Taekwondo (sometimes written as taekwon-do or tae kwon do) is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea . Considering the number of practitioners worldwide, it is clear that taekwondo is the world's most popular martial art. Translated from Korean, 'tae' means foot, 'kwon' means fist and 'do' means way (sometimes interpreted as art). Loosely translated, this results in: 'the way of destroying with the hands and feet'. Some translate it as: 'the art of punching and kicking'.
Popularity of Taekwon-do
The popularity of taekwondo has led to the Martial art developing in different ways. The art or sport has different domains: fighting techniques, self-defense, art, sport, meditation and philosophy. In both South and North Korea, taekwondo is part of the military training .
Styles of Taekwon-do
Traditional taekwondo is not really competition-oriented , but has military origins with great emphasis on deadly attack techniques. Modern taekwondo places more emphasis on control and self-defense. There are formally two styles of this sport. These styles both have their own world body: WT (world taekwondo federation) and ITF (international taekwon-do federation). This is reflected in almost all components that taekwondo includes. The competition system of sparring is and completely different in both styles, as are the patterns.
When taekwondo is practiced in its complete form, sufficient attention is given to the most important physical components: patterns (tuls or poomsee), sparring (kyorugi or matsogi), self-defense (hosinsul), breaking techniques (gyok pa) and special techniques. However, studying the theory and philosophy should not be missing from the curriculum.
Although there are major differences between the two main schools and between the various organizations, the art can generally be described as one that emphasizes powerful kicking techniques from a mobile stance. The practitioner utilizes the greater reach and power of the leg compared to the arms. Training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, open hand strikes, and sometimes various throws, sweeps, and joint locks.
Taekwon-do materials
Taekwon-do training requires various materials. The type of suit required varies per style. WT Taekwondo uses the modern V-neck uniforms, ITF Taekwon-do uses the authentic ITF dobok. Furthermore, shin and forearm protectors, a head protector and chest armor are used in WTF Taekwondo. ITF uses the so-called safety equipment , consisting of a pair of gloves and foot protectors . Nowadays, a head protector is almost always required. Shin protectors are also sometimes used in this style. A mouth guard is recommended for both styles and a groin protector is required for men. Here you will find an overview of all required Taekwon-do materials.
During training, different types of kicking pads , focus pads and floppy mitts are often used.