Taekwon-Do: Introduction. 4th Degree Candidate Paper.

[Jim B]

Taekwon-Do: Introduction

A Perfect Blend of Self-Defense and Physical Fitness Training.

Taekwon-Do is a Korean martial art meaning “foot” (Tae) “fist” (kwon) “way” (Do). In recent years, Taekwon-Do has been adapted into the Olympic sport of Taekwondo.

 

Please note: the martial art Taekwon-Do and the Olympic sport Taekwondo are not the same thing, and both subjects will be referenced during this paper.

 

Taekwon-Do, was originally designed as a military art and form of hand-to-hand combat for the Republic of Korea's military in the 1950s, as a mixture of Japanese Karate and a traditional Korean style of foot fighting, called Tae Kyon.

 

I run a small school between the cities of Nampa and Caldwell, Idaho and have students from both of these cities: Kim's Taekwon-Do School of Canyon County.

Kim's Taekwon-Do School of Canyon County

 Kim's Taekwon-Do School - Canyon County is a traditional martial art school. Hard work, hard exercise and discipline are the guiding principles. Hard exercise is part of every class.

 

Kim's Taekwon-Do is overseen by Grandmaster Hong Sik Kim (9^th dan), located in Portland, Oregon. Kim's Taekwon-Do preserves the traditional Ch'ang Hon form of Taekwon-Do, as it was originally designed and taught within the South Korean Military and the Korean National Police Force in the 1950s and 1960s.

 

I believe that my primary responsibility as an instructor in this art is to preserve it exactly as I have learned it, and pass it on the best I can.

Non-Contact Training:

As a traditional school, we practice controlled, non-contact fighting. We do not weaken our technique or soften our bodies with sparring equipment or padding. The ability to execute powerful technique, yet stop short of injuring exercise partners is of the highest priority. Injuries mean lost training time, and are to be avoided. Control is exercised at all times.

  Power tests, in the form of board breaking demonstration, is mandatory for rank advancement for adults above blue belt.

Hard Exercise:

Taekwon-Do formal classes are approximately 45 minutes of hard exercise, while practicing Taekwon-Do self-defense technique.

 

Exercise research has proven that intense exercise longer than this duration has rapidly-diminishing benefits, especially when the exercise involves movements in which a high degree of neuromuscular skill is involved. This timeframe also takes advantage of optimized hormone levels which are stimulated during intense exercise, such as interval training.

 

Within any type of physical training, consistency is important; therefore, Kim's Taekwon-Do has a consistent, basic workout format, which has been proven both effective and concise.

 

Each class begins with warmup exercises, followed by basic blocking and striking drills. Hyung or forms (called kata in Japanese styles) practice follows.

 

All students practice hyungs at every training session. These are a fundamental part of any traditional martial art and cannot be overlooked.

 

Hyung training is outstanding exercise, which will enhance every aspect of your physical and mental fitness. Every muscle from the tips of the toes to the fingertips is engaged. Students who put 100% into hyung practice can expect a workout every bit as demanding as sprinting, weightlifting, gymnastics or cross-country skiing.

Defensive Tactics: 
After hyung practice, students practice partner attack and defense drills, including throws and ground control techniques, then kicking practice. During kicking practice, basic ground and jumping kicks are trained at a rapid pace for 5-10 minutes.

 

Partner stretching follows kicking, and then 5-10 minutes of sparring practice. Depending on the facility, students, and materials available, breaking practice is also a part of daily training.

 

A dedicated student of Taekwon-Do should expect to train at least 3-5 days per week in order to progress.