TaeKwonDo History
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means “to strike or break with foot”; kwon means “to strike or break with fist”; and do means “way,” “method,” or “art.” Thus, taekwondo may be loosely translated as “the way of the foot and fist” or “the way of kicking and punching.”
Taekwondo is the world’s most popular martial art in terms of the number of practitioners. Its popularity has resulted in the varied development of the martial art into several domains: as with many other arts, it combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, meditation, and philosophy. Taekwondo is also used by the South Korean military as part of its training.Gyeorugi , a type of sparring, has been an Olympic event since 2000.
Two Styles of TaeKwonDo
Formally, there are two main styles of taekwondo. One comes from the Kukkiwon, the source of the sparring system sihap gyeorugi which is now an event at the summer Olympic Games and which is governed by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). The other comes from the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF).[3]
Separate from the various taekwondo organizations, there have been two general branches of taekwondo development: traditional and sport. The term “traditional taekwondo” typically refers to the martial art as it was established in the 1950s and 1960s in the South Korean military forces; in particular, the names and symbolism of the traditional patterns often refer to elements of Korean history.
Sport taekwondo has evolved in the decades since then and has a somewhat different focus, especially in terms of its emphasis on speed and competition (as in Olympic sparring), whereas traditional taekwondo tends to emphasize power and self-defense.
The two are not mutually exclusive, and the distinctions between them are often blurred.
Although there are doctrinal and technical differences between the two main styles and among the various organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, employing the leg’s greater reach and power (compared to the arm). The greatest difference between various styles, or at least the most obvious, is generally accepted to be the differing styles and rules of sport and competition.
Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks. Some taekwondo instructors also incorporate the use of pressure points, known as jiapsul, as well as grabbing self-defense techniques borrowed from other martial arts, such as hapkido and judo.
General Choi Hong Hi TaeKwonDo founder
(Daily Telegraph Filed: 26/06/2002)
General Choi Hong Hi,
who has died aged 83, was the father of I.T.F. Taekwon-Do, the martial art now practised by millions of people in more than 120 countries.
Taekwon-Do was developed by Choi in Korea during the 1940s as a combination of Korean Taek Kyon and Japanese Karate. A method of unarmed combat for practical self-defence, it is concerned with both the physical and the mental, emphasising self-discipline, humility and a sense of justice.
In 1955 Choi gave it its name, comprising Tae (which means to kick with the foot), Kwon (to strike with the fist), and Do (art).
Choi Hong Hi was born on November 9 1918 in the Myong Chun district of what is now North Korea. A sickly but wilful child, he was expelled from school at the age of 12 for leading a protest against the occupying Japanese. His father then persuaded him to study calligraphy and Chinese characters.
Choi’s tutor, Master Han II Dong, was also a master of Taek Kyon, the ancient Korean art of foot fighting which Han II Dong had practised in secret throughout the Japanese occupation. Noticing Choi’s frail physique, he decided to teach him Taek Kyon too.
In 1937, Choi went to Japan to continue his education. Besides English and Mathematics, he studied Karate, attaining a 2nd Degree Black Belt. On his return to Korea in 1942, he hid to avoid conscription into the Japanese Army, but was eventually caught, and in October 1943 began his basic training.
He was soon arrested during an attempt to escape and join the underground Korean Liberation Army. Sent to Pyung Yang prison for treason, he was due to have been executed on August 18 1945, three days after Korea was liberated.
In prison Choi had practised a combination of Taek Kyon and Karate. In 1946 he was one of the founders of the new Korean Army, where he trained his company in his new martial art. In 1949 he went to Fort Riley Grand General School in Kansas, where he gave Americans their first taste of what was to become Taekwon-Do.
On the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Choi hurried back to Korea, where he was ordered to set up an officer training academy. In 1952 he was appointed chief of staff of the First Corps, and soon found himself briefing General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the United Nations troops, on the situation at the front line.
In 1953, Choi formed the crack 29th Infantry Division (known as the “Fist Division” because of its flag with Choi’s fist over the Korean peninsular). This division, based at Cheju island, would eventually produce instructors in Taekwon-Do for the entire Korean army. In 1954 Choi was promoted major-general.
After 1955, Taekwon-Do quickly spread as a recognised art in Korea. In 1959 Choi and 19 of his Black Belts toured the Far East, and when the International Taekwon-Do Federation was founded in 1966, it had associations in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, West Germany, America, Turkey, Italy, Egypt and Korea.
Taekwon-Do was taken up by several foreign armies, and was taught at West Point in America. During the Vietnam War, the Taekwon-Do training of Korean and other foreign soldiers was said to have had a demoralising effect on the Viet Cong.
In 1971, the South Korean president Park Chung Hee began to use Taekwon-Do as anti-communist political propaganda. Choi, fiercely against this, went into exile in Canada. He continued to teach Taekwon-Do throughout the world, including in North Korea, and in 1974 he organised the first Taekwon-Do world championship in Montreal.
All the while he had to endure death threats from Korean Central Intelligence, attempts to kidnap him and attempts on his life by armed assassins. On one occasion his son and daughter, who had stayed behind in South Korea, were kidnapped and their lives threatened if Choi did not return to Korea. His response was “I choose Taekwon-Do over my son”. They were freed.
Choi continued to practise and promote his art until his death on June 15. As recently as May he could be seen giving seminars.
Kids Taekwondo
TaeKwonDo Benefits
The study of Taekwon-Do offers several unique advantages to the physical fitness of the student.
No doubt one of life’s most treasured assets is good health. Therefore, one of the great cardinal sins of mankind is his abuse of this asset. Incidentally, he who does not abuse or hurt his own body, including the hair, is defined as obedient to his parents; so described in Oriental philosophy.
Wealth, power, fame and the blessing of physical beauty are all relatively unimportant if one does not possess good health. An individual owes it to himself and his family to constantly maintain and improve his health. Confucius said “Being in good health is a way of showing great devotion to the parents, as child’s heath is their utmost concern.”
The students will realize how important Taekwon-Do is to human health through the following article written by Dr. Robert S. Arner, a black belt holder of Taekwon-Do.
Taekwon-Do may be practiced individually or in groups without the use of weights or special equipment. It is, in most cases, practiced alone except the sparring. Since the body sets its own limits, injuries or strains are rare and the physical condition of the student paces him automatically. The entire muscle system of the body, from the fingers to the toes, is brought into play.
The training does not produce large knotty muscles; it tends to exchange flabby fat tissue for lean tissue.
The thick muscles developed through weight training tend to push the blood vessels apart without adding new ones to fill the gap. Such tissue has difficulty in receiving oxygen and disposing of waste through the blood stream and thus tires more easily.
Taekwon-Do’s high repetition, low resistance movements develop a longer, leaner and more flexible musculature. Such muscles have more of their areas close to blood supply routes, thus producing maximum endurance and well-being (Brown and Kenyon, “Classical Studies on Physical Activity”p231.)
The emphasis in twisting the trunk in executing the kicking movements and in counterbalancing the hand movements builds a fim, well-muscled abdomen. The high leg raise preceeding most of the kicks in Taekwon-Do also develops the side of the trunk and inner thigh muscles. The study of Taekwon-Do is particularly recommended for women because of its development of the lower abdomen, hips and inner thighs; areas which produce a youthful feminine figure for women of all ages.
After childbirth in particular, these areas are stretched and weakened; Taekwon-Do training is ideal to restore muscle tone for healh as well as appearance.
The typical training regimen, involving extensive movements of the entire body, raises the pulse rate and oxygen characteristics of the hearth and lungs over an extended period. This increased ventilation is termed an aerobic effect (Cooper, Kenneth H. “Aerobics” p108) and provides the following benefits:
1. Helps the lungs operate more efficiently.
2. Enlarges the blood vessels, making them more pliable and reducing the resistance to blood flow, thus lowering the blood pressure.
3. Increases the blood supply, especially red blood cells and hemoglobin.
4. It makes the body tissue healthier in supplying it with more oxygen.
5. It conditions the heart, providing more reserve for emergencies:
6. It promotes better sleep and waste elimination.
The training tends to be a normalizer of body weight in that it results in a gain of solid tissue for the underweight and a loss of body fat for the obese. The estimated calorie-consumption for a vigourous Taekwon-Do workout is about six hundred calories per hour, one of the highest for any sports activity.
Since the expenditure of about 3,500 calories results in a weight loss of one pound, it will be seen that a weekly training schedule of only six hours will result in weight loss of one pound per week.
TaeKwonDo Belts
In Taekwon-Do, character development, fortitude, tenacity, and technique are graded as well as individual capacity. The promotional scale is divided into nineteen ranks – 10 grades (Gups) and nine degrees (Dans.) The former begins with 10th grade (Gup) the lowest and ends at first grade. Degrees begin with the first degree (Dan) and end with the ultimate, ninth degree.
There is, of course, certain significance in the numbering system. With degrees, the number 9 is not only the highest one among one digit numbers but also is the number of 3 multiplied by 3. In the Orient, three is the most esteemed of all the numbers. The Chinese character representing three is written: . The upper line symbolizes the heaven; the middle line, mortals; and the bottom line earth. It was believed that the individual who was successful in promoting his country, fellowmen and God, and able to reach an accord with all three would aspire to become King, which was written thusly: . The Chinese character for three and king are nearly synonymous. When the number three is multiplied by itself, the equation is nine, the highest of the high; therefore ninth degree is the highest of the high-ranking belts. It is also interesting to note that when the number 9 is multiplied by any other single digit number and the resultant figures are added together, the answer always equals 9, i.e. 9×1=9; 9×2=18, 1+8=9 and so on up to 9×9=81, 8+1=9. Since this is the only single digit number having this property, it again points to the number 9 as being the most positive of figures. Taking the use of the number three one-step further, the degrees are further divided into three distinct classes. First through third degree is considered the novice stages of black belt. Students are still merely beginners in comparison to the higher degrees. At fourth degree, the student crosses the threshold of puberty and enters the expert class. Seventh through ninth is composed of Taekwon-Do masters – the elite who fully understand all the particulars of Taekwon-Do, mental and physical.
Why 9 is the highest number in TaeKwonDo?
There is perhaps one question that remains; why begin with the lowest of the two digit numbers, “10” why not begin with the lowest one digit number and proceed from first grade to ninth grade, and then begin again for degrees? Though it would certainly be more logical, the 10 to 1 and 1 to 10 numerical system in the Orient is ageless. It would be impossible, if not even a bit impertinent, to attempt to change a practice that is even carried into children’s games. Perhaps there was an initial logical reason for it: however, it seems to have been lost in antiquity. Anyhow, the number “10” is the lowest existing two-digit number: consequently, a beginner must start at this number rather than 11 or 12 which are numerically higher.
Reproduced, with permission, from “Taekwon-Do” (The Korean Art of Self Defense)
also known as The Condensed Encyclopedia.
Fifth Edition 1999, All rights reserved
Copyright 1988, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1999 General Choi, Hong Hi.
HwaRang code of honor
Because of the military background, there is a general code. These codes are reflected in the so-called ‘Commandments of modern Taekwondo’ and is strongly influenced by the Buddhism. These commandments are influenced by the HwaRang Do code of honor:
- Serve your lord with loyalty
- Serve your parents with filial piety
- Trust your friends
- Never retreat from a battle
- When taking life, be selective
The commandments of Taekwondo are used as a guide for the moral development of students and art. No student who does not fully understand these tenets can ever hope to master the true essence of the art.
Commandments of modern Taekwondo:
- Loyalty to your country
- Respect your parents
- Faithfulness to your spouse
- Respect your brothers and sisters
- Loyalty to your friends
- Respect your elders
- Respect your teacher
- Never take life unjustly
- Indomitable spirit
- Loyalty to your school
- Finish what you begin
The Tenets of Taekwondo
Courtesy (Ye Ui). To be thoughtful and considerate of others. Taekwondo practisers (both students and instructors) should be polite, and show consideration for others.
Integrity (Yom Chi). Integrity describes how you should interact with others. To be honest and good, earn respect and trust.
Perseverance (In Nae). This basically stands for your internal drive. Challenges allow us to improve ourselves and should therefor not be avoided.
Self control (Guk Ki). To have control of your body and mind. A Taekwondo student should practice controlling his actions and reactions.
Indomitable spirit (Baekjool Boolgool). To have courage in the face of adversity. A Taekwondo student should never be dominated by, or have his spirit broken by another.
How to behave in the dojang
There are a few general rules.
- Always wear a clean Dobok.
- Clean hands, feet, short nails.
- Don’t wear sharp things (if you do not have a Dobok, do not wear pants with zippers etc.)
- No jewelry allowed
- Don’t drink, smoke or eat in the dojang (no chewing gum!)
- Be on time.
- When entering and leaving the dojang, make a proper bow
- Don’t talk, unless it is necessary
Instructor, Student relationship
There are many instructors of Tae Kwon Do and other Martial Arts. Some are excellent and some are truly incompetent. Most are probably on middle ground. Teaching should be a journey of continuous improvement and learning on the part of the instructor, as well as for the student. When we decide to become teachers, we are volunteering to take on some serious responsibilities. Many instructors do not seem to realize the full extent of their impact on the student, for good or bad. On the other hand there are students who do not understand where the teacher’s responsibilities end and their own begin. In hopes of maximizing the positives in both the teaching and learning process, this article is a discussion of some basic principles concerning the student/instructor relationship as it pertains to teaching in general.
INSTRUCTORS OWE THEIR STUDENTS EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO GIVE. When a student comes to a specific instructor, she/he might be there to learn what some teachers call “secret” or “signature” techniques. An instructor should not hold back any information their art. If anyone does not want to share their experience and knowledge, then they should not take on the task of teaching, because sharing is what teaching is on its most fundamental level.
INSTRUCTORS OWE SOMETHING TO THE ART. In the process of teaching, we must strive to maintain the integrity of the ART that we are passing on to our students. It is our job to teach right movement , give cultural definition to concepts of essence . We should also pass on historical and cultural information to the best of our knowledge.
STUDENTS SHOULD FOCUS THEIR LOYALTIES ON BECOMING THE BEST PRACTITIONER THAT THEY CAN BE. Students owe no loyalty to an instructor, except to uphold the integrity of what they have been taught. Students pay for their classes with money and not undivided loyalty to a specific instructor. Students have the right to study with whomever they choose without fear of hostility from any other instructor.
GOOD STUDENTS DO NOT INTERRUPT THE FLOW OF CLASS, on the other hand, to show what they have learned from another instructor. A teacher has the right to expect that students are in the class in order to learn the material that she/he is presenting.
A STUDENT IS A SINGLE ENTITY. Students pay for and have the right to expect some individual attention in classes and workshops. It is the instructor’s job to correct mistakes when they are noticed and to acknowledge good movement when it is executed. We are not there simply to show how it is done, but to help others to learn how to do it! In some workshop situations, it is not possible to give individual attention to every student, but reach the ones that seem to require it most and others can learn from what is said to a nearby student as well.
A STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO ASK QUESTIONS and to have them answered respectfully. Some things seem very obvious to us when we have a lot of experience, but they may not be as clear to others. Part of the instructor’s job is to take questions seriously and answer them if we can. Sometimes this means that we have to say those three little words, “I Don’t Know”!
STUDENTS MAY WANT TO PERFORM SOME DAY, or perhaps are already doing so. It is the instructor’s job to encourage them to compete in tournaments that are appropriate to skill level and take part in seminars under higher ranking instructors and masters. There are many seminars that are geared towards honeing technical and stage skills. When students are ready to perform for a general audience at competition, it is time to encourage them to do so. Instructors have to guard against feeling competitive with their students or holding them back when they have reached a level of competence for public performance. Students should have respect enough for the opinion of their instructors, and the art itself, to be willing to wait until they can do a creditable job before performing for the general audience.
PERSONAL FRIENDSHIPS BETWEEN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT ARE NOT GOOD; CAUSE FOR FAVORITISM IN THE CLASSROOM. Enough said on that!
These precepts can be helpful for both students and instructors, concerning what can be expected in a healthy relationship. Points are emphasized which bring about mutual respect, promote an atmosphere of dedication to the Art and leave less room for confusion on the political level.
Article by A’isha Azar, 1989
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