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Taekwondo

Taekwondo Front Kick

Taekwondo is currently one of the most practiced martial arts in the world, it is an Olympic sport where many practitioners from all over the world compete for gold in the Olympics.

What does Taekwondo mean?

Its name derives from the Korean meanings “tae”, which means foot, and “kwon”, which means fist, and lastly “Do” which means the way of. Taekwondo, the way of the foot and fist.

While I was in college I had the opportunity to learn Taekwondo WTF and ITF, I also had the chance to compete in several tournaments.  Here is a list of everything I have learned from the Taekwondo schools in South America and in the state of Florida, also I have added some organized techniques and articles to offer this free resource compilation to anyone who is looking for more knowledge about Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Ranks

  1. White belt: (8th gup)
  2. Yellow belt: (7th gup)
  3. Orange belt: (6th gup)
  4. Green belt: (5th gup)
  5. Blue Belt: (4th gup)
  6. Purple Belt: (3th gup)
  7. Red Belt: (2nd gup)
  8. Brown Belt: (1th gup)
  9. Black belt

These are the traditional Taekwondo ranks, depending on the school, association, lineage and branch organization can also be found in intermediate ranks where instructors use stripes in each belt to differentiate the student’s level of learning.

What is the difference between WTF and ITF Taekwondo?

The two largest Taekwondo associations are the International Taekwondo Federation and the World Taekwondo Federation. Each of these associations has a different uniform and can also have a different rank system. The WTF is well known for its constant participation in the Olympics.

Taekwondo Techniques

These are the techniques you will find in this martial art, these are divided into groups to study them better.

Is Taekwondo good for self-defense?

Taekwondo is a martial art with a lot of discipline, it has very good kicking techniques and very interesting shapes. It has a very strong and effective training system when kicking. Taekwondo is wonderful to start in martial arts, but a complementary art is recommended to complete the missing aspects in self-defense. The aspects that we could name would be personal defense techniques against two or more people, against firearms, against subsequent attacks, against holds and chokes, and other types of attacks that are common today.

How long does it take to get a black belt in Taekwondo ?

In all martial art, we find requirements that must be met in order to move forward and in Taekwondo a lot of dedication is required. The time to reach the black belt depends on the requirements of the school and association of Taekwondo, also the active time of the student and his competition. In some schools, it is required that they have a minimum of teaching hours, and also minimum participation in tournaments. The approximate time for a student to reach the degree of black belt is between 3 to 4 years.

What equipment do you need for taekwondo?

Every martial art requires special equipment for its practice, not having it can cause a practitioner to get injured; that is why it is necessary for each practitioner to invest in their own equipment for safe practice.

For Taekwondo you need a complete set of combat equipment. You will need a Hogu (body protector), a helmet, shin pads, arm pads, elbow, pad, a mouth guard, groin guard, foot pads, and gloves.

Is Taekwondo an Olympic Sport?

Taekwondo at the Summer Olympics made its first appearance as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Taekwondo became a full medal sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and has been a sport in the Olympic games since then.

Is Taekwondo considered a sport?

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. Taekwondo is also used by the South Korean military as part of its training. It is also one of two Asian martial arts ( judo being the other) in the Olympic Games .

What do you call a Taekwondo teacher?

In the International Taekwon-Do Federation, instructors holding 1st to 3rd dan are called Boosabum (assistant instructor), those holding 4th to 6th dan are called Sabum (instructor), those holding 7th to 8th dan are called Sahyun (master), and those holding 9th dan are called Saseong (grandmaster).

What is a taekwondo uniform called?

Taekwondo uniforms (typically called a dobok; also commonly known as a Karate gi, but that is the Japanese word for them) are common for practitioners to wear. They are usually a plain, white, v-neck heavy cotton top with pants that have an elastic waist.

What is a good age to start martial arts?

The best age to start in this martial art is early, but age should never be an impediment. A common question that instructors are often asked is “What is the correct age to start in this martial art?” A perfect age would be between 3 to 4 years, children learn much faster and learn a discipline that It helps them improve in their life. Also consider that it is the best gift that a father or mother can give to a child since they will learn something that will serve them a lifetime, parents will not always be there to defend their kids.

How long does it take to get a black belt in Taekwondo?

In all martial art, we find requirements that must be met in order to move forward, and in this martial art a lot of dedication is required. The time to reach the black belt depends on the requirements of the school and association of Taekwondo, also the active time of the student and his competition. In some schools, it is required that they have a minimum of teaching hours, and also minimum participation in tournaments. The approximate time for a student to reach the degree of black belt is between 3 to 4 years.

Taekwondo Techniques

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Main Taekwondo picture by Max Pixel.