All About TaeKwonDo
TaeKwonDo is a martial art
that teaches the student, techniques for defense and offence without the
use of weapons. TaeKwonDo teaches the student to use his or her hands
and feet in any defensive situation.
1) As a
form of physical exercise, TaeKwonDo has a great effect on children's
growth and development as well as youths' and elders' physical fitness.
The technique and form of TaeKwonDo are designed to develop control of
all parts of the body. In addition, TaeKwonDo demonstrates poise,
allows flexibility in all joints of the body, and helps relieve fatigue
and stress.
2) As a
martial art, TaeKwonDo involves attacking opponents with bare hands and
feet. The one distinguishing factor that TaeKwonDo has from other
martial arts is its powerful and diverse foot techniques, which make
this martial art one of the world's most powerful sports. Even though
TaeKwonDo involves no use of weapons, it has the ability to knock down
an opponent in one single blow. But, TaeKwonDo emphasizes mastering
defense techniques, which come from the TaeKwonDo thinking of respecting
peace and justice. TaeKwonDo teaches the student to practice the
attitude of self-discipline to defend oneself and never attack or defeat
others.
3) As a
modern sport, TaeKwonDo has new merit. Spectators have created quite a
following in places such as the Olympic Games and Pan American Games.
One would have a difficult time finding another sport that could compare
to the gracefulness, accuracy, and power that is seen when thousands of
practitioners perform, as was done in the opening ceremonies of the 1988
Seoul Olympic Games. TaeKwonDo has also grown into a popular
international sport due to increase development of rules and protective
gear that reduces injuries.
4)As
an educational tool, TaeKwonDo not only improves a person's physical
well being, but his mental state as well. Through TaeKwonDo a student
practices the art of self perfection and understands the techniques in
pursuit of the virtue of human life. In the school (Dojang) the student
not only develops his body, but his mind as well. With the physical
exercise of stretching, strengthening, drilling and sparring, the
TaeKwonDo student learns respect for their instructors’ senior students,
classmates and themselves. The development and cultivation of good
character and a correct attitude is the central theme in the teaching of
TaeKwonDo.
Poomse is a pattern of a systematic
series of techniques that allows the student to practice defense and
offence techniques by themselves against an imaginary opponent. The Line
of Movement in TaeKwonDo Poomse is based upon the traditional ideology
of ancient Korean people. The entire outward figure of each Poomse is
composed to match the ideological figure of what each name of Poomse
means. Students learn the Poomse system step by step from simple and
easy ones to complex and difficult ones.
Gyoroogi is a pattern of a
systematic series of techniques that allows the is the actual sparring
against an opponent applying offence and defense techniques that one has
learned through Poomse. Within Gyoroogi there is one step sparring where
two people practice in a predetermined systematic form. Also, there is
free sparring where they practice without any predetermined form.
Competition TaeKwonDo competition
is conducted by two players, Chung (blue) and Hung (red). Only punching
and kicking techniques are allowed during competition, and one can only
attack the front part of the body. Only kicks are allowed to the face.
Hits below the belt line are forbidden. All the vulnerable spots are
covered with protective gear such as head gear, trunk protector, groin
guard, forearm and shin guards which help prevent injuries during
competition.
Kyukpa is the self-measuring
technique that measures one's precision of TaeKwonDo training. Because
offence techniques can be fatal to the human body, students can
experience the accuracy of these offence techniques, and have the
concentration of power and strength of will power by breaking solid
objects such as boards and bricks. Kyukpa is not taught to beginners,
but only to high Gup or Dan (or Poom) holders.
Belt Status Unique to the practice
of TaeKwonDo is the system of ranking and promotions. Each student
begins training as a white belt and is promoted to yellow, green, blue,
red, and then finally black belt. These ranks under black belt are
called Gup (or class) and range from 9th Gup (lowest) to 1st Gup
(highest). In contrast, black belt is divided into 1st Dan (degree) to
9th Dan (from lowest to highest). It will take a diligent student from 2
in years - 5 years to attain 1st Dan - black belt. Students under 15
years old reaching the degree level receive Poom (children's degree).
After completing 15-20 years of practice and specialized training, the
4th Dan is awarded and signifies instructor ranking. Testing is done in
accordance with Kukkiwon standards.
Training In the
training school, the Dojang, there is no age, sex, or racial barriers;
everyone begins their training with a white belt. The instructor
(Master) allows each student to progress at his or her own rate in
accordance to his or her ability. During this learning the student can
expect to develop strength, stamina, quickness, flexibility,
coordination and balance. But to fully master the sport, one must also
develop the important mental characteristics: patience, humility, self
control, perseverance, concentration, and respect. It generally takes
years of studying and practicing to reach the black belt level.