Taekwondo was originally founded in Korea.
In fact, it’s still used as part of the South Koreans military training today. It’s an offensive fighting style that emphasizes the use of kicks, because of the greater reach and power it offers. However, Taekwondo also uses punches, holds and joint locks to disable opponents. Most of the fancy kicks you see on television, such as Jean-Claude Van Damme’s spinning kicks and wicked looking roundhouses are Taekwondo techniques.
Taekwondo can benefit any age group, and it’s great for building stamina, strength, speed and flexibility. In order to get the most of Taekwondo’s kicking oriented style, emphasis is put on stretching, flexibility and balance. It’s important to train in all three if you want to be able to execute the most difficult kicks in Taekwondo.
Taekwondo is also a mental art, which focuses partially on meditation and concentration. In most Taekwondo schools, the breaking of boards is important. A novice practitioner will be required to break boards from a standing position, but more experienced members may be called on to impress, with aerial kicks that break fewer amounts of boards, but requires mental focus as well as physical mastery of the kicks.
Taekwondo requires that students learn patterns called ‘pumsae.’ These patterns test the student’s mental focus as well as physical skills. Basically, patterns are choreographed fights with imaginary opponents, and are used to practice techniques. Each successive pattern gets harder, and advancement to the next belt or level requires mastery of these patterns.
Students are also expected to spar, and complete an exam to advance in rank. While Taekwondo can be physically challenging, the benefits are enormous. There are different styles of Taekwondo, and some schools take a little bit from each style, while others strictly adhere to one form. It’s up to the student to figure out what they prefer before joining up to a specific school.
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