| Tae Kwon Do is Korean Karate. It means The Way | | | | extremely hot and sweaty. Jab, punch, upper cut, side |
| of the Hand and Foot (punching and kicking). There are | | | | kick, reverse punch, round house, hammer fist, bob and |
| basically four sections to the art: Toning, Sparring, | | | | weave and repeat. It's an excellent aerobic exercise. |
| Forms and Self Defense. | | | | Learning the forms or patterns can really tax your |
| It is a well rounded exercise program that | | | | brain. Many of the forms have 26+ different |
| encompasses muscle toning, stretching and flexibility, | | | | movements. It's your job to remember them, in order, |
| increasing strength and stamina through aerobic | | | | and learn them proficiently. In theory, by learning the |
| sparring and mental challenges through becoming | | | | forms, it'll help you to become a better fighter. For |
| proficient at the patterns or forms. | | | | example, one form might start out: high block, front kick |
| Most classes start out with warm-ups. These | | | | punch left; high block front kick punch right. Turn 90 |
| exercises are the calisthenics such as push ups, sit | | | | degrees, down the center, knife hand left, knife hand |
| ups, jumping jacks, trunk rotations, squat kicks and | | | | right, knife hand left, spear hand. And so it goes. If you |
| various leg stretches. For certain you will tighten your | | | | master these, when it comes time to spar, you can |
| abs and strengthen your arms just from performing | | | | implement some of these patterns into your match. |
| the warm-up exercises. Before you know it, you'll be | | | | Many people enjoy Tae Kwon Do, or any martial arts |
| doing fifty knuckle or triangle push-ups at rapid-fire | | | | for that matter, because it is an all inclusive exercise |
| pace and will be able to lean up against a wall and | | | | program. It's fun, it's challenging, and it's an excellent |
| have someone lift your leg up so that your toes touch | | | | way to get in or to stay in shape. As with any |
| the wall behind your ear. Tae Kwon Do will definitely | | | | exercise program, start slowly and consult your |
| help you to become or to stay limber. | | | | physician. If you haven't participated in much physical |
| Sparring is fighting in a controlled environment. It's not | | | | exercise in a while, your muscles will definitely be very |
| street fighting and all participants wear protective gear: | | | | sore for the first few weeks. Don't be intimidated by |
| helmet, gloves, shin guards and feet guards, called | | | | the other students may appear to be in better shape |
| kicks. Usually you will spar in three minute rounds. It's | | | | that you are. Everyone started out as a white belt. |
| basically kick boxing. Then a minute rest; switch | | | | Just have fun; and get moving! |
| partners, then spar again and repeat. You will get | | | | |