About Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art.  It is a style of unarmed combat used for self defense and involves skilfully applying techniques that include punching, kicks, blocks, and actions with hands and feet to evade awkward situations. The word “Taekwondo” is composed of three parts. “Tae” means “foot,”; “Kwon” means “fist,” and “Do” means the “way”. If we put these three parts together, we can see the important concepts behind “Tae Kwon Do – The Way of the Foot and Fist”.

Taekwondo is more than just a physical combat skill – it represents a way of thinking and a pattern of life that requires discipline. It is a system of training both mind and body placing great emphasis on developing the student’s moral character.

Taekwondo has evolved by combining many different styles of martial arts that existed in Korea over the last 2,000 years and some martial art styles from countries that surround Korea. Taekwondo incorporates the abrupt linear movements of Karate and the flowing, circular patterns of Kung-Fu with native Korean kicking techniques.

Since the official birth of modern day Taekwondo in April 1955, the development of Taekwondo as a sport has been rapid with over 70 million people practicing in over 190 countries. In 1980, Taekwondo was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and became a demonstration sport at the Olympics in 1988. In the year 2000, Taekwondo became an official Olympic sport.