TAEKWONDO

Taekwondo , is a Korean martial art, characterized by its emphasis on head-height

kicks,jumping and spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.Taekwondo was developed
during the 1940s and 1950s by various martial artists by incorporating elements
of karate and Chinese martial arts with indigenous Korean martial arts traditions such
as Taekkyeon, Subak, and Gwonbeop.The oldest governing body for taekwondo is
the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), formed in 1959 through a collaborative effort by
representatives from the nine original kwans, or martial arts schools, in Korea. The main
international organizational bodies for taekwondo today are the International Taekwon-Do
Federation (ITF), founded by Choi Hong Hi in 1966, and the partnership of
the Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), founded in 1972 and 1973
respectively by the Korea Taekwondo Association. A type of full-contact sparring, has
been an Olympic event since 2000. The body known for taekwondo in the Olympics is the
World Taekwondo Federation.
 The history of Taekwon Do
Beginning in 1945, shortly after the end of the occupation of Korea by Imperial Japan, new
martial arts schools called kwans were opened in Seoul. These schools were established by
Korean martial artists who had studied primarily in Japan during the Japanese rule. The
umbrella term traditional taekwondo typically refers to the martial arts practiced by the kwans
during the 1940s and 1950s, though in reality the term "taekwondo" had not yet been coined at
that time, and indeed each kwan was practicing its own unique style of martial art.
After witnessing a martial arts demonstration by the military in 1952, South Korean President
urged that the martial arts styles of the kwans be merged. Beginning in 1955 the leaders of the
kwans began discussing in earnest the possibility of creating a unified style of Korean martial
arts.
Choi Hong Hi advocated the use of the name Tae Kwon Do, In 1959 the Korea Taekwondo
Association was established to facilitate the unification of Korean martial arts. In 1966, Choi
established the International Taekwon-Do Federation as a separate governing body devoted to
institutionalizing a common style of taekwondo.
 Cold War politics of the 1960s and 1970s complicated the adoption of ITF-style taekwondo as
a unified style, however. The South Korean government wished to avoid North Korean influence
on the martial art. Conversely, ITF president Choi Hong Hi sought support for the martial art from
all quarters, including North Korea. In response, in 1973 South Korea withdrew its support for the
ITF. The ITF continued to function as an independent federation, then headquartered
in Toronto, Canada; Choi continued to develop the ITF-style, notably with the 1987 publication of
his Encyclopedia of Taekwondo. After Choi's retirement the ITF split in 2001 and then again in
2002 to create three separate federations each of which continues to operate today under the
same name.

In 1973 the South Korean government's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism established
the Kukkiwon as the new national academy for taekwondo. Kukkiwon now served many of the
functions previously served by the KTA, in terms of defining a government-sponsored unified
style of taekwondo. In 1973 the KTA supported the establishment of the World Taekwondo
Federation (to promote taekwondo specifically as an international sport. WTF competitions
employ Kukkiwon-style taekwondo. For this reason, Kukkiwon-style taekwondo is often referred
to as WTF-style taekwondo, sport-style taekwondo, or Olympic-style taekwondo, though in reality
the style is defined by the Kukkiwon, not the WTF.
Since 2000, taekwondo has been one of only two Asian martial arts (the other being judo) that
are included in the Olympic Games. It became a demonstration event at the 1988 games in
Seoul, and became an official medal event at the 2000 games in Sydney. In 2010, taekwondo
was accepted as a Commonwealth.
Equipment and facilities
A taekwondo student typically wears always white uniforms,
with a belt tied around the waist. White uniforms are considered
the traditional color and are encouraged for use at formal
ceremonies such as belt tests and promotions. Colored uniforms
are often reserved for special teams (such as demonstration
teams or leadership teams) or higher-level instructors. There are
at least two major styles of dobok, with the most obvious
differences being in the style of jacket: (1) the cross-over front
jacket (ITF style), (2) the V-neck or Y-neck jackets (no cross-over)
typically worn by Kukkiwon/WTF practitioners. White uniforms in
the Kukkiwon/WTF tradition will typically be white throughout the
jacket (black along the collars for dan grades), while ITF-style
uniforms are trimmed with a black border along the bottom of the
jacket (for dan grades).
The belt color and any insignia thereon indicate the student's
rank. Different clubs and schools use different color schemes for
belts. In general, the darker the color, the higher the rank.
Taekwondo is traditionally performed in bare feet, although martial
arts training shoes may sometimes be worn.
Ranks, belts and promotion
Taekwondo ranks vary from style to style and are not
standardized. Typically, these ranks are separated into
"junior" and "senior" sections, colloquially referred to as
"color belts" and "black belts". The junior section of ranks -
the "color belt" ranks - are indicated by the Korean
word geup (also Romanized as gup or kup). Practitioners in
these ranks generally wear belts ranging in color from white
(the lowest rank) to red or brown (higher ranks, depending
on the style of taekwondo). Belt colors may be solid, or may
include a colored stripe on a solid background. The number
of geup ranks varies depending on the style, typically
ranging between 8 and 12 geup ranks. The numbering
sequence for geup ranks usually begins at the larger number
for white belts, and then counts down to "1st geup" as the
highest color-belt rank.
The senior section of ranks - the "black belt" ranks - is
typically made up of nine ranks. Each rank is called a dan or
"degree" (as in "third dan" or "third-degree black belt"). The
numbering sequence for dan ranks is opposite that of geup
ranks: numbering begins at 1st dan (the lowest black-belt
rank) and counts upward for higher ranks. A practitioner's
degree is sometimes indicated on the belt itself with stripes,
Roman numerals, or other methods.
 The senior section of ranks - the "black belt" ranks - is typically made
up of nine ranks. Each rank is called a dan or "degree" (as in
"third dan" or "third-degree black belt"). The numbering sequence for
dan ranks is opposite that of geup ranks: numbering begins at 1st dan
(the lowest black-belt rank) and counts upward for higher ranks. A
practitioner's degree is sometimes indicated on the belt itself with
stripes, Roman numerals, or other methods.
 The school or place where instruction is given is called the dojang Specifically,
the term dojang refers to the area within the school in which martial arts
instruction takes place; the word dojang is sometimes translated
as gymnasium. In common usage the term dojang is often used to refer to
the school as a whole. Modern dojangs often incorporate padded flooring,
often incorporating red-and-blue patterns in the flooring to reflect the colors
of the taegeuk symbol. Some dojangs have wooden flooring instead.
The dojang is usually decorated with items such as flags, banners, belts,
instructional materials, and traditional Korean calligraphy.
.
Philosophy
Different styles of taekwondo adopt different philosophical
underpinnings. Many of these underpinnings however refer
back of the Five Commandments of the Hwarang as a
historical referent. For example, Choi Hong Hi expressed
his philosophical basis for taekwondo as the Five Tenets of
Taekwondo

I. Courtesy
II. Integrity
III. Perseverance
IV. Self-control
V. Indomitable spirits
These tenets are further articulated in a taekwondo oath, also
authored by Choi:
I shall observe the tenets of taekwondo
I shall respect the instructor and seniors
I shall never misuse taekwondo
I shall be a champion of freedom and justice
I shall build a more peaceful world