Martial Arts: Taekwondo (Tae Kwon Do)
Taekwondo (Tae-Kwon-Do, Fist-Foot-Way) is a martial art from Korea (sometimes also spelled Taegwondo). It is a blend of Shotokan Karate with other Chinese and Korean martial arts. Taekwondo places great emphasis on fast, spectacular kicking techniques with very few hand strikes. Competition rules in Taekwondo prohibit the use of throws, holding or grappling. Protective gear is usually worn to allow contact with the body.
Taekwondo tends to place more emphasis on the sport aspect of martial arts. Taekwondo is more of a long range fighting style, due to its use of more kicking than striking. Board breaking is used in belt grading in Taekwondo, to show the power of the techniques being taught (Kyokushin Kai is another martial art that also adheres to this practice).
Taekwondo is popular the world over and is probably the most widely practiced of the martial arts. Taekwondo is now recognised as an Olympic sport, which is sure to popularise it even more.
Origin of Taekwondo: Korea
Founder of Taekwondo: General Choi Hong Hi 1950’s (Who earned a 2nd dan in Shotokan Karate while a student in Japan)
July 27th, 2005 at 1:08 pm
Tae kwon do is a very powerful art when practiced by adults. i wanna know this why does everybody think their style is superior to mine? Also the fast […] more
July 27th, 2005 at 9:57 pm
Taekwon Do is not “a blend of Shotokan Karate with other Chinese and Korean martial arts.” It is a unique and independent martial art which draws base […] more
August 12th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
I think Tae Kwon Do is a blend of Both hand strikes and foot strikes… Though A good part is focused on foot and kicking techniques…
August 19th, 2005 at 9:03 pm
The U.S.C.D.K.A. (United States Chung Do Kwan Association) has the world’s highest non-oriental (didn’t come from Korea) blackbelt in the world: Seni […] more
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:55 am
I believe that Tae Kwon Do is a mixture of both hand and foot strikes but in my opinion kicks are more effective when possible due to the longer range […] more
September 14th, 2005 at 9:14 am
I really love taekwondo and is very powerful when practiced with the instruction attached to it. I recommend it for both sex because its practiced ev […] more
September 17th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
I was told there was an upcomming tornament week of September 15th. Somewhere in NYC. Does anyany know where excatly. thanks for info. Oss.
September 21st, 2005 at 9:21 pm
Taekwondo can be a very useful martial art for sport or self defendce if trained right. The best training is repitition. Sparring helps but don’t forg […] more
October 10th, 2005 at 12:44 pm
Kicks above the belt line will usually result in your leg being grabbed by your opponenet in a real fight. Use of the hands or kicks to the knees or a […] more
October 14th, 2005 at 2:30 pm
One of the common mistakes people make concerning Taekwondo is to assume that the self defense techniques consist of the same techniques used in the o […] more
October 22nd, 2005 at 12:42 am
Teakwondo is a great way to stay in shape and have fun doing it. If wanting to try a style of martial arts i fully recommend this one because many thi […] more
November 1st, 2005 at 8:11 am
Learn the core concepts of Martial Arts through full screen streaming instructional videos. Watch videos on strength, flexibility training and read ar […] more
December 9th, 2005 at 6:51 am
iam being trained by master who is black belt of dan 3 this year. and iam blue belt dan 3. and therefore i would like to acquire the enough knewdlege […] more
January 9th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
My favourite martial art is soizuedo meaning way of the hamster
January 19th, 2006 at 1:01 pm
Although this is true about Bill superfoot Wallace, he did not study taekwondo he practiced the art of kickboxing. I know this because i met him!
February 2nd, 2006 at 5:05 am
Tae Kwon Do is a great martial arts style to start out with. Especially for kids, this style can teach not only fighting, but also respect and discipl […] more
February 7th, 2006 at 2:59 am
more like taekwondo-not waste your time, i would like to see you use that weak crap in the street,come prove me wrong,FWB, Fl > Jet drive gym….b […] more
February 10th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
I think the tae kwon do belt rankings are a bit too many. Instread of fourteen belts ranking i think there only needs to be eight ones.
February 13th, 2006 at 10:41 am
taekwondo is a blend frm karate it is the shittest martial art ever it took 50 years 2 develop wen others took like 500 years
February 14th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
too many pretty girly sissy kicks for show.. cant use that in the street,and if you do, i’ll snap em off like a chico-stick……
February 19th, 2006 at 1:50 am
TKD, it kicks. But, it’s really more than that, and depending on the dojong where you train in this art you can learn several aspects of the martial a […] more
February 19th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
taekwondo-not-sighn up for is still weak no matter how you explain it
February 19th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
I just gotta say that I love TKD (WTF variety) but it hurts my heart to see the direction it is heading. I remember when TKD was as well respected as […] more
March 6th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
I think this site is very interesting teaches me more about other martial arts. but yes i am in the martial art Tae Kwon Do and yes there are spaces i […] more
March 6th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
I will agree with “D Byrd” you must be a very well respected Tae Kwon Do instructor. NO martial was created for competion. It was created to defend y […] more
March 10th, 2006 at 5:15 am
To Jordan. You think you are the best. You might be. But if you want to find out go to Hong Kong and engage in the illegal fights there- only the best […] more
March 10th, 2006 at 5:28 am
It it is not the art it is how you train it. Ask yourself is what you are learning good for a street fight with a guy twice your size. Here is a go […] more
March 13th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
TKD is a style that, like karate, only to a far greater degree, can place emphasis on either sport or self defense, but rarely do you hear about any s […] more
March 20th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Does anybody have any idea what was the first martial art created. I can’t find the answer anywhere
March 22nd, 2006 at 12:35 am
TKD was originally devised for fighting grandmas. The kicks are quick and snappy to hit granny with just the force necessary to knock her down, but no […] more
March 22nd, 2006 at 10:46 am
I believe its ridiculous that people wuld advertise tae kwon do as an effective martial art
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:08 am
I am outraged about what crap you two are saying!! Well for one who would fight old people. I would take you on right away grannyfighter if you were i […] more
March 24th, 2006 at 1:37 am
I think you’re confusedม Caleigh. This was not about hurting old people. This was about deriding TKD for being so weak. I think it’s cute that you w […] more
March 26th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
How would you know what martial arts i’ve been in? I haven’t only been in tae kwon do, i’ve been in hapkido too. I’ve been in many diferent schools a […] more
March 26th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
You know what, you can say what you want about TKD. But i’ll be supporting my ideas. Everybody thinks differently, but i say that every martial arts i […] more
March 26th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
you know???? to take you on would be a foolish thing to do. I would be going agenst my Tea Kwon Do tenits. something you wouldn’t understand sence you […] more
March 29th, 2006 at 6:01 am
many of you are missing the point. The high kicks and turning kicks were originally developed as a way to dismount opponents on horse back. 50 year de […] more
March 29th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
Thank you, I was thinking myself to start taking Krav Maga. But I can’t find any school in my state, it sucks. My martial arts teacher said that ther […] more
April 1st, 2006 at 12:29 pm
One of the best things about Tae Kwon Do is that it doesn’t matter if you’re not a very athletic person. I was not an athletic person when I first joi […] more
April 3rd, 2006 at 12:03 am
Wow. I’m rather taken aback by the amount of idiocy and ignorance I’ve found on this site so far. First off, there is a lot of rediculous, unsupported […] more
April 3rd, 2006 at 2:44 pm
It is true that if you allow your leg to remain in the target area for very long, the opponent could grab your leg. However, as long as you kick with […] more
April 3rd, 2006 at 9:35 pm
That’s a very true point. The only reason why a kick would be more likely to be caught is the fact that it is slower on the return than an arm, but ev […] more
April 3rd, 2006 at 11:36 pm
TKD is weak, but my comparison was drawn against Thai Boxing, if you remember. Do you see the Koreans taking home wins in Thailand? NO! Why? Because t […] more
April 3rd, 2006 at 11:42 pm
http://www.memphisbjj.com/video/index.htm will show you Ramon Dekker in action. He’s remembered as one of the best foreign fighters ever to have fough […] more
April 3rd, 2006 at 11:44 pm
Getting your leg caught sucks. There, we agree on something. But it’s not the end of the world. The immediate reaction is to make it near impossible t […] more
April 5th, 2006 at 11:00 am
If it’s a good hold, though, yanking it back isn’t really plausable, unless you’re much stronger. But, even then, if the hold is good… However, if y […] more
April 5th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Oh, and GrannyFighter, I missed your response to my comment, so I’ll address it now. First off, there you go again with your rediculous generalization […] more
April 12th, 2006 at 12:37 am
You didn’t try to make a Muay Thai v TKD thing. I did. I admit it freely. I come on here and say provocative things to get a rise out of people. I cou […] more
April 13th, 2006 at 8:49 am
In my opinion it seems like your moves aren’t fast enough. Im not trying to down you’re opinion or anything. To me it just seems like you haven’t lea […] more
April 13th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
I’d rather you didn’t use “you” because “you” have never fought “me.” I’d also ask that if you are going to judge Muay Thai, judge it on the basis of […] more
April 14th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
Well now, we have now agreed on something GannyWrinkles. You see I don’t like how your saying that you could actually beat someone up when you havent […] more
April 15th, 2006 at 10:58 am
Your English comprehension needs work, Cale. I asked that the language in Me’s post be changed to avoid the misunderstanding that we have gotten in th […] more
April 23rd, 2006 at 6:59 pm
I’m a 4th degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, and it emphasises power, not speed. Japanese forms of martial arts tend to lean more towards the speed aspec […] more
April 25th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Why does everyone mention their belt rank as though it has any meaning? I have an 8th degree pink lace belt in Hooo Cares. Do you ever notice how […] more
April 29th, 2006 at 12:01 am
TKD is awful and completely impractical. Street opponents do not stay sparring distance away from you they just rush you and try to take you down. […] more
May 1st, 2006 at 3:21 am
If you practice Taekwon Do with a warrior spirit and know when to apply the strikes you will be very good in the street. We have the same elbow st […] more
May 3rd, 2006 at 9:08 am
Very true, Franco. One must remember there are no rules on the street. With experience in disarming techniques and a good grasp on the field of TKD, […] more
May 4th, 2006 at 5:42 am
I don’t think TKD is useless against untrained people– any martial art is better than nothing at all– but it doesn’t carry all the bone-shattering s […] more
May 15th, 2006 at 12:20 am
Nobody is talking about superiority, I am just bringing some points about TKD. Nobody disagress that Muay Thai is a powerful, effective standup style, […] more
May 15th, 2006 at 9:28 am
Basically what you’re saying is if you take a Thai boxer’s weapons away and make him fight like TKD guys, he won’t win a medal. That’s not an argument […] more
May 24th, 2006 at 1:58 am
What your teacher said is bs, there is definately something like a ‘weak’ martial art. Krav Maga, Savate and Capoeira are three of them. Krav Mag […] more
May 25th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Whoever thinks tkd is bad is wrong. I assure you it is scientifically proven to generate the most power. (I would know I do tkd) so for those saying t […] more
May 26th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
TKD is scientifically proven, huh? Let’s see a TKD guy lay into a heavy bag, or, rather, watch the bag knock his little ass over. IF TKD were as power […] more
May 26th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Tyrone Cliff bought a black belt DVD at a conference,when there was one at East Point Ass. Tampa. He could not pay at the time, so we sent a check in […] more
May 28th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Thank you Kin, for attempting to enlighten some of these idiots (not all of you, you know who you are). I am a 1st Dan black belt in TKD and I love i […] more
May 29th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
So you defeated a thai boxer using a different martial art? Somehow, that is indicative of tkd’s strength? When you talk to me about thai boxers, […] more
May 29th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
MT may not may not be the first to use the elbow and knee, but it uses them the most effectively. TKD may use them, but the power and application are […] more
May 30th, 2006 at 6:55 am
You think it’s ridiculous that a TKD artist could ever grab a Thai Boxers leg? ever? For any reason? If so, you’ve never seen a real TKD martial art […] more
May 31st, 2006 at 11:20 am
Read before you write, Kat. I said no one can grab a Thai boxer’s kick to the knee. It’s too low. Of course there are TKD guys who can grab a Thai b […] more
May 31st, 2006 at 9:55 pm
For all the people who are saying taekwondo (tae kwon do) is weak, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. A true Disciplined martial art […] more
June 1st, 2006 at 12:07 am
Every martial art has its weakneses, place a pure Muay Thai fighter (no ground fighting skills) in the ground with a BJJ stylist or Mix Martial arts f […] more
June 1st, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Hey, “come..” Where I come from, our stances are low enough to protect our knees, when fighting thai boxers. We fight all different styles INCLUDING […] more
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:21 am
What is this big argument over muay thai and tkd. Clearly muay thai is much more deadly and more effective. Now I am not saying it is weak I am just s […] more
June 4th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
Where I come from, our stances are low enough to protect our knees, when fighting thai boxers. we fight all different styles including Muay Thai (in c […] more
June 4th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Grappling owns this ineffective garbage. Grappling owns all.
June 4th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Hey Kat you don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ve never trained here in Bangkok, or you would know just how little you know. Come to Gaew […] more
June 4th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
For tkd guys to keep talking about knees and elbows ad nauseum is a joke. You guys can’t do it! You can steal it and reappropriate it from mt, but y […] more
June 5th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Waah waah, don’t compare martial arts. Have warrior spirit. Shut up already. Style vs. Style rivalries have been around for thousands of years. Men ha […] more
June 5th, 2006 at 10:30 am
I like how no one can answer why, in Thailand, where TKD is quite popular, you never see the two in the ring. No one can say a thing about it. It’s be […] more
June 5th, 2006 at 11:25 pm
I took TKD for a very long time, and it seems to me that it is a good “starter,” technique. The mere fact that you have to retract any punch, however […] more
June 7th, 2006 at 12:12 am
James: “Grappling owns all?” Sure, you use your BJJ (or whatever) in a fight against multiple opponents, take one to the ground and then watch as the […] more
June 7th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Hey, how about, I know what I’m talking about? You haven’t really given an argument for me to go against… All you’ve said is “come to Thailand” whic […] more
June 18th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
That is the best statement I have ever heard about tae kwon do. It is all about the tenets.
June 18th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
brill!!!!!! from tkd 1st dan
June 21st, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Everybody please read Josh’s message, it is a great statement.
June 25th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
The posts have been mostly enlightening and entertaining concurrently. Disclaimer MT, MMA, TKD, BJJ, etcs. are all good and take up what ever fits yo […] more
June 27th, 2006 at 11:31 am
hi guys… i’m new here but i would like to point out some views on taekwondo as a martial art… but it does not matter which martial art is more pow […] more
June 27th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
hey ya guys im now a green belt in taekwondo, and i am unbeaten in sparring! i also do muay thai kickboxing, im thinkin is taekwondo the best mart […] more
July 19th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
The fastest kick comes from frank dux which is 72 mph. People say taekwondo is less superior because it isnt fit for the streets. I have seen it and i […] more
July 25th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
to admit.. TKD is good for true begginers. otherwise, its not very useful in real life scenarios. i personally think that TKD is just useless
July 28th, 2006 at 4:01 am
Taekwondo is definately the martial art for me - uncompromising for fitness, flexibility & strength. I don’t look at it purely from a self defense […] more
July 29th, 2006 at 12:17 am
Taekwondo is a martial art with a lot of strengths and a lot of weaknesses. I had my start in martial arts with it: I was 5/8 up the colored belt lad […] more
August 10th, 2006 at 2:07 am
Okay if taekwondo developed weak wet noodle kicks then why am I able to break bricks with many of the kicks i have learned. If i met you in an ally a […] more
August 16th, 2006 at 10:51 am
Taek Wondo is only for people that are rreally weak and it sucks karatre is better haha hahah ahaha hahah ahahah hahahaah hahahaha i am the karate mas […] more
August 19th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
You are a moron about the history of TKD, oh shotokan master. Our Tkd founders originally were shotokan black belts/masters and only “koreanized” it. […] more
August 21st, 2006 at 9:20 pm
I like TKD.
August 22nd, 2006 at 12:55 am
i think that it needs to develop hand practice
August 22nd, 2006 at 2:07 am
It is very disrespectable how some of you bash another martial art style.It is also so childish how some of you talk about beating each other up.Thats […] more
August 24th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
TKD guy does kick, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu guy does a double leg take down and breaks TKD guy’s arm. End of discusion.
August 27th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
I went to a taekwondo tournament yesterday.It was pretty cool.The highlight for me was watching a man break four concrete slabs with his arm!
August 30th, 2006 at 7:55 am
It is not the art-it is how you train it.
September 7th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
My son has studied taekwondo for five years. There is significant emphasis on close quarter hand work and blocks in addition to the wide ranging armou […] more
September 8th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
In the years that I have learned TKD along with many other styles have found that TKD is my over all favorite. It has taught me better balance and to […] more
September 11th, 2006 at 3:07 am
Why don’t we just all act a bit more grown up here? People chose their martial art for their own reasons, whether it be for the defence, fun, or fittn […] more
September 16th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
Hey greenbelt.I’m a 2nd dan blackebelt in WTF for 15 years and competed at the national level. To be honest , TKD is a great martial art for inside […] more
September 20th, 2006 at 12:30 am
i do taekwondo in griffith at sipjin taekwondo i love it my instructor is Mr Craig Barrett
September 24th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Hey everybody Im new to TKD but recived my yellow belt about a week or so ago.So way to go for me!Good luck to everyone else who is in TKD trying to m […] more
October 6th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Taekwondo,actually is a very good martial art compared to others because it emphasizes on powerful kicks,like side kick,front thrust kick,back kick,t […] more
October 13th, 2006 at 2:20 am
tae kwondo is mint! possibly the best self defence martial arts ever!
October 18th, 2006 at 10:38 am
I have studied a variety of martial arts, and I find that none are trully superior in and of themselves. One of my first and favorite arts,(not becau […] more
October 19th, 2006 at 6:32 am
What most people have to learn is the difference beetwen art and sport.
October 20th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
Taekwondo is defintly one of the best martial arts out there. I also want to learn jujistsu but i cant find a place down here in Raliegh, NC
October 24th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
boxing is HIGHLY effective as a fighting art! any one who doubts this can watch “fight science.” where boxing proves to have THE strongest punch i […] more
October 27th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Let me just Say this. martial arts are great for the mind, body, and soul. but Boxing is a real life fighting art that demands complete balance the wh […] more
October 29th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
This to kin, i have just read ur article and think u have hit the nail on the head. sport TKD is over publicised and some more attention does need to […] more
October 30th, 2006 at 6:34 am
I know what hosinsul is.And that is the problem.Why Do you have to learn one way of figting for competition and other for self-defence.That only makes […] more
October 30th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Good point, when talking about going up against a muay thai fighter or any fighter larger and stronger, speed and accuracy in your strikes and evasion […] more
October 30th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
Couldn’t agree more. I study wing chun and Muay thai. Both are exceptionally effective styles and when fighting someone taller and stronger than mysel […] more
October 31st, 2006 at 12:40 pm
The power of a kick from a muay thai fighter cannot be underestimated, the same power would go for a decent boxer/street fighter, which is why i think […] more
November 1st, 2006 at 10:15 pm
martial arts are great for the mind, body, and soul. but Boxing is a real life fighting art that demands complete balance the whole body works togethe […] more
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Well first of all TKD is most definetly a martial arts with MOSTLY kicks and very few hand strikes. I mean they may have it in there forms (poomse by […] more
November 5th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
Whats up all my fellow taekwondoers!Its great to be alive so we can taekwondo it up like crazy every day, huh!If you feel me let me hear it, A.K.A. se […] more
November 10th, 2006 at 10:41 am
I’ve only been doing this since february and i’m already much more flexible than i was before. This is obviously due to the great emphasis on the legs […] more
November 18th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
Alright some people that know a good martial art when they see it. I do Chung Do Kwan the martial art that made/is tae kwon do, i’m currently a black […] more
November 18th, 2006 at 11:48 pm
Dig this. Two days ago I recived my green belt. Peace
November 19th, 2006 at 11:17 am
yeah man, keep it up TJ.
November 20th, 2006 at 9:41 pm
I dis agree lad gorg . Taekwondo are great for the mind, body, and soul. but Boxing is a real life fighting art that demands complete balance the who […] more
November 20th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
everyone practices Taekwondo so much and has so many tournments, that is not considered a martial art any more but a sport to many of the older martia […] more
November 23rd, 2006 at 2:08 pm
O.K. Mr.Guy in Tae Kwon Do you are taught the complete opposite as in boxing, you learn how to fend off people with you KICKS, with that you are taugh […] more
November 24th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
hey friends i m robel and i work teakwondo here in ethiopia and i like it very much + I don’t no what i have to say about teakwondo but you have to do […] more
November 24th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
Frank Dukes is a fake! If you want real fighters look for Benny the jet or peter cunningham. These fighters have achieved something against other pro […] more
November 28th, 2006 at 6:10 am
First of all,what you see in the movies,or in a lot of “martial arts” tournaments has very lttle to do with real maritial arts.Personally I would rath […] more
November 28th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
I train in both ITF and WTF Tae kwon do. Tae kwon do is excellent for developing both fast and powerful kicks. Don’t disrespect the power of a correc […] more
November 28th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
I can’t believe all of the foolish statements on this board. First of all the one about Bill Wallace. Someone thought he was Taekwando, then another […] more
November 30th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
This article is quite correct,competition and self defence are completely different you cant suppose that the fact of doing ’soft’ kicks in sport mean […] more
December 8th, 2006 at 6:41 am
I personally feel that it really is based on the martial artist more than the martial art. In all honesty my biggest qualm with several, not all, but […] more
December 9th, 2006 at 9:36 am
OK what water is saying is true, but why did you say it like that. Anyway every martial art has a strength and a weakness, in TKD it is the lack of ha […] more
December 19th, 2006 at 8:14 am
Taek wondo, just like any other martial arts is only as effective as you train
December 23rd, 2006 at 7:29 am
Why cant people just accept TKD for the martial art it is and stop arguing about which style is better. If it wasn’t an effective martial art then it […] more
December 23rd, 2006 at 8:31 am
BINGO!!!! I have done some extra training/research in Tae Kwon Do and found it truly dosen’t have a large weakness (maybe the practionare, but not the […] more
December 25th, 2006 at 11:11 pm
I HAVE DONE TAEKWONDO FOR A WHILE. IT IS A GOOD MARTIAL ART. IT HAS IT’S WEAKNESES. NOT ENOUGH HANDS WORK AND NO GROUND FIGHT. ACTUALLY ALL MARTIAL AR […] more
December 26th, 2006 at 10:20 am
this to zul, u need to open your mind more and appreciate the fact that some people do martial ARTS for defence and not necessarily to become some sup […] more
December 26th, 2006 at 11:01 am
To zul, you are stupid and arrogant. How can you say these martial arts suck if you’ve never practiced them, never fought against them (lost against t […] more
December 31st, 2006 at 2:48 pm
Zul, your position is popularized by many who should know better but don’t. That is because so few Americans brought back any complete knowledge of a […] more
January 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 am
tae kwon do is very powerful and is extremely effective when used correctly. just remember, just because you have training dosen’t mean you should go […] more
January 5th, 2007 at 11:40 am
simple and straight to the point, couldn’t agree more
January 5th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Once you reach purple belt in Taekwondo, you learn how to grapple, throw, fight with swords and sticks, and you start fighting with pressure points, t […] more
January 6th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I’ve done taekwondo for nearly a year now and even though i’m only green stripe (7th Kup) I love it more than any of my other hobbies. I like it so mu […] more
January 6th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Anyone know where i can get a good punch/kick bag for under £70? Thanks.
January 24th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Just going to throw in My opinion here,Since some of you guys think since you study one certain style,The others are worthless…Wrong I have been a s […] more
January 25th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
in the club i train with ther are 9 belts i think that this is a good amount !!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Wow, you guys can only talk shit, but there’s no action behind it. All TKD haters go to Korea and challenge any TKD master. You’ll come back with your […] more
February 2nd, 2007 at 1:07 pm
My son starting taking TKD almost 3 years ago. He was very hesitant about ever trying new things but once he started these classes, he knew he wanted […] more
February 6th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Zul, you obviously just think about getting in fights all the time. Martial arts are a way of defending yourself in the outside world and if people wa […] more
February 6th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
The reason why I support Tae Kwon Do so much, is because it has a vast teaching of strikes (punch, kick, ectr.), throws, weapons, and aplications (for […] more
February 8th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
ok. anybody who says tae kwon do is weak is stupid. whats stronger your arms or your legs? and anybody who says tkd has no hand movments does not und […] more
February 9th, 2007 at 4:56 am
It is not the art but how it is trained.I know it has 18 movements.The problem that TKD has that in most of the world it is trained as a sport.Sure,pe […] more
February 15th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Im interested to know, is there any other methods of training besides sparring to enhance realisism. I mean some martial arts include 2 man attacks fo […] more
February 15th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Shadow sparring, is were you fight on “imaginary” opponent. It is good for training without a partner.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Tae Kwon Do isn’t just a martial art…it’s a way of life! Come visit us www.jkleeblackbelt.com
February 18th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
i actually saw a Muay Thai guy win against a TKD guy on TKD rules once. The TKD was a black belt idk how he trained but wow was it a landslide -Me
February 18th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
See if he was a Chung Do Kwan student he would have won.
February 20th, 2007 at 3:55 am
How good you become depends on your abilities, strengts and devotion to tae kwon do. Tae=foot, kwon=fist, do=way,translating to ” the way of hand and […] more
February 20th, 2007 at 3:55 am
It depends on your abilities, strengts and devotion to tae kwon do. Tae=foot, kwon=fist, do=way,translating to ” the way of hand and foot” Nothing com […] more
February 20th, 2007 at 7:58 am
This statement is quite true. In traditional Tae Kwon Do and pretty much all other traditional martial arts, you learn the basic techniques first, lik […] more
February 20th, 2007 at 8:30 am
All martial arts especially the traditional ones are something you have to work at, not only learning the basic techniques but also in the higher grad […] more
February 21st, 2007 at 9:25 am
Probably because I have no intention of going into the ring to fight MMA style. Besides even MMA guys and theses russian martial artists you mention h […] more
February 21st, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Why are you say russian martial art this Russian that, when it comes down to it they’re the same thing; a fighting/martial art, and a way of life. Whe […] more
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:26 am
Hey guys just curious but isn’t this the TKD page? Just thought id mention it cause things seem to be drifting a bit.
February 25th, 2007 at 9:56 am
I fought a judo black belt once, when i wasn’t a black belt. He tried his grappling moves on me but all i did was evade and counter attack, even when […] more
March 1st, 2007 at 6:36 pm
i have been doing tae kwon do for almost 4 years ( 15 years old and recommened blk belt) i love tae kwon do it is a very fast passed marital art. I lo […] more
March 1st, 2007 at 6:49 pm
why is this guy zul talking about tae kwon do. Yes grappling and cage fighting is cool and all. but u can’t assume garppling could beat tae kwon do th […] more
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:34 am
Tae Kwon Do art of kicking it’s for me…..and for all of you I dont; know
…bye ..
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Hi Jeff, The reason tkd is considered inferior to many other styles has come largely because of sparring techniques. Fancy and high kicks that can […] more
March 9th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Everyone believes that their particular martial art is the best, the truth is it is down to the practioner, and the emphasise that he or she puts on l […] more
March 11th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Well TKD Padawan, the scoring system you must have seen was for WTF TKD. Which is a modern and at sometimes less TKD. Not that it isn’t TKD, it just s […] more
March 17th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Zul, A chin is a chin, and anyone can be knocked out. Also, a vital is a vital, and anyone can be maimed or killed with a single strike if it catc […] more
March 17th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Zul, One more thing. You can still burst someones femoral artery (btw it causes death from bleeding out) with a well placed toe kick (or the hard […] more
March 17th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Ronin, Yes there is, but few do it with any realism. One of the styles I’ve been involved with is an “all contact” style. When we train …lets sa […] more
March 24th, 2007 at 12:22 am
TAEKWONDO IS NOT REALLY EFFECTIVE IN THE STREET BECAUSE WHILE TRAINING THEY SHOW YOU ONLY THINGS ALLOWED IN TOURNAMENTS, AND WHEN YOU SPAR YOU CANT HI […] more
March 24th, 2007 at 12:31 am
I AGREE WITH YOU. I TRAIN MUAY THAI BOXING AND TKD IS NOTHING IN COMPARISM. MY COUSIN TAKES A TKD CLASS AND HE WANTED ME TO COME FOR FAMILY NIGHT. SO […] more
March 24th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Obviously this moron can’t find the Caps Lock button on his key-board. AND WHAT YOU SAW WAS WTF (world Tae Kwon Do) WHICH IS THE SPORT VERSION. The id […] more
March 27th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
He’s right you know. Maybe this will help….great article. http://www.iainabernethy.com/articles/Stuart_Anslow_1.asp
March 29th, 2007 at 10:21 am
I have been reading many of these posts quite recently, and I have to say, I am quite suprised of the reaction that taekwondo recieves and how hostile […] more
March 29th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Kyle i have to say that is one of the best comment on this forum for a long time and i completely agree. I know people who train in muay thai and even […] more
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:28 am
You must have seen very modern Tae Kwon Do competitions (possibly on the NASKA circuit?) TKD is known for it perfection when it comes to kicks, yet wh […] more
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:40 am
TKD is a very powerful art. Granted Mwui-Thai has VERY powerful round kicks, elbow and knee strikes, but: 1) Tae Kwon Do is decended from other simi […] more
April 15th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
im happy that everyone here doesnt think that TKD is a lesser style
April 19th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
I’d like to comment on the popular assumption that TKD is an inferior art. I am actually a practitioner of Hapkido, which is said to be superior to TK […] more
April 19th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I’d like to comment on the assumption that TKD is an lesser style. I am a practitioner of Hapkido, which is said to be superior to Tae kwon do , but o […] more
April 20th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
I agree that high kicks usually will end up with your leg getting grabbed and I think that along with TKD it is very good to get some training in Hapk […] more
April 20th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
In the style of TKD I am training in there are only eight belts before you reach black belt
April 23rd, 2007 at 9:54 am
I really want to know what some people are taught in their TKD schools, because in the TKD school I go to we learn “one steps” as they are called; thi […] more
April 24th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
A lot of people thinks Taekwondo is all about kicking. Taekwondo means “hand-foot-art or way” not “Foot only art”. people think Taekwondo is all about […] more
April 25th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
What a douche… MMa is a waste of time, it’s only a bunch of men beat each other around the head until one of them taps out. If they were to chalen […] more
April 30th, 2007 at 9:24 am
That’s not true. I’ve seen TKD ppl fight with broken ribs…guess it’s just u who is too wimpy to fight with a broken rib. Isn’t martial arts abou […] more
May 1st, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Wow! The discussion here has really heated up in the last two years. I never thought I’d find a 18th dan or ‘the greatest tkd master’!
May 10th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Can anybody tell me the difference between the techniques of Jhoon Rhee International and the World Takwondo Federation, other than the forms? Th […] more
May 11th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Traditional styles, like your current one, focus on honing your skills and techniques, as well as improving your mental attributes. Which is better fo […] more
May 11th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Lad Gorg, your comments are helpful. I was wondering about the sport aspect of WTF. I was interested in the WTF school because of the Hapkido aspect […] more
May 14th, 2007 at 1:10 am
Listen here Matt: Coming from a 1st dan TDK and sensei in Karate for GKR no martial art is weak and one is better obviously you have no clue about mar […] more
May 16th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
The only reason why you see lots of kicks from Tae-Kwon-Do practioners is because the main concept of Tae-Kwon-Do is ranged fighting and keeping your […] more
May 19th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Ollympic TaeKwonDo sucks. I’m sorry, but it’s simply true. There is hardly a redeeming factor about it. However, traditional combat-oriented TaeKwonDo […] more
May 20th, 2007 at 8:35 am
I have been a practicioner of TKD for over ten years. I studied while i was a child and I have become quite skilled. Now, i can tell you both, as a yo […] more
May 20th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
MMA M= mixed M= MARTIAL A= ARTS If you can’t see the MARTIAL ARTS in MMA you are blind. Every person who goes to a MMA school has had a background […] more
May 20th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
I disagree TKD is very poor as self defense, but it is not without merit. Those being discipline, balance, etc. To illustrate, Judo is used im MMA w […] more
May 21st, 2007 at 5:48 pm
MMA is a hybrid of different styles, tae kwon do would be used as a branch style, to improve foot work, and some other techniques. With all traditi […] more
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:42 am
i love taekwondo, i trained as hard as i could but well good fortune is not that good well goodluck for all those players still training its not a […] more
May 26th, 2007 at 6:57 am
My name is Nure; I am a Deaf student living in Ethiopia. Currently I finished my high school education. Since there are no schools for Deaf students f […] more
May 26th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I love Tae Kwon Do. Fighting “tae kwon do” black belts during mixed martial arts competitions gets me a quick and easy win, letting me save my energy […] more
May 26th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
does teakwondo make you alot stronger when you take the class?
May 28th, 2007 at 4:04 am
Well, that is not completly true. Remeber, if you fight with somebody in the street most of the time that person will not going to have a formal trai […] more
May 29th, 2007 at 3:36 am
im a taekwondo student in maligaya
May 30th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
does frank dux hold the fastest knockout as the film based on him says he as.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:27 am
Taekwondo IS a blend of Shotokan karate and taekkyon. Its movements are scientific and it is based on Chinese philosophy.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:39 pm
i love doin twaekandoe.
June 1st, 2007 at 9:17 pm
After being a follower of jeet kune do for more than half my life, I have come to disagree with Bruce and to value the standard studio arts. The arts […] more
June 7th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Hey Summers read this. Due to the popularity of martial arts, both in mass media and real life, a large number of disreputable, fraudulent, or misgui […] more
June 11th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Ha…This would be pretty funny if it wasn’t such a waste of time. I’m talking about all the comments and people using my name. The real martial artis […] more
June 17th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Do Jang in Tucson, AZ is the best! Of course, I’m moving to Charlotte, NC and can’t seem to find anything close to Grand Master Shin’s teachings. An […] more
June 20th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Technically Tae Kwon Do isn’t for babies, as seeing you can only start when your 5 years old. And MMA is mostly grappling, so technically it grabs ass […] more
June 23rd, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Hey dude ok MMA is good but i have been studing the martial arts for the past decade. Trust me when i say it is not the best. The best is either Prayi […] more
June 26th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Im curious. Im considering taking TKD training. My questions to anyone is this a relatively fast/easy art to learn and Is TkD also good against grou […] more
June 27th, 2007 at 10:38 am
The strongest point of Tae Kwon Do, is that it has almost every type of fighting; it has srtikes (kicks and punches), it has throws, hard and soft (in […] more
June 27th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Yes it is, in that ground fighters only really want to go to the ground on a mat. Nobody wants to roll around on asphalt, concrete, gravel, rocks, a […] more
June 29th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
aikido has only white, brown, and black. Some karate styles have only yellow, green, and brown. In wing chun and muay thai, your skill is your rank. […] more
July 1st, 2007 at 10:01 am
actually the french national olympic tkd team trained at bangkoks sor vorapin muay thai gym i know because i myself trained there and i am half thai a […] more
July 13th, 2007 at 6:16 am
Taekwondo is most coolest olympic martial art 4 evaaa . there`s nothing to do with karate . taekwondo is special than karate or shotokan . TKD is much […] more
July 16th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Yes, I completely agree. I train in Taekwondo, and I learn how to defend myself on the street more than how to spar in a tournament. I read alot on th […] more
July 20th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I still don’t see why people don’t like Tae Kwon Do, it’s got everythinh Muay Thai has (exept loud mouthes), it has throws and some grads like MMA, an […] more
July 25th, 2007 at 12:45 am
taekwondo is central to a sport and a hand combat system. i love the sport but would never try a climbing reverse turn anywhere els but in a tournamen […] more
August 6th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
You two probably don’t take martial arts. So go take it someday if you want to learn what they teach, don’t judge after watching sparring. Sparring an […] more
August 8th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I hate people who act arrogant to things that they don’t know about or things that don’t really concern them. If the JK guy thinks that all the TKD pr […] more
August 8th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
In the two street fights I’ve used TKD in, the following occurred: The front kick quickly ended the fight and in the other the side kick frustrated […] more
August 13th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Gman, I can bet money you don’t know martial arts. Because anyone who takes martial arts understands the physics behind a good kick, and good kicks is […] more
August 15th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
I’m still reading these posts as they continue, and still amused by the arrogance of many, and the BS so many believe. Take all the BS about MMA. […] more
August 15th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
You Ho, cry??? Where do you think all the kickboxers in the MMA got started. Most of them are TKD and Tang Soo Do practitioners that started fighting […] more
August 18th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
I think that W.T.F TKD and I.T.F TKD are two different arts and that military(ITF) TKD should not be compared in anyway to sport (WTF) TKD
August 24th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Taekwondo is AWSOME!!! i’d LOVE to train it…but as of now my focus i jsut keeping it simple…muay thai, boxing, wreslitng, and BJJ are where i stan […] more
September 2nd, 2007 at 3:54 am
First Martial art developed was Kalari Payattu the Traditional Martial art of kerala,(india)…. from which,Kung fu and karate Originated
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:08 pm
WRONG!! If you research a martial art that goes by the name of taekkyun, you’ll see that there were martial arts before the buhhdist monk came to s […] more
September 3rd, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Zul, once again your here posting a message about MMA and a Tae Kwon Do section of this blog, and I think to myself ” why does he/she even bother, it […] more
September 19th, 2007 at 8:29 am
Wow, nobody has been posting for a long time. Anyway, Taekwondo rules! End of debate.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
HA! MMA is so boring, 99% of fights are won by wrestling for submission. I don’t think holding someone down is a good way to kick their butt. Someon […] more
September 21st, 2007 at 1:19 pm
There’s a show called The Human Weapon, on the History Channal, and one of the hosts of the show practices MMA. Well anyway one of the episodes was ab […] more
September 21st, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Yes Lad Gorg, I agree. These mma fighters think they are the best when they can sometimes beat other martial arts in a ring, but that is just the th […] more
September 24th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Right So Whoever Said That Kicks Above The Belt Line Are Most Likely Going To Be Caught Is So Wrong. In Tae Kwon Do [[At Least Where I Train]] Not Onl […] more