Tae Kwon Do is a stand-up or striking style of martial arts that offers a supreme focus on kicking techniques. That said, it certainly does teach other forms of striking such as punches, knees, and elbows, and also works on blocking techniques, stances, and footwork. Students can expect to both spar and learn forms. Many are also asked to break boards with strikes.
Practitioners can expect to improve their flexibility tremendously in this hard style of martial arts. Some throws, takedowns, and joint locks are also taught.
Goals of Tae Kwon Do
The goal of Tae Kwon Do as a martial arts form is to render an opponent unable to harm you by way of striking them. In that sense, it is a traditional striking form similar to karate. However, as was noted earlier, self-defense in the form of blocks and footwork are also designed to keep practitioners out of harm’s way until such time as they can pull off the strike that ends the encounter. What’s more, there is a heavy emphasis on kicking techniques, as they are deemed to be the strongest area of the body to strike with. Additionally, kicks allow an added reach advantage.
Substyles of Tae Kwon Do
Since all the Korean kwans were ordered to be unified by Syngman Rhee, there are really only a few styles of Tae Kwon Do in practice today and even those are highly blurred. Generally, Tae Kwon Do can be separated in terms of sports Tae Kwon Do, such as in the Olympics, and traditional Tae Kwon Do. In addition, it can be separated by the organizations that govern it—the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF- more sport oriented) and International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). Again, though, there are far more similarities than differences. Additionally, there are more recent styles such as Songham Tae Kwon Do,the style that emanates from the American Taekwondo Association, andeven further variations.
