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About Tae Kwon Do
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean Martial Art with over 5,000 years of history. During ancient times all the cultures of Korea had fighting traditions of unarmed skills for self-defense against attacks from animals as well as tribal wars.Tae Kwon Do is more than the physical aspect. It is more a state of mind. Thus, the control of one's mind, self-restraint, kindness, and humility must accompany physical grace. Tae Kwon Do develops in a man the speed and power to kill instantly with his bare hands and feet. But it is the art of the discipline to develop, such control, coordination and balance that the punching and kicking movements can be stopped just centimeters short of their mark on the opponent's body. It is this control that is truly the art of Tae Kwon Do.The essence of Tae Kwon Do is to make the individual aware of his natural strengths and of how to apply them to the greatest advantage. In this way, the individual overcomes his only real weakness: his lack of faith in himself. The official name "taekwondo" was adopted for the sport in 1954. Tae Kwon Do is now practiced by over 25 million people in 140 countries and has been adopted as an official event in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Tae Kwon Do is the art of hand and foot fighting. It is the scientific use of the body and the methods of self-defense. Tae Kwon Do stresses the importance of harmony and balance between the mental and physical. By doing this, one can have a stable and balanced system. Then one can learn how the mind and body can become the weapons of Tae Kwon Do. Tae - refers to kicking with foot. Kwon - means to strike with fist. Do - is the melding of mind, body and spirit. back to top
History of Tae Kwon Do
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art that is both an ancient and a modern martial art. It's roots can be traced back over 2000 years, yet it was only officially named as a martial art in the mid 1950's. A typical Tae Kwon Do class will incorporate training methods developed through modern research in physiology, anatomy and physics along with methods that have been perfected over the centuries.In Kyoungju, Korea the capital of the ancient kingdom of Sillia, there is a Buddhist temple that has two giant figures carved into one of the temple walls. The figures are posed in what could only be described as a martial arts stance. These statues are around 2000 years old. There are many martial arts that have come and gone through the centuries. Some of their names were Pal Ke, Soo Bak, Kwon Bop, Okinawate, Tae Kyun, and Tang Soo to name but a few.
It would be safe to say that open-hand fighting did not originate in any one country. All countries had their own martial arts that reflected their geography and their countries social makeup. Because of the proximity of the countries to each other and the warring that went on between them, the countries occupied one another, so each of the countries martial arts over time influenced the other. In Korea as in the other countries different styles of martial arts would emerge, flower, and either would endure or fade away. There would however, be times in the history of a martial art that would define that art and set it apart from the rest. Tae Kyon was one such martial art. It was about 1400 years ago in the Sillia dynasty where a young aristocratic officers group formed the Hwarang-do ("the way of the flowering manhood"). This group adopted Tae Kyon as an essential part of its training. The Hwarang-do based its philosophy on a code of conduct that contained these five elements.
From 1909-1945 the Japanese occupied Korea. During this time it was forbidden for a Korean to practice any of the Korean martial arts. Many were practiced in secret, including Tae Kyon this was a time that Japanese Karate would have heavily influenced the martial arts of Korea. The end of World War II marked the end of Koreas occupation from Japan. At the time of the liberation of Korea Choi Hong Hi was released from a Japanese prison. As a boy he had been trained in secret in some of the martial arts of Korea, including Tae Kyon and Soo Bak. While he was in Japan he had also earned a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Karate. After the liberation of Korea the first Kwans to open in Korea and teach traditional Korean Martial Arts were:
In 1955 the Korean government was looking for a name to give to it's National Martial Art. Choi Hong Hi (now a General) submitted the name Tae Kwon Do for consideration. It was accepted. Gen. Choi and others then developed what is now Tae Kwon Do. They developed the forms and took from the martial arts that they had studied the techniques they thought were the best and most useful and incorporated these techniques into what is now Tae Kwon Do. In 1961 the Korean Military decreed that the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association be formed. In 1966 General Choi due to disagreements with others in the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association left Korea for Canada and formed the International Tae Kwon Do Association (ITF). Those that disagreed with General Choi remained in Korea and formed the World Tae Kwon Do Association (WTF) in 1973. Unfortunately for Tae Kwon Do, these two groups, the largest two Federations in Tae Kwon Do continue to disagree today. Tae Kwon Do continues to develop and evolve today just as it has done throughout the centuries. back to top
Benefits
The most obvious benefits of Tae Kwon Do are physical. At their most basic level the martial arts were designed as a system of physical exercises. Continuous training strengthens the bones and muscles while building coordination, muscle toning, flexibility and endurance.Aside from the physical advantages, Tae Kwon Do helps build self-confidence, self-discipline, and mental conditioning and presents an opportunity to meet new friends.Through Tae Kwon Do, students learn patience and the ability to better relations with others. The training and the trust the student has in the master, teach him the true meaning of respect, which is the basis of Tae Kwon Do. Respect enriches a student's sensitivity to the people around him, enabling him to anticipate another person's actions in advance. This increased awareness and assurance in handling any give circumstance removes the insecurity and fear that complicates communication. back to top
Student Oath
The following Student Oath is promoted throughout every class and is stated at the end of every class.
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