The Essence of Self-Defense

Defending yourself requires that you understand some very basic yet essential information about self-defense and the nature of self-defense.

Knowing these will help you understand the reasons for the things you do during training and help you overcome attack situations.

These are the key points to remember:

• Attacks can happen when you least expect it
• Your body will react the way it was trained
• You are a walking weapons arsenal
• There are no rules on the street when it come to protecting your life
• You only need to know minimal but effective self-defense skills to protect and evade

If you want to read more about this, feel free to download The Essence of Self-Defense.

Taekwondo is well-known for its high fancy kicks.  Yet, when it all comes down to it, the most effective kick for self-defense is the most basic of all kicks–the front kick (AKA front snap kick).  Why?  I will explain.

First and foremost, the front kick is the simplest and easiest kick to learn.  It doesn’t take years to perfect it.  For some, one lesson will do.  For others, a little longer.  Nevertheless, people can quickly learn it.

Second, it is one of the hardest to see, if you are on the receiving end.  Yes, you can see it if you are expecting it, but if you are some bad guy who is accosting someone who looks like a victim, you aren’t expecting and will have difficulty seeing something coming from below.  The kick can be delivered quickly before anyone can react to it.

Last and most important, the kick doesn’t have to be exact in terms of distance and target to be effective.  Remember, if you are applying the front kick in a self-defense situation, it is because you are creating the necessary distraction for escape, and not initiating a toe-to-toe fight.  If the kick is applied closer than expected, the shin or the knee could end up hitting your opponents groin; this is good enough for the purpose intended.  If the kick fails to line up with the opponent’s center line, it could hit the shin or the knee; both of these are good enough targets for distraction purposes.

Because it is easy to learn, hard to see, and doesn’t need much accuracy, it is one of the most effective self-defense kicks in Taekwondo’s arsenal of kicks.

Promotion Testing

Every two to three months, our school goes through a promotion test.  The tests are typically very structured, formal, and can sometimes feel intimidating.

With that in mind, why do we take promotion tests?  Is it because we want that next belt, that promotion?  On the surface, that is what it might look like, but underneath, we take promotion tests for the following very good reasons:

• To gain more experience and get better.  When you take tests, regardless of what type of tests it is, you typically have to study and practice.  If you don’t, you reduce your chances of passing.  Our promotion tests are no different.  In order for you to pass, you need to study and practice hard.  In the process of studying and practicing, you gain more experience; and through experience, you get better.
• To become more confident by testing under pressure.  Whether you are young or old, our promotion tests can make you feel nervous, especially when standing in front of your peers, an audience, and judges; however, through practice and study, you can become confident.  As you go through more tests, you learn to handle the pressure and are able to channel nervous energy into more confidence.
• To be tested by qualified judges.  When you go through a promotion test, certified Taekwondo judges make an assessment of your proficiency to move up in rank.  So when you pass that test, you can be confident that you’ve earned that new rank.

So the next time someone asks you about why you take promotion tests, you can say that you want to get better, confident, and that you need to have qualified judges check your skill level in order to advance.

The intro package is really designed to help people figure out whether Koryo Family Taekwondo Center (KFTC) classes are for them or their kids.  Part of its purpose is to help the new student fit in by learning the classroom protocols and rules.  It also introduces the student to a few basic concepts, techniques, and drills.  It includes:

• two (2) classes per week, for four (4) weeks
• A KFTC uniform (valued at $42.00)

Taekwondo child bowing to show respect

As a parent, you might have this lingering question–”Is Taekwondo good for my child?”

The simple answer to this “yes”, for the following reasons:

• Respect.  Taekwondo teaches kids to show respect; at our Taekwondo school, the student begins by bowing to staff, students, and guests as soon as they enter the training hall.
• Motor Skills.  Children perform drills which help them become more coordinated–helping them improve their motor skills.
• Self-defense.  Kids learn that Taekwondo is only for self-defense.
• Agility and Skill.  Kids learn about the Olympic sport of Taekwondo and through training improve their agility and skill.
• Self-confidence.  Through training and testing, children are able to build their self-confidence.
• Leadership.  As children move up in rank, they learn to set goals and objectives to reach their goals.  At higher belt levels, they are taught to lead the class through warm up exercises.
• Code of Conduct.  Kids learn about the tenets of Taekwondo–courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit, and victory.

credit: Graeme Weatherston

Are you confused by Taekwondo belts?  When you go to a Taekwondo event and see the many rainbow of Taekwondo belt colors, do you wonder why there are so many?

Well, this article should help clear things up.

In Taekwondo, the core belt colors are:

• White (typically mapped to the lowest belt rank)
• Yellow
• Green
• Blue
• Red
• Black (generally mapped to the highest belt rank)

Taekwondo is great for health and fitness

Is it true that Taekwondo is good for health?

The answer to this is yes.  Like any physical activity, having exercise in one’s life is good for the heart, muscles, bones, and to some degree spiritual and mental fitness.

Unlike other physical activity, Taekwondo as a martial arts also provides one with core values to strengthen one’s character.  No other physical activity builds one’s core like Taekwondo.

When you practice Taekwondo, you exercise your mind, body, and spirit.

The mind is kept active through the knowledge one gains about martial arts and how one is taught to have “victory”–a code of conduct which reflects positive mental attitude.

The spirit, which is ones inner motivator, is strengthened through the reinforcement or teachings on core values–the six tenets of Taekwondo (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit, and victory).  When one has strong spirit, one is able to motivate himself or herself to achieve goals and objectives.

Last but not least, the body is regularly exercised through calisthenics, aerobic, strengthening, and stretching exercises.  The exercises are done in such a way where all parts of the body work in an integrated fashion to give it natural strength.

No other fitness activity can deliver like Taekwondo!

1.  To build true confidence through knowledge of mind, honesty in the heart, and strength in the body.

2.  To keep friendships with one another and to build a strong and happy community.

3.  Never fight to achieve selfish ends, but to develop might for light.

These links will take you to our commonly used terms: 

General Terms

Directions

Counting

Kicks

Stances

Blocks

Punches

Strikes

Meaning of the term Tae Kwon Do

The origin of Tae Kwon Do dates as far back as the existence of man himself on earth.  With the passage of time, it had been streamlined and gradually formalized, then developed into a positive and perfect level due to the necessity for social life as simple human life became more complex and diversified.
Although Tae Kwon Do had survived through the long and adverse periods of Korean history as a component part of traditional culture, only a few murals in the underground chambers of Tumuli depicting Tae Kwon Do were found.

There are evidence of Tae Kwon Do in the murals of the Kakjeochong, Mooyongchong and Samsilchong Tombs of the Kogooryo era.  The tumuli of this era located at the former capital of the kingdom, present murals that are undeniable evidence of the existence of Tae Kwon Do in that period.  The murals show the original features of Tae Kwon Do.

Twenty years after the Kogooryo era, the Silla Dynasty was founded.  The warriors of Silva enjoyed various sports including archery, hunting, and Tae Kwon Do.

Other historic documents prove that there were also martial arts called by different names in the territories of Silla, Kogooryo, and Baekjae.

The entire nation of Baekjae enjoyed the sports of horse riding, archery, and Tae Kwon Do.  In fact, the whole populace were warriors well trained in martial arts.

The Baekjae nation was eventually conquered by Koryo where Tae Kwon Do was widely propagated as a national sport.

As far as Tae Kwon Do is concerned, Korea is the master country.  Historically, authentic records of Tae Kwon Do illustrate a large part of the Korean nation.  Handed through the Kogooryo, Silla, Baekjae, and Koryo, it was deeply rooted in the Joseon Dynasty era and scientifically systematized.

After the decline of the Joseon Dynasty, the Japanese invaded Korea and the Tae Kwon Do devotees often the the struggle against the invaders.

Today, modern Tae Kwon Do stresses on the scientific mobilization of human force and its application; the most important factors of which are stability, support, balance, elasticity, agility, and flexibility as well as mental and nervous concentration.