About Taekwon-Do
  
 
History of Taekwon-Do
On April 11th, 1955, Taekwon-Do was the name officially adopted for the martial art developed by General Choi Hong Hi which used elements of the ancient Korean martial art of Taek Kyon and of Shotokan karate, a martial art General Choi had learned while studying in Japan.

The philosophical values and the goals of Taekwon-Do are firmly rooted in the traditional moral culture of the Orient. The movements of Taekwon-Do are based on principles of physics, especially Newton's Law. Using the theory "every force has an equal and opposite force", General Choi explains how to generate maximum force by increasing speed and mass during the execution of a movement.

Wanting to share the results of his philosophical reflections and his technical experiments, General Choi planned and wrote a unique reference work, the Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do. In its fifteen volumes, he explained in detail the rules and practices of this art.

Always striving for excellence, General Choi presented Taekwon-Do as in a state of continuous evolution, open to changes that would improve its effectiveness.

Since the beginning, Taekwon-Do has never stopped evolving, driven by the strong will and a lot of hard work by its Founder and the many dedicated practitioners that follow his path.

Meaning of Taekwon-Do
Translated literally "Tae" means jumping or flying, to kick or smash with the foot. "Kwon" denotes the fist - chiefly to punch or destroy with the hand or fist. "Do" means an art or way - the right way built and paved by the saints and sages in the past.

Taken collectively, "Taekwon-Do" indicates the mental training and the techniques of unarmed combat for self-defense as well as health, involving the skilled application of punches, kicks, blocks and dodges with bare hands and feet to the rapid destruction of moving opponent or opponents.

Tenets of Taekwon-Do
  • COURTESY (Ye Ui)
  • INTEGRITY (Yom Chi)
  • PERSEVERANCE (In Nae)
  • SELF CONTROL (Guk Gi)
  • INDOMITABLE SPIRIT (Baekjool Boolgool)
Student Oath
  • I shall observe the tenets of Taekwon-Do.
  • I shall respect the instructor and seniors.
  • I shall never misuse Taekwon-Do.
  • I shall be a champion of freedom and justice.
  • I shall build a more peaceful world.
 
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Woodbridge Taekwon-Do. All rights reserved.