What is Tae Kwon-Do ?

TAE KWON-DO is the Korean art of Self Defence and means ‘Art of Hand and Foot Fighting’. It is a version of an ancient form of unarmed combat practiced for many centuries in the Orient, Tae Kwon-Do came to be perfected in its present form in Korea. Translated from Korean, ‘Tae’ literally means to jump kick or smash with the foot. ‘Kwon’ denotes a fist, chiefly to punch or destroy with the hand or fist. ‘Do’ means art, way or method. Tae Kwon-Do indicates the technique of unarmed combat for self defence, involving the skilled application of punches, kicks, blocks, dodges and interception with the hand, arms and feet to the rapid destruction of the opponent.

To the Korean people Tae Kwon-Do is more than a mere physical use of skilled movements. It also implies a way of thinking and life, particularly in instilling concept and spirit of strict self imposed discipline and an ideal nobel moral re-armament. In the days of violence and intimidation, which seem to plague our modern societies, Tae Kwon-Do enables the weak to posess a fine weapon to defend themselves. When wongly applied it can be a lethal weapon. Even if Tae Kwon-Do is practiced for exercise and fitness alone, the enjoyment derived will justify the time invested.

Tae Kwon-Do is based upon five tenants, they are;

COURTESY – Polite Behaviour
INTEGRITY – Honesty
PERSEVERANCE – To continue trying
SELF CONTROL – To restrain oneself
INDOMITABLE SPIRIT – Unyielding

There are principally six colours of belts in Tae Kwon Do, starting at White and ending at Black, between each colour there is a tag, for example the 9th Kup grade, which is yellow tag, is between 10th Kup white belt and 8th Kup yellow belt.