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What is Taekwondo?
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Taekwondo is a modern Korean martial art that has no equal in either power or technique. A version of unarmed combat designed specifically for the purpose of self-defence.
Translated literally “Tae” stands for jumping or flying, to kick or smash with the foot. "Kwon" denotes the fist-chiefly to punch or destroy with the hand or fist. "Do" means an art or way - the right way built and paved by the saints and sages in the past.
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With the use of scientific principles, which applied to the body movements and techniques, Taekwondo develops extreme power within the practitioner. Through intensive physical and mental training the body and mind can gain the ultimate use of its facilities. It becomes a “Human Weapon” for self defence situations.
Taekwondo is greatly renowned for its spectacular and dynamic kicking techniques. This has led to misconceptions that it is just a kicking art. In fact there are more blocking, striking, grappling and throwing techniques using the hands than the vast amount of amazing leg techniques.
Taekwondo has grown in popularity and is taught in nearly every country in the world.
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Taekwondo’s History
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Grandmaster Choi Hong Hi 9th Degree was the founder of Taekwondo. He was a general in the Korean army and developed Taekwondo by researching other martial arts and using principles of modern science.
General Choi had been born frail and weak and was encouraged to learn Taek Kyon, an ancient Korean martial art, at the age of fifteen by his teacher of calligraphy. In 1938 he left Korea to study in Japan where he became a black belt in Karate.
On returning to Korea, he initiated the national liberation movement known as the Pyongyang Student Soldier's Incident. Like so many patriots in the
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long course of human history, his actions aroused the wrath of those in positions of power. He was imprisoned for a time in a Japanese army jail. In January of 1946, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the fledgling Republic of Korea army and posted to the 4th infantry regiment in Kwangju, Cholla Namdo Province as a company commander.
General Choi began to teach Karate to his soldiers as a means of physical and mental training. It was then that he realized that they needed to develop their own national martial art, superior in both spirit and technique to Japanese Karate. With this in mind he began to develop new techniques systematically. By the end of 1954 he had nearly completed the foundation of a new martial art for Korea, and on April 11, 1955, it was given the name "Taekwon-Do".
On the spiritual level, Taekwon-Do is derived from the traditional, ethical and moral principles of the orient and, of course, from General Choi's personal philosophy. The physical techniques of Taekwon-Do are based on the principles of modern science, in particular, Newtonian physics which teaches us how to generate maximum power. Military tactics of attack and defence have also been incorporated.
Taekwondo was brought to the United Kingdom in 1967 by the first ever pioneer of Taekwondo, Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha. He was the first person to leave Korea with Taekwondo instructor stamped on his passport and on many occasions has been described as “the best Taekwondo exponent in the world.”
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