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:
- to develop an appreciation for Taekwondo as a sport and an art
- to achieve physical fitness through positive participation
- to improve mental discipline and emotional equanimity
- to learn self-defense skills
- 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 spar 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 dojangs. Training tends to emphasize sparring, but has forms, and the basics are important as well.
