Taekwondo is a modern martial art, characterized by its fast, high and spinning kicks. There are multiple interpretations of the name Taekwondo. Taekwondo is often translated as ‘the way of hand and foot.’

Tae = ‘Foot’ or ‘to kick’ or ‘to jump’
K’won = ‘Fist’ or ‘to strike or block with hand’
Do = ‘The way of’ or ‘art’

Put this together and Taekwondo means: “The art of kicking and punching” or “The art of unarmed combat.”

Disciplines of Taekwondo

Taekwondo has four disciplines:

  • Patterns
  • Sparring
  • Self-defense
  • Break Test

It is the combination of these four disciplines that make the art of Taekwondo.

Objectives of Taekwondo:

  1. to develop an appreciation for Taekwondo as a sport and an art
  2. to achieve physical fitness through positive participation
  3. to improve mental discipline and emotional equanimity
  4. to learn self-defense skills
  5. to develop a sense of responsibility for one self and others

Taekwondo is primarily a kicking art, often with a greater emphasis on the sport aspect of the art. Taekwondo stylists tend to fight at an extended range, and keep opponents away with their feet. It is a hard/soft, external, fairly linear style and is known for being very powerful. There is a lot of competition work in many dojongs. Training tends to emphasize sparring, but has forms, and the basics are important as well.