Taekwondo (Korean 태권도 (hangul) is a Korean martial art. It combines combat and self-defense techniques with sport and exercise. Gyeorugi, a type of sparring, has been an Olympic event since 2000. Taekwondo was developed by a variety of Korean masters during the 1940s as partial combination of taekkyeon, Okinawankarate, and other traditions.
Taekwondo is known for its emphasis on high kicking and fast kick techniques, which distinguishes it from other popular martial arts and combat sports such as karate. However, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) believes that because the leg is the longest and strongest limb a martial artist has, kicks therefore have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes with the least chance of retaliation.
Taekwondo as a martial art is popular with people of both genders and of many ages. Physically, taekwondo develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of wooden boards, bricks, or tiles, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and mental concentration to focus one's power.
A taekwondo student typically wears a uniform , often white but sometimes black (or other colors), with a belt (ddi 띠, dee) tied around the waist. There are at least three major styles of dobok, with the most obvious differences being in the style of jacket: (the cross-over front jacket that resembles traditional Asian clothing, (2) the V-neck jacket (no cross-over) typically worn by WTF practitioners, and (3) the vertical-closing front jacket (no cross-over) typically worn by ITF practitioners.
The belt color and any insignia thereon indicate the student's rank. In general, the darker the color, the higher the rank. The school or place where instruction is given is called the dojang (도장, doh'-jang). The grandmaster of the dojang is called a gwanjangnim ; the master (senior instructor or head of dojang) is called sabeomnim; the instructor is called gyosannim ; and the assistant instructor is called jogyonim . The person's seniority in the dojang is not what distinguishes their title, but rather it is the degree, or dan, of black belt.
Taekwondo is traditionally performed in bare feet, although there are specialist training shoes that can sometimes be worn.
These technique can be separated into three types:
Power breaking – using straightforward techniques to break as many boards as possible
Speed breaking – boards are held loosely by one edge, putting special focus on the speed required to perform the break
Special techniques – breaking fewer boards but using jumping or flying techniques to attain greater height, distance, or to clear obstacles
The martial art plays four different roles.
First, Taekwondo as an Exercise
Taekwondo is a good exercise for children who are still growing as well as a good way for grown-ups to increase their physical endurance. Taekwondo's movements require extensive use of the joints, which increases the limberness of one's body. Since there are kicking, jabbing and shouting involved, it's also a great way to relieve stress and get a good workout.
Second, Taekwondo as a Bare Handed Martial Arts Form
Taekwondo learners attack the opponent with their bare hands and feet. What sets this apart from other martial arts forms are the powerful and various leg movements involved, and which have enabled it to become a worldwide martial art. Taekwondo's attack is aggressive, but at the same time the focus is more on the defense aspect. This can act positively for those wanting to learn Taekwondo as a way of self defense for practical purposes, even in modern times.
Third, Taekwondo as a Sport
Taekwondo is an official competitive category in major world sporting events such as the Olympics, Panam Games, Asian Games, All American Games, and South American Games. Competitive Taekwondo involves safety gear and set attacks and defenses as to limit the amount of damage possible. This way, competitive martial artists can enjoy the thrill of competing with less risk.Fourth, Taekwondo as an Educational Method
Taekwondo trains the body, but does as much to develop the mind as well. The objective of learning Taekwondo is to foster growth in both areas in order to become a more mature human being. Taekwondo learners receive repeated etiquette lessons along with the attack and defense skills to build and strengthen their character.
Want more information?
Go to our Webpage : http://english.wannabeps.com/
Follow us on Instagram: wannabeps_korea
Wechat: wannabekr
Line: wannabeps
Kakao talk: wannabeps
Line: wannabeps
Kakao talk: wannabeps
Tel: +82-10-7213-8855
E-mail : wannabeps@gmail.com
Webpage: http://english.wannabeps.com/
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/WANNABEKOREA
Address: Kyumyung BD 2nd Floor, 839, Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
