Taekwondo was developed during the 1940s and 1950s by various martial artists by incorporating elements of Japanese Karate and Chinese Martial Arts (“Kung Fu”) with indigenous Korean martial arts traditions such as Taekkyeon, Subak, and Gwonbeop.
Compared to other martial art disciplines, taekwondo emphasizes more kicking techniques, athletic development skills, and inner harmony of mind and body which makes it an ideal martial art to improve balance, flexibility, strength, focus, goal setting, and endurance.
Meaning of Tae Kwon Do
- Tae (“태”) means “foot”
- Kwon (“권”) means “fist”
- Do (“도”) means “way of” (this word is phonetically spelled as “doe”)
What is Tae Kwon Do?
Taekwondo is a Korean unarmed martial art. It is not only kicking and punching but also a way of thinking and living. The main goal of Taekwondo is to achieve total mind and body control through training.
