The Benefits of Tae Kwon Do

Training in Tae Kwon Do can benefit both the body and the mind. Tae Kwon Do will build confidence, by setting and meeting progressively more advanced goals. The practice of Tae Kwon Do will improve cardio-vascular health and increase strength. Tae Kwon Do students meet new people and make new friends.

The History of Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do's (TKD) translations from Korean is: Tae means "to kick" or to "strike with foot," Kwon means "fist" or "to strike with the hand," and Do means "the practice of," or "discipline" or "art." Combining these characters makes Tae Kwon Do "the way of striking with the foot and hand."

Modern Tae Kwon Do is a martial art derived from combative systems developed in ancient Korea. Martial art means an art of war. Martial artists played a significant role in uniting the Korean peninsula under one government in ancient times. Through the subsequent centuries, martial arts enjoyed periods of great popularity and also government repression. During one dynasty, there were national competitions, with the winners being awarded high positions in the government or military. During a different dynasty, martial arts were discouraged by the government and were practiced in secret or in remote regions.

During WWII, the Japanese occupied Korea. The occupying government discouraged the practice of martial arts and many other aspects of Korean culture. Many Korean martial artists were forced to practice abroad. In 1945, at the war's end, the first Korean martial art school to open was the Chung Do Kwan. Schools such as the Moo Duk Kwon, the Yun Moo Kwon and others soon followed. The Korean War, introduced US servicemen to Korean martial arts, Chuck Norris is a famous example. The Korean government decided to organize the schools and Tae Kwon Do was formed in May 1973. The Kukkiwon is the world headquarters of the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF). Tae Kwon Do is now a sport in the international Olympic games and is popular worldwide. Tae Kwon Do has ancient roots and modern influences and balancing the traditional and the modern makes Tae Kwon Do unique among the many martial arts.

Tenets of Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan Membership Oath