, is
the technique of unarmed combat for self defense that involves the skillful application of
techniques that include punching, jumping kicks, blocks, dodges, parrying actions with
hands and feet. It is more than a mere physical fighting skill, representing as it does a
way of thinking and a pattern of life requiring strict discipline. It is a system of training
both the mind and the body in which great emphasis is placed on the development of
the trainee's moral character."

History of Taekwondo

"The earliest records of Taekwondo practice date back to about 50 B.C. During this
time, Korea was divided into three kingdoms: Silla, which was founded on the Kyongju
plain in 57 B.C.; Koguryo, founded in the Yalu River Valley in 37 B.C.; and Paekche,
founded in the southwestern area of the Korean peninsula in 18 B.C.." Tae Kyon ( also
called Subak) is considered the earliest known form of Taekwondo. Paintings from this
time period have been found on the ceiling of the Muyong-chong, a royal tomb from the
Koguryo dynasty. The paintings show unarmed people using techniques that are very
similar to the ones used by Taekwondo today.

Although Taekwondo first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is the Silla's Hwarang
warriors that are credited with the growth and spread of Taekwondo throughout Korea.
Silla was the smallest of the three kingdoms and was always under attack by Japanese
Pirates. Silla got help from King Gwanggaeto and his soldiers from the Koguryo
kingdom to drive out the pirates. During this time a few select Sillan warriors were given
training in Taek Kyon by the early masters from Koguryo. The Taek Kyon trained
warriors then became known as the Hwarang. The Hwarang set up a military academy
for the sons of royalty in Silla called Hwarang-do, which means "The way of flowering
manhood." The Hwarang studied Taek Kyon, history, Confucian Philosophy, ethics,
Buddhist Morality, and military tactics. The guiding principles of the Hwarang warriors
were loyalty, filial duty, trustworthiness, valor, and justice.(3) The makeup of the
Hwarang-do education was based on the Five Codes of Human Conduct written by a
Buddhist scholar, fundamental education, Taek Kyon and social skills. Taek Kyon was
spread throughout Korea because the Hwarang traveled all around the peninsula to
learn about the other regions and people.

Today, The original Five Codes of Human Conduct have been correlated into the so-
called Eleven Commandments of modern day Taekwondo, which are:

Loyalty to your country Respect your parents

Faithfulness to your spouse Loyalty to your friends
Respect your brothers and sisters Respect your elders
Respect your teachers Never take life unjustly
Indomitable spirit Loyalty to your school (2)
Finish what you begin

During the Silla dynasty (A.D. 668 to A.D. 935) Taek Kyon was mostly used as a sport
and recreational activity. Taek Kyon's name was changed to Subak and the focus of the
art was changed during the Koryo dynasty (A.D. 935 to A.D. 1392). When King Uijong
was on the throne from 1147 through 1170, he changed Subak from a system that
promotes fitness to primarily a fighting art.

The first widely distributed book on Taekwondo was during the Yi dynasty (1397 to
1907). This was the first time that Subak was intended to be taught to the general
public, in previous years the knowledge was limited to the military. During the second
half of the Yi dynasty, political conflicts and the choice to use debate instead of military
action almost lead to the extinction of Subak. The emphasis of the art was changed
back to that of recreational and physical fitness. The lack of interest caused Subak as
an art, to become fragmented and scarcely practiced throughout the country.

In 1909 the Japanese invaded Korea and occupied the country for 36 years. To control
Korea's patriotism, the Japanese banned the practice of all military arts, Korean
language and even burned all books written in Korea. This ban was responsible for
renewed interest in Subak. Many Koreans organized themselves into underground
groups and practiced the martial arts in remote Buddhist temples. Other people left
Korea to study the martial arts in other countries like China and Japan. In 1943 Judo,
Karate and Kung-fu were officially introduced to the Korean residents and the martial
arts regained popularity. In 1945 Korea was liberated. In the last few years before
liberation, there were many different variations of Subak/Taek Kyon in Korea. This was
due to all of the other martial arts influence on it.

The first Taekwondo school (Kwan) was started in Yong Chun, Seoul, Korea in 1945.
Many different school were opened from 1945 through 1960. Each school claimed to
teach the traditional Korean martial art, but each school emphasized a different aspect
of Taek Kyon/Subak. This caused different names to emerge from each system, some
of them were: Soo Bahk Do, Kwon Bop, Kong Soo Do, Tae Soo Do and Kang Soo Do.

The Korean Armed Forces were also formed in 1945 and in 1946 Second lieutenant
Hong Hi Choi began teaching Taek Kyon at a Korean military base called Kwang Ju.
Americans were first introduced to Taek Kyon when Choi instructed Korean Army troops
and some American soldiers stationed with the 2nd Infantry Regiment. Later in 1949
Hong Hi Choi attended Ground General School at Ft. Riely near Topeka, Kansas in the
United States. While in the U.S., Choi gave public Taek Kyon demonstrations for the
troops. This was the first display of Taek Kyon in America.
The greatest turning point for Korean martial arts started in 1952. During the height of
the Korean War, President Syngman Rhee watched a 30 minute performance by
Korean martial arts masters. He was especially impressed when Tae Hi Nam broke 13
roof tiles with a single punch. After the demonstration Rhee talked with Hong Hi Choi
about the martial arts, he then ordered his military chiefs of staff to require all Korean
soldiers to receive training in the martial arts. This caused a tremendous surge in Taek
Kyon schools and students. President Rhee also sent Tae Hi Nam to Ft. Benning,
Georgia for radio communications training. While there, Tae Hi Nam gave many martial
arts demonstrations and received considerable media publicity.

During this same time period in Korea, special commando groups of martial arts-trained
soldiers were formed to fight against the communist forces of North Korea. One of the
most famous special forces was known as the Black Tigers. The Korean war ended in
1953. In 1954, General Hong Hi Choi organized the 29th Infantry on Che Ju Island, off
the Korean Coast, as a spearhead and center for Taek Kyon training in the military.

On April 11, 1955 at a conference of kwan masters, historians, and Taek Kyon
promoters, most of the kwan masters decided to merge their various styles for mutual
benefit of all schools. The name "Tae Soo Do" was accepted by a majority of the kwan
masters. Two years later the name was changed again, this time to "Taekwondo" The
name was suggested by General Hong Hi Choi (who is considered the father of
Taekwondo). "Taekwondo" was suggested by Choi because of its resemblance to Taek
Kyon, and so provides continuity and maintains tradition. Further, it describes both hand
and foot techniques.

Dissension among the various kwans that did not unify carried on until September 14,
1961. Then by official decree of the new military government, the kwans were ordered
to unify into one organization called the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), with
General Hong Hi Choi elected as its first president. In 1962, the KTA re-examined all
the black belt ranks to determine national standards and also in 1962, Taekwondo
became one of the official events in the annual National Athletic Meet in Korea. The
KTA sent instructors and demonstrations teams all over the world. Jhoon Rhee (who is
considered the father of American Taekwondo) attended San Marcos Southwest Texas
State College, and later taught a Taekwondo course at the college and formed a public
Taekwondo club.

A Taekwondo demonstration at the United Nations headquarters in New York City in

1963, caused the formation of the U.S. Taekwondo Association in 1967, which later was
superseded in 1974 by the U.S. Taekwondo Federation.

In Korea, the study of Taekwondo spread rapidly from the army into high schools and
colleges. In march of 1966 Choi founded the International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF),
which he also served as president. Choi later resigned as the KTA president and moved
his ITF headquarters to Montreal, Canada, from where he concentrated on organizing
Taekwondo internationally. His emphasis is on self-defense methodology, not
particularly on the sport. By 1974, Choi reported that some 600 qualified ITF instructors
were distributed throughout the world.

Young-wun Kim was elected the new KTA president. Feeling that Korea was the mother
country of Taekwondo and that the world headquarters should be located there, he
dissolved the ITF's connection with the KTA and on May 28, 1973 created a new
international governing body called the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), which
coincided with the first World Taekwondo Championships that were held in Seoul,
Korea. At the first inaugural meeting, Un Yong Kim was elected as president of the WTF
and drafted a charter for the federation. The WTF is the only official organization
recognized by the Korean government as an international regulating body for
Taekwondo.

The World Taekwondo Federation has since made a major effort to standardize
tournament rules and organize world class competitions. After the 2nd World TKD
Championship in Seoul, the WTF became an affiliate of the General Assembly of
International Sports Federation (GAISF), which has ties to the International Olympic
Committee (IOC). The IOC recognized and admitted the WTF in July 1980. In 1982 the
General Session of the IOC designated Taekwondo as an official Demonstration Sport
for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.

Since Modern-day Taekwondo's official birth on April 11, 1955, its development as a
sport has been rapid. Over 30 million people practice Taekwondo in more than 156
countries.

Six Tenets of Taekwondo

1. Courtesy

Polite and gracious; considerate toward others; well-mannered. Treat other

people exactly as you would like them to treat you.

2. Integrity

The quality or state of being: a) complete; in unbroken condition; whole; entire b)

unimpaired; in perfect condition; sound c) of sound moral principle; upright, honest, and
sincere. How we view ourselves and how we carry ourselves is very important in
determining how others view us.

3. Perseverance

To continue in some effort, course of action, etc. in spite of difficulty or

opposition; to be steadfast in purpose; to persist. Set a goal for yourself and go for it, no
matter what the odds or obstacles.

4. Self Control
 Control of oneself, or of one's emotions, desires, actions, etc. You know the
difference between right and wrong. No matter how attractive "wrong" looks, remember
the other tenets, and how you want to live your life every minute of every day.

5. Indomitable Spirit

Not easily discouraged, defeated, or subdued; unyielding, unconquerable. Have

courage—no matter what the odds.

6. Victory

Success in a contest or struggle involving defeat of an opponent or overcoming

of obstacles. Conquer the things you set out to do no matter how big or small.

Objectives of Taekwondo

1. Appreciation

The first objective of students of taekwondo is to learn and understand it as an

art and sport. In addition to learning the basic tenets, students learn the physical
movements that develop their strength, balance and coordination.

2. Fitness

Taekwondo is meant to be a lifetime sport, allowing participants to be as active

as possible no matter what their age or condition. It develops the participant's
confidence and sense of achievement, according to Calgary Taekwondo as well as the
ability to compete.

3. Discipline

Training in taekwondo requires both mental and physical discipline. Modern

Grand Masters of taekwondo philosophy advocate the sport as a way to form a good
moral character, non-violent attitudes and behavior, according to Calgary Taekwondo.
Channeling aggression in a positive way and continuous challenge is an important goal
in taekwondo. The University of Notre Dame reports that perseverance, courtesy, self-
control, integrity and indomitable spirit are the five tenets of self-discipline in taekwondo.
Courtesy and integrity are essential for both self-respect and respect of others. Self-
control is the ability to resist aggression unless absolutely necessary and the
indomitable spirit is that which embraces the discipline and challenge of a lifetime of
learning in taekwondo.
 4. Self-Defense

Taekwondo movements are not meant for attacking, but rather for using the
hands and feet as weapons for defense. The tactics are not meant to cause harm, but
rather deflect and neutralize an aggressor. Counterattack movements such as blocking,
sparring, kicking, jumping, throwing and falling are all essential components. Jiptjung is
a significant part of self-defense training, where breathing is used to combine force and
energy.
Basic Skills

The following are some examples of taekwondo kicks and basic skills that we teach in
Dos Taekwondo:

1. Base
oThe stance is your base on the ground. Your ground is where you connect
with the earth and it is your grounding. We teach our students to skillfully
connect with their base.
o We teach hot to make stances strong and solid. In this way, our student’s
moves will come from a stable base.
2. Taekwondo Block
o Taekwondo blocks are strong moves which are designed to halt attacks
like punches or kicks. This basic move protects the body or head from
being hit. You should be alert, strong, and fast to be able to block your
opponents.
o Dos Taekwondo teaches the use of a blocking arm and a chambering
arm. These two arms produce action and reaction. Also, they counter
each other. Using these techniques effectively gives the body strength to
block punches and kicks.
o Learning how to twist at the end of each block is also necessary because
this gives more power to perform.
3. Taekwondo Strikes
o Taekwondo involves the combination of the hand and foot in order to fight
effectively. Hand strikes are equally important in these sports.
o Kicking at a correct distance is great but when your opponent is at close
range, then you have to maximize the use of your hands
o Learning how to punch with a great and powerful impact is a great
taekwondo move. Other movements included in this skill were the knife-
hands, back-fists, and ridge-hand strikes.

Basic Rules

 Taekwondo matches should be contested by competitors of the same sex and in

the same classified weight category.
  The competition area is a mat that measures 8 metres squared.
 Taekwondo matches are contested over 3 x 2 minute rounds with a rest of 1
minute between rounds.
 Each fighter attempts to knockout their opponent or score points by landing
blows on their opponent’s torso or head. Kicks are allowed to both to the torso
and head, whilst punches are only allowed to the body. Below the waist is not a
permitted target.
 If a fighter and their coach think that a point has been missed or that a mistake
has been made, they can make a protest. A video replay is then looked at by
judges and a decision is made.
 Fighters can lose points by the way of penalties. These can be incurred by
actions such as:
o Punching to the face
o Attacking with the knee
o Attacking below the waist
o Stepping out of the ring with both feet
o Turning your back on your opponent
o Pushing, holding or grabbing your opponent
o Feigning injury
 The match is won by the fighter who knocks their opponent out or who has the
greater number of points at the end of the three rounds.
 If the match is a draw, a golden point round is fought, with the fighter landing the
first scoring point being declared the winner.

Sources:

https://msu.edu/~spock/history.html

http://www.worldtaekwondo.com/history.htm

https://dostaekwondo.com/taekwondo-kicks/

http://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/taekwondo.html