About Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do is a type of martial art that hails from Korea. It is one of the more popular sporting martial arts, and has been practiced in the Olympic Games and various other tournaments and events throughout the world. Kicking and punching are the main elements of Tae Kwon Do, though others, such as throwing and grabbing, have been added in as influences from other martial arts. As Tae Kwon Do continues to grow in popularity, new offshoots of the art and new organizations that have formed in the past will also continue to develop into unique entities.

  1. Features

    • What distinguishes Tae Kwon Do from other martial arts, such as Karate and Kung Fu, is its emphasis on kicking. Koreans traditionally believed that the hands were too important to be used in combat. That, along with the fact that legs have a greater reach than arms and can deliver more power, was why kicking became the main focus of this art.

    Significance

    • Tae Kwon Do is significant because it teaches practitioners to enhance their mind and have control over the body and movements. It also teaches discipline and self-defense techniques that can protect a person if he or she is attacked. Historically, Tae Kwon Do was taught to an elite group of Korean warriors called the Hwarang. These warriors all excelled at Tae Kwon Do. In modern times, Korea continues to make this a mandatory art for military personnel.

    Ranks

    • Tae Kwon Do ranks are divided into two groups: junior and senior. Junior ranks, also known as geups, show a student's progression through basic and intermediate skills. Those learning Tae Kwon Do begin on the tenth geup and continue to the first. Each geup has a different belt color or an additional stripe added to a previous belt. Senior ranks are the black belt ranks that show dedication to the art. It can take years to advance from one black belt to another and requires knowledge of advanced skills and philosophies.

    Organizations

    • There are two main Tae Kwon Do organizations, each with a number of regional groups underneath them. The first to form was the International Tae Kwon Do Federation in 1966. General Choi Hong Hi put it together, but after he died in 2002 it split into three main groups, though they are collectively still known as the ITF. In 1973 the World Tae Kwon Do federation was formed. They are responsible for creating the competitive ruling factors that are used in Olympic-level Tae Kwon Do competitions.

    Philosophy

    • Tae Kwon Do teaches various philosophies, which differ slightly between the two major organizations. The ITF focuses on justice and valor. Students studying under this organization also are taught to contribute toward creating a better world through whatever they choose to do in life. The WTF is more focused on Eastern Philosophy. Teachings include information on the three elements and the differences between light and dark and how they interact in the world.