What is Taekwondo?

Taekwondo (ta’eh kwahn doe) is a Korean form of martial art dating back as early as 57 B.C. Literally, it translates into "foot", "fist", "way"; or, the art of open hand and foot combat or self-defense. Taekwondo is the national martial art of Korea, and is one of the proudest cultural heritages for the Korean people.

According to the Kukkiwon, home of the World Taekwondo Federation in Seoul, Korea, over 50 Million people practice Taekwondo (TKD) world-wide. The basic curriculum of TKD includes the teachings of student etiquette, punching, kicking, blocking, self-defense, sparring, and forms.

Taekwondo offers a variety of physical and mental benefits to it practitioners. More importantly, through the practice of Taekwondo, students learn how to manage their own emotions, actions, and responses to real world events. Through its regimented training curriculum, students are afforded the opportunity to learn and improve on social interactive skills such as teamwork, cooperation, respect towards others, and community responsibility.

Taekwondo has also developed into a modern Olympic sport as a result of painstaking research and experience by Taekwondo athletes and other practitioners through their incessant upgrading of technical and spiritual refinement. Some physical benefits of Taekwondo include improved motor skills, enhanced hand-eye coordination, flexibility, increased mental discipline, and improved fitness levels.

While Taekwondo can be considered a beneficial physical activity, at the same time, it has been firmly established as a real part of Korean culture, empowering its people in defense of the nation.

International Recognition

Although a variety of schools of thought currently abound regarding the application of techniques, Taekwondo has been one of the most sought after fitness and self-defense training programs in the United States since its induction in the early 1960s. After its debut in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games, supporters of Taekwondo were unyielding in their attempt to take it one step further.

Countless individual signatures and relentless campaigning from many world-wide organizations gave the International Olympic Committee reason to consider and accept Taekwondo as an official medal sport at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sidney, Australia. Over 40 Countries were represented in this sport alone.

U.S. National TKD Team member, Steven Lopez of Sugarland, TX, was one of the first U.S. athletes to earn official Olympic Gold Medals (2000) and the only Taekwondo athlete to earn two consecutive Gold medals (2000, 2004) in this event. His brother, Jean Lopez, was his coach during the games in 2004.

For a list of other outstanding U.S. Taekwondo athletes from the 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Games and other venues, log on to: www.usa-taekwondo.us and click on "ATHLETES". Other information regarding TKD events and activities in WA State can be found on www.watkd.com.