| Taekwondo is derived from several martial | | | | art survived. |
| arts with the main influence being tae-kyon - | | | | |
| Korean kick fighting. "Tae" means to kick. | | | | Following liberation in 1945, many Korean |
| "Kwon" means to strike using the hand, in | | | | exiles returned to their homeland and |
| most cases the fist. "Do" refers to the way | | | | reintroduced an improved version of |
| of the art, like in the examples of Hapkido, | | | | Taekwondo. The Korean government, as part of |
| Karate-do, Ninjado etc. Thus, the foundation | | | | its canpaign to reassert national identity |
| of the art is the use of the hands and feet | | | | after years of Japanese occupation, supported |
| to overcome an attacker swiftly. | | | | the practice of Taekwondo by officially |
| | | | sponsoring it. This led to a more formal |
| History: | | | | approach to the teaching and grading of the |
| | | | discipline. |
| Taekwondo was originally developed in Korea | | | | |
| in the 1950s, when a group of leading martial | | | | Taekwondo spread worldwide from Korea in the |
| arts exponents came together to unify their | | | | 1960s and the first world Taekwondo |
| respective disciplines under a single | | | | championship took place in Seoul, South |
| fighting system. The inauguration took place | | | | Korea, in 1973. Since 1988, Taekwondo has |
| in South Korea on April 11, 1955, with | | | | been listed as an Olympic sport. |
| Major-General Choi Hong Hi, a 9th dan black | | | | |
| belt, being credited as the founder. However, | | | | Competitive fighting: |
| its roots date back nearly 2000 years ago | | | | |
| when it was born from an art known as hwarang | | | | Competitive fighting in Taekwondo is purely |
| do, meaning "the way of the flowering | | | | optional. For those who participate, |
| manhood". | | | | competitions are split into 3 sections - |
| | | | sparring, patterns and destruction. |
| The hwarang were young noblemen, influenced | | | | |
| by Confucian teachings, who formed a | | | | Sparring involves 2 practitioners practising |
| patriotic society during the unification of | | | | fighting techniques to develop their timing, |
| Korea, in the Silla dynasty, around 600AD. | | | | focus and speed. It is performed in a |
| The Silla kingdom was the smallest of 3 | | | | controlled environment so that no unnecessary |
| within the Korean peninsula and was | | | | injuries occur. In competition, the aim is to |
| constantly under attack from its two stronger | | | | score points through the delivery of correct |
| neighbours. It was these constant invasions | | | | techniques to target areas. |
| that led the Silla nobility to develop a | | | | |
| fighting system to protect their kingdom. | | | | Patterns are a set of series of combination |
| | | | techniques performed in a sequential order |
| Towards the end of the 10th century, | | | | against an imaginery opponent. This is |
| following the unification of Korea, learning | | | | similar to Karate, which refers to patterns |
| Taekwondo became compulsory for all young | | | | as kata, or Kung fu, which uses set movements |
| men. However, in about the 16th century, the | | | | called forms. |
| military traditions of the country fell out | | | | |
| of general favour and the practice of | | | | Destruction refers to breaking techniques in |
| Taekwondo was kept alive only by Buddhist | | | | which practitioners learn to break, for an |
| monks. Following the Japanese occupation in | | | | example, a piece of wood about 0.5 to 1 cm |
| 1909, the suppression of any form of martial | | | | thick. The aim is to ensure that the power |
| art only served to further its decline. The | | | | and skill of the technique are truly |
| few remaining dedicated practitioners | | | | effective. It is also designed to focus the |
| emigrated to China and Japan and hence, the | | | | mind. |