What is TaeKwonDo ?
Taekwondo is both an ancient Korean martial art and a modern International Olympic Sport. Taekwondo (also spelled as Taekwon-Do) is a martial art originated from Korea.Taekwondo is one of the most popular arts around the world. The main feature of TKD is that it is a free-fighting combat sport using bare hands and feet to repel an opponent. Taekwondo has been developed, scientifically systematized and perfected by masters and experts for over 20 centuries in Korea.
Meaning of Taekwondo
In Korean, derived from Hanja,Tae (跆) means to kick or strike with the foot" Kwon (拳) means "fist or to strike with the hand"Do (道) means "way". Hence, Taekwondo is translated as "the way of the foot and hand".
Taekwondo is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment and philosophy. Apart from that, Taekwondo enforces discipline that has scientifically developed into a system of various theories, terminology, techniques, methods, rules and spiritual foundations. As a result, the discipline, or the Way, can be constantly improved upon by its senior practitioners and instructors.
Evolution of Taekwondo
There are various disputes on the evolution of Taekwondo.However, the most common point of view is that this art is a collection Of similar unarmed martial arts techniques and foundations created by anumber of Korean Grandmasters.
On April 11, 1955, General Choi Hong Hi, then a general in the South Korean army, began to unify and systemize these related martial arts disciplines by giving Taekwondo its name and its beginnings. In 1961, General Choi Hong Hi became the first President of the Korea Tae Kwon Do Association, and until his death in 2002, he worked tirelessly and selflessly in the promotion of
Taekwondo and in the scientific advancement of Taekwondo techniques.
The ultimate purpose of TKD is the development of wisdom, justice, courtesy and perseverance. Therefore, the true Taekwondo enables the realization of the full potential of man, both spiritually and physically. TaeKwonDo, thus, is A WAY OF LIFE!
The KTA(Korean Taekwondo Association) became the World Taekwondo Federation in 1973.
The 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, Korea brought the introduction of Taekwondo as an exhibition sport. It retained this status in the 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain. Taekwondo has since been accepted as a full medal sport with the 2000 Olympic games to be held in Sydney, Australia.
Today, more than 120 countries consisting of about 30 million practitioners are members of the World Taekwondo Federation.