Tae Kwon Do
The Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do or Taekwondo is thought to have originated in Korea, but may have originated in Japan. The name is derived from the Korean words Tae (meaning “foot”), Kwon (meaning “fist”), and Do (meaning “way of”) which literally means “the way of foot and fist.” Tae Kwon Do is the national sport of South Korea and is also an Olympic Event. With over 70 million practitioners worldwide, there are more people practicing Tae Kwon Do today than any other martial art. The goal of Tae Kwon Do is to defend in the form of blocks and footwork until one is able to execute the strike that ends the threatening situation. One of the main characteristics of Tae Kwon Do are it’s especially striking and athletic kicking techniques. Most of the emphasis is placed on kicks because the legs and feet are thought to be the strongest area of the body with which to strike. Kicks also allow more distance between the practitioner and his or her opponent. Additional techniques such as punches, knees, elbows, blocking techniques, stances, footwork, throws, take-downs, and joint locks are taught as well. Additionally, sparring, forms, and board-breaking with strikes are also a large part of one’s training in Tae Kwon Do.
