Whether you’re new to Taekwondo or you’ve been practicing for a while, you might be surprised at what you can learn about this popular martial arts style. How many of these fun facts about Taekwondo are new to you?
1. Taekwondo is a Korean martial art.
It blends self-defense and combat techniques for exercise and sport. Taekwondo is also Korea’s national sport.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Taekwondo is an Olympic sport.
In the past, only two martial arts styles have been included in the Olympics. Taekwondo is one, and judo is the other. (Karate was to be included at the postponed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.) Taekwondo was featured as a demonstration sport in the 1988 Olympics held in Seoul. It became an official Olympic sport in 2000 at the Sydney Games.
5. Taekwondo has appeared in many movies.
Celebrities like Jean Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan have all featured Taekwondo in their films.
6. It’s a popular martial art.
Over 70 million people practice Taekwondo all over the world.
At The Way Family Dojo in Magnolia, we offer Taekwondo programs, as well as a variety of other martial arts programs. To learn more about how you or your child can get started, contact us today.