Originated in South Korea, Taekwondo is both a martial art and a sport which, without the use of weapons, teaches the practitioner techniques using the hands and feet for any defensive situation.
These techniques are taught under the Taekwondo philosophy of respecting peace and justice. Taekwondo teaches practitioners the attitude of self-discipline, to defend oneself and never to attack or defeat others.
Taekwondo is often translated as 'the way of hand and foot':
Tae: means "to strike or break with foot"
Kwon: means “to strike or break with fist”
Do: means "way", "method", or "art"
Taekwondo is divided into 4 main disciplines:
Sparring “Kyorugi”:
With international law being applied, it refers to the engagement of two Taekwondo practitioners in a fight using bare hands and feet.
Poomsae:
Comprises the various fundamental stances, blocks, punches and kicks logically arranged in a meaningful order, in response to attacks from one or multiple imaginary assailants attacking from different directions.
Self Defense “Ho- Sin-Sul”:
Restricted to advanced belts only, it refers to the use of the various skills of Taekwondo as well as the use of different body parts (elbow, knee, foot, forearm, and fist) in a self defense fight without being bound by the game law.
Breaking Boarders “Kyuk Pa”:
One of the main Taekwondo disciplines, where Taekwondo practitioners show off their Taekwondo techniques, combined with concentration, focus and physical fitness by breaking boarders using kicks, strikes or punches. Kyuk Pa is mainly performed in international Taekwondo championships as well as the Olympics as a way of spreading Taekwondo, and is usually accompanied by music.
