Proponents of Tae Kwon Do (also Taekwondo, Taekwon-Do, or Tae Kwon-Do) date its origin to the Silla dynasty in Korea. In these times a martial art form was used for combat conditioning by its warriors so they were better able to fight with enemies at home and abroad but the form we recognize around the world today really came into being after the Korean War. It finally came to the United States in the same way as Karate did, through American servicemen who served in the region. It remains a popular combat martial art around the globe, and is also an Olympic sport and the national sport of South Korea.
The sport never replaced the combatives the United States military was using, but the powerful kicks were included with training. Unlike Hapkido which is a soft art based on Japanese Jujutsu that allows the attacker to make the first move, Tae Kwon Do practitioners are taught to attack even in the combat sport version. While Tae Kwon Do looks impressive in the ring and demonstration, it is completely unsuited for hand-to-hand combat in the streets. Typical Tae Kwon Do lacks the basic primal self defense tactics necessary to survive.
While the Koreans had their own martial arts it wasn't unit they were occupied by the Japanese prior to the official outbreak of World War II did Tae Kwon Do begin to develop. The Japanese were brutal racist conquers who forced their culture on the Korean people and even drafted Koreans into their military. One of the few positives that came out of this period was that the Japanese taught their martial arts to the Koreans and at that time in Japan, Shotokan Karate was popular.
In the 1950'sGeneral Choi Hong Hi Tae Kwon Do's founder would combine Shotokan with other martial arts, and the result would be a new standardized martial art for Korea. To set itself apart, Tae Kwon Do chose to focus on fast, spectacular kicking techniques rather than the powerful straight line kicking and punching of its Japanese father.
Because safety is important in any combat sport there is a variety of Tae Kwon Do equipment designed to keep a student safe. For the hands there are hand raps and cloth fist and forearm guards as well as elbow protection. Since kicks are such a big part of TKD, there are shin and ankle guards for leg protection. Furthermore, to prevent injury; there is head gear and chest protectors. To protect vulnerable areas there is also groin protection and mouth guards like in other sports. All of this equipment is worn in competition and often in training as well.
Like all sports, because protection is worn all the time it removes some of the combat effectiveness. While this prevents injury, it also prevents students from learning how to defend themselves in a real life combat situation by moving and striking in a way that would normally shatter and unconditioned fist or unprotected groin. While it is a fun and demanding sport, it is just the beginning of your self defense training.
In competitions rules prohibit grappling, throws, and holding techniques that are seen in combat sports like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo. Taekwondo focuses on many different types of kicks including 45 degree, front, axe, side and a variety of jumping and spinning kicks. Though there isn't much attention paid to grappling, the system has a number of blocks, open and closed hand strikes and depending on what style of Tae Kwon Do you're practicing. Take-downs, throws, and joint locks may also be included with part of the training at the instructor's discretion and experience.
While the competition might be intense, it only happens with full protective gear on the competitors from head to toe. Like Karate. Tae Kwon Do does have a self defense aspect, but the vast majority of people only practice the competition sports version.
If you try to use your Tae Kwon Do, kick boxing or karate in a street fight you will lose and get hurt. Why? Because those techniques while are great for a regulated match are useless in a fight where anything goes. Now I'm sure some of you know some pretty tough martial artists, but remember a life or death fight is a different animal. If you're interested in learning Tae Kwon Doe learn from someone who teaches practical self defense moves along with the combat sport. While there might be a right and a wrong way when it comes to techniques there is no right and wrong in self defense as long as whatever you do works.
MartialArts | Martial arts instruction | Self Defense
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