An introduction to Taekwondo

Picture by Greg L

Tae Kwon Do is a modern martial art, well known all around the world for its lightning fast, often high, spectacular spin kicks.  Tae Kwon Do has been around for many years, originally founded in Korea.  It translates to the art of punching and kicking, or the art of unarmed combat.  

The martial art Tae Kwon Do has four disciplines - patters, self defense, break test, and sparring.  It isn't just one of these disciplines that make up the art, but a combination of them.  All 4 of them are important, especially for those looking to advance in belt ranking.  To advance in a belt, there are certain tests that students need to pass.

One of the great things about Tae Kwon Do is the fact that there are no age limits, and it can easily be learned by young children.  Children of all ages will quickly learn fast reactions playing games, learn respect, and they will also learn their abilities as well as their disabilities.  

The competitions however, are a bit different for children than they are for the adults.  Even though the participants will wear full body protection, children can only kick and punch to the body, as no shots to the head are allowed.  The competitions in Tae Kwon Do is what makes the art so very dominating.  A majority of students that practice this martial art do so because of the competitions.

The competitions can be very exciting to watch, as they can get very competitive.  Contrary to what many may think, the competitions aren't deadly, nor are they anywhere close to being as dangerous as Muay Thai fights.  Competitors will wear full protection, including head gear.  For adults, kicks to the head are allowed, although a majority of practitioners can block them before they make impact.

In order to participate in the competitions, practitioners will need to have a certain level of experience.  It can take years to become good enough, especially for those who win.  Competitions are a great way to learn, especially if there are participating fighters from other areas of the world.  The skill of a practitioner is a very important factor with the competitions and tournaments.  If you have a black belt fighter going against a white belt - the results will normally be quite obvious, i.e. the white belt has no past experience with any form of martial arts.

All things aside, the art of Tae Kwon Do is a great martial art.  The practitioners of this art can learn kicking, punching, blocking, and the spectacular movements the art is known for.  Tae Kwon Do is practiced all around the world. 

Picture by DFSHAW. Picture of ITF Taekwondo. Notice the gloves.

There are two types of Taekwondo, ITF and WTF. ITF stands for International Taekwondo Federation and WTF stands for World Taekwondo Federation. ITF is better suited for self-defense purposes, while WTF is   more sport oriented. ITF allows the use of punches and kicks, while WTF only allows the use of kicks. 

Personally, I don't find Taekwondo as an effective self-defense style. It may be for some people, but it's not for me. It is not exactly safe to do lots of high kicks in a cold muscle state, i.e. haven't warmed up properly. Not to mention, if your kicking leg is grabbed by your opponent, your balance is in jeopardy. However, there are more meaningful things than just fighting. Taekwondo can teach you discipline, gives you confidence, and can provide a route into self-perfection. It is also a great way to have a fun exercise and to socialize.