The Truth About The Progression Of Real Taekwondo Styles
Taekwondo styles are fascinating things.
As they are each a slice of the complete discipline, and even resemble the ultimate evolution of all arts. I say this as a fellow who paid his dues at one of the original schools of the art, the Kang Duk Won. For the past few decades I’ve watched as each method of Korea’s most famous discipline has emerged, and there is an evolution of art occurring here that is worthy of study.
First, the original schools, the Song Moo Kwan, Yun Moo Kwan, Jidokwan, and all the others, were mostly Karate. The practitioners who put these arts together studied with Master Funakoshi around the time of the second world war. The rest studied with his students or other Okinawa Karate Senseis.
Taekwondo Sparring Equipment
Taekwondo sparring equipment
is as necessary as a uniform. Most tae kwon do training includes fighting, or sparring, both as a sport and as experience for real life situations for self-defense.
While schools differ in the amount of taekwondo sparring equipment a student is required to wear, there is an absolute minimum quantity that should be worn in contact sparring. Even if the sparring practice is termed “light contact”, if contact is involved, a student must wear the following: Read More…
Can You Learn Taekwondo Online?
Is it possible to learn taekwondo online?
Three years ago I would have said no way. But with the advancement in technology available to people all over the globe, I’m reconsidering that it just may be possible to learn taekwondo online.
We are a very visual society. That’s why YouTube is one of the most successful websites in existence and why Google bought them. We have become very used to watching video for entertainment and education. Long distance learning has become more popular with college degrees available online for students who are motivated enough to do the work necessary to earn the degree.
Taekwon Do
What is Taekwon do?
Taekwon do is one of the many ways people refer to the Korean martial art of taekwondo. It is also proper to write the name of this art as three separate words, tae kwon do, and sometimes we even see hyphens used as in taekwon-do. All of these different methods of writing the name of the art are correct and refer to the same thing.
Taekwon do is a Korean martial art.
The name translates in several ways but most people agree that “foot fist way” or “way of the foot and fist” is the most common. Additional ways taekwondo is translated are the method of the foot and fist or the path of the feet and hands.
Taekwondo Sparring – Olympic vs. ITF
Have you seen taekwondo sparring?
If you saw taekwondo sparring during the Bejing Olympic Games you may think there is only one type of sparring. Wikipedia has a good definition of sparring, “Sparring is a form of training common to many martial arts. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively ‘free-form’ fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely.”
This definition is a good place to start when trying to understand tae kwon do sparring. Though sparring is going to look very different for each type of martial art, taekwondo sparring in every style is going to have many similarities. It is a good practice platform for self-defense training, because in it’s most basic form, sparring is controlled fighting.
Taekwondo Poomse – Beginner to Expert
What is Taekwondo Poomse?
Taekwondo poomse is the term used to identify taekwondo forms or patterns. Poomse is the Korean word for form. If we were discussing the martial art of Karate, the equivalent term would be kata.
Since there are actually several different styles of taekwondo, the number of patterns is quite large. But, no matter which style we are discussing, these tae kwon do patterns can be divided into two distinct groups. The first group are beginner forms or colored belt forms. The beginner patterns are the training tool for all new martial artists.
Taekwondo Forms – What is a form?
Taekwondo forms are the method we use to practice all of our taekwondo skills.
The forms are a set pattern of movement where every action is a skill like a block, punch or strike, kick or stance and all the variations that allow the artist to practice their skills.
Think of the taekwondo forms, or poomse, as a dance. There is a choreographed pattern of movement that must be learned in a certain order that does not change. Each of these forms has a particular name and become progressively more difficult as one achieves higher and higher rank.
