| Taekwondo is a very popular martial art and is | | | | Taekwondo is included in the Olympic Games. The |
| becoming more popular all the time, especially with | | | | 1988 games in Seoul was a demonstration event but |
| young people. Most Taekwondo organizations publicly | | | | by the time of the Sydney Olympics Taekwondo was |
| agree that Taekwondo was derived from other | | | | a full medal event. Olympic Taekwondo sparring is a |
| Korean martial arts. There is however, arguably a | | | | full contact event and the ring where competitors fight |
| Japanese influence from Karate resulting from the | | | | is ten meters square. Taekwondo matches at the |
| lengthy Japanese occupation of Korea in the last | | | | Olympics and elsewhere such as at club or national |
| century. | | | | level are held according to weight categories. |
| Taekwondo organizations have evolved their own | | | | Students usually wear a uniform or dobok during |
| ranking systems by which students progress. They | | | | classes and are differentiated by their belts, starting at |
| also have their own gradings, these are events where | | | | white belt and going up to black belt. Sometimes |
| students of the art may progress up the ranks by | | | | classes are split into juniors and adults. |
| demonstrating their ability in sparring, performing | | | | Classes usually have very strict discipline. So you |
| patterns and often by demonstrating their ability to use | | | | should not mind this discipline if you are thinking of |
| the correct Korean terms. Taekwondo is often | | | | taking Taekwondo classes, otherwise you may find |
| translated from the Korean as "foot-fist-art". | | | | yourself doing lots of press ups as punishment for |
| Taekwondo is famously known for its emphasis on | | | | doing something wrong. Some Korean terms are used |
| fancy high kicking techniques, these distinguish it from | | | | in classes but the instructions are usually not in Korean. |
| other martial arts such as karate. If high fancy kicks | | | | Taekwondo is a fun and social activity in which |
| interest you then this is a very good martial art to | | | | anyone can participate and make good friends in the |
| choose. | | | | process. Taekwondo is a modern martial art, well |
| The best way to score high points in taekwondo | | | | known for its flashy kicking. Taekwondo is an Olympic |
| sparring is by kicks to the head zone. Learning | | | | Sport and a martial art as well. It has sparring, patterns |
| Taekwondo kicks requires a great degree of flexibility. | | | | and is a useful way of learning some self defense. If |
| So it really helps out to be young and preferably | | | | you are looking to get fit and find the usual repetitive |
| female. If you are an older male you will have to work | | | | exercises at the gym boring then you should consider |
| on your flexibility with stretching exercises. It will take | | | | taking up this sport. |
| more time but you will get there in the end. | | | | |