TAEKWONDO

Taekwondo (also known as Tae Kwon Do) is the art of self

defense that originated in Korea. It is recognized as one
of the oldest forms of martial arts in the world,
reaching back over 2,000 years. The name was selected for
its appropriate description of the art: Tae (foot), Kwon
(hand), Do (art)
Who first started taekwondo?
Gen. Choi Hong Hi, widely acknowledged as the founder of tae
kwon do, a martial art that began in Korea and spread
rapidly to community centers and storefronts around the
United States, died on June 15 in Pyongyang, North Korea.
What was taekwondo called before 1955?
The name Taekwondo was created on April 11, 1955. For ten
years, however, Taekwondo was also called Gong Soo Do
(meaning empty hand), Tang Soo Doo (meaning China hand) and
Soo Bak Do (meaning fighting hand). 1961: The Korea Tae Kwon
Do Association was founded, recognizing the nine Kwans
Where did tae kwon do originate from?
The origin of taekwondo dates back to Korea’s Three-Kingdom
era (c. 50 BC) when Silla Dynasty warriors, the Hwarang,
began to develop a martial art – Taekkyon (“foot-hand”)
THE LITERAL TRANSLATION OF TAEKWONDO IS “THE WAY OF
THE HAND AND FOOT.”
Tae means “to destroy with the feet.” Kwon means “to
strike.” And Do means “way.” Taekwondo training generally
consists of learning a system of kicks, punches, blocks, and
open-handed strikes. In addition to practicing physical
skills and techniques, the Tenets of Taekwondo are
characteristics that students are expected to incorporate in
their daily lives.
TAEKWONDO FOLLOWS A BELT RANKING SYSTEM
It is said that there was only one belt rank in Taekwondo
for the first 2,000 years. Today, Taekwondo students work
their way through six belts (typically): white, yellow,
green, blue, red, and black.
TAEK WON DO EQUIPMENT

The Collection
TAEKWONDO HELMET
Helmet or headgear has
padding that covers the
entire head and even ears,
all while having holes for
ventilation. They are made
of spongy material that
serves as a shock absorber
 MOUTH GUARD
This is a must have for
taekwondo since it is a type
of contact sport. This is
used to prevent you from
losing your teeth or biting
your tongue.
 CHEST PROTECTOR
Also known as hogu, is a
vest that covers your entire
torso so you will not be
injured during competition
or practice.
 FOREARM GUARDS
Defending yourself is a part
of any combat sport. In
taekwondo, you often use
your forearms to guard kicks
and punches. Forearm guards
are used to reduce the
impact that those strikes
make.
 Hand wraps
Training can take a toll on
your hands and wrists, that
is why many fighters use
hand wraps to prevent
injuries. Hand wraps are
usually made out of cloth
and are used to wrap a
fighters wrist and hands.
This prevents the skin from
being cut and prevents the
wrist from bending in
awkward positions when
punching.
 Hand GUARDs
World Taekwondo Federation
gloves are light, compact,
and have sleeves for each
finger. They almost look
like MMA gloves and have
light padding on top. They
have holes at the end of the
glove where you can place
your fingers and have straps
on the wrists that secure
the glove.
 GROIN GUARD
Accidents happen, and
sometimes in taekwondo an
opponent will kick you in
the groin. To relieve some
of the pain this causes, it
is advised to wear a groin
guard during competition and
training.
 Shin GUARDs
Continuous kicking can cause
your shins to bruise up and
even fracture, so it is
important to invest in some
shin guards to prevent that.
 Foot guards
In taekwondo, kicking is a
great way to score points on
your opponent because of all
the momentum that is drawn
from the hips. However, all
that force makes your feet
susceptible to injury, so
foot guards or
help prevent these injuries
during competition and
Taekwondo
training.
 Taekwondo shoes
It is extremely common to
see taekwondo being
practiced barefoot, but some
instructors or schools may
require you to wear
shoes.They should have a
non-slip rubber sole since
this will prevent you from
slipping during training.
 Heavy bags
The heavy bag allows you to
train by yourself so you can
work on your kicks and
punches without being hit by
your sparring partner. It
helps you develop your
technique, endurance, and
strength.
 Kicking paddles
A training partner holds
paddles in both hands and
places them where they want
you to kick. You can even
perform combinations to work
on speed. If you hit the
paddle precisely, it will
make a loud sound. Kicking
paddles should be extremely
durable.
 Kicking shields
They are hand held pads made
out of foam and gel, and
they are covered in leather.
This makes the shield
incredibly shock absorbent
and durable.
 Taekwondo mat
The thickness, firmness, and
quality of the foam all play
into having a good mat.
Taekwondo mats are about 1
inch thick, which makes them
firm and allows you to be
more stable. They also have
foam inside and are covered
in vinyl.
 Breakable boards
A common practice in
taekwondo is board breaking.
It can be used to build
force and power, or used as
an artistic expression by
breaking multiple boards at
once. Instructors often use
them to test their students
before moving on to a higher
belt. For this reason,
rebreakable boards are used.
How to play taekwondo
Actual tournament
BREAKDOWN OF
TOURNAMENT POINTS
Hits to the Body
This gets you one point if you use say a straight turning
kick or front kick. However if you hit the body with a
spinning kick for example a jump back kick then you get
three points. Punches which don’t carry much weight in
TaeKwonDo tournaments will only get you one point. So you
can see why so many kicks are thrown.
HITS TO THE HEAD
This is where the points are really made. If you kick your
opponent in the head, like again a turning kick you get
three points but if you show a little flare and hit the head
with a spinning hook kick you’ll get an extra point so four
points for that.
KNOCKDOWN
This is where the points are really made. If you kick your
opponent in the head, like again a turning kick you get
three points but if you show a little flare and hit the head
with a spinning hook kick you’ll get an extra point so four
points for that.
TOURNAMENT PENALTIES
WARNING PENALTIES OR KYONG GO
Pretending to be injured

Grabbing your opponent

Pushing your opponent with your shoulder, body, hands or

arms

Stepping outside the boundary lines on purpose

Attacking the groin area on purpose (Should be one point)!

POINT DEDUCTION OR GAM JEOM
Going after an opponent when they are already on the ground

Intentionally hitting the back of the head

Intentionally going after the face with either the hand or

fist

Headbutting an opponent

Violent or extreme outbursts towards either your opponent or

the referee
Note: If you get a total of three
penalty points you are automatically
disqualified from the match
How to win the
tournament?
Winning by knockout
Winning by knockout is a valid but unfortunate for your
opponent way of winning. The referee will make the decision
but when you land a blow with enough force that your
opponent is staggering or unable to respond to a command or
question, the bout will be stopped.
Winner by points
This is a great way to win.. Everyone walks away after both
giving there all and your hard work pays off by scoring more
points. At the end of the three rounds, the participant with
the most number of points is declared the winner.

However, unlike other sports, a draw in points in taekwondo

does not always require an additional round to determine the
winner, although it is possible. A golden point round will
be organized, and the first player to score a point in this
round will be named the winner.
Most disappointing way
to win
Withdraw
So your all psyched up ready to go and for some reason your
opponent cannot compete. However it could also mean that you
did well and your opponent is unwilling or incapable due to
perhaps an injury of coming out for the next round
disqualification
You opponent could not be allowed to fight because he could
not make the weight class you are competing in or for some
reason the officiating board will not permit the fighter to
compete
Unusual ways of
winning
Referee stops the contest
This is often referred to as a RSC as the referee has
determined that your opponent should not continue either
after a knock down or after checking on the fighter in
between rounds. This is done for the health and safety of
the fighter.
Win by referees taking a point away
As noted above in the penalties section, if your opponent
get 3 penalty points, they become disqualified and are out
of the match