Posts Tagged ‘Tae Kwon Do’

Tae Kwon Do - Great Videos

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

TAE-KWON-DO Tornado Kick!!!!!

TAE-KWON-DO Tornado Kick!!!!!

Korean Taekwondo Video

A taekwondo video from an international tournament hope u guys like it…

TKD

an awesome TKD video, enjoy. no i dont know the name of the song … tae kwon do TKD martial arts kicking kung fu fighting korea

2004 Athens Taekwondo

2004 Athens Taekwondo Highlights For those who always ask the question “what song is it??” heres the answer - Slipknot - Scream

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Choosing The Best Martial Arts Style

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

For anyone who wants to learn a martial art, there is a lot to know in regards to the many different styles.  Of course there is the question of finding the best martial art, which is a question a lot of people ask With so many martial arts styles to choose from, it can be very complicated to pick one to learn.

No matter you may hear or what others have to say, it is quite impossible to name one style of martial arts as the ultimate best.  Actually, there are several factors that come into play, which makes a statement about a style being the best impossible.  Even though one style may beat another in a competition or a fight, doesn’t always mean that the winning style is the best.

Before deciding to rush out there and learn a martial art, there are several things that you should decide first.  Martial arts are great to learn, no matter which style you decide on.  A martial art can teach you self discipline, self defense, and several other traits that will help you no matter where you decide to go in life.

Self defense
All over the world, there are several martial arts schools and dojo’s that emphasize self defense a lot more than others.  Schools that focus on kata, forms, or light sparring are less than likely to teach you what you need to protect yourself on the street.  If you are looking for street self defense, then you’ll want a style that trains hard and doesn’t let up.

Fitness
Even though martial arts can improve your fitness level, it isn’t the goal behind a lot of the martial arts styles.  Several styles, such as Tae Bo, are based purely on martial arts and doesn’t include a lot of physical fitness training.  If you are looking for fitness as your main goal, then you should be looking into something other than martial arts.

Fighting ability
This will vary among the many different martial arts styles.  Self defense schools will most often take advantage of fighting skills, teaching you everything you need to survive.  Most martial arts styles are slow in theory, teaching you kata, movements, and forms.  Self defense schools on the other hand, teach you how to inflict the most amounts of damage in the least amount of time.

Competition
Competition based martial arts are all about winning trophies and showing the world your style of martial arts.  The competition that you have chosen, will greatly impact your style of martial arts.  You’ll need to decide if you will be fighting or showcasing display kata, light or heavy contact, or focusing on grappling or striking.

Before you decide on a martial arts style, you should always research the schools and dojo’s in your area and see what all they offer you.  The best schools will allow you to participate in a few free classes, or offer you discounts on your first few months. They will answer any questions that you have, and work with you to help you learn as much as you can.

Martial arts can be a very fun and exciting learning experience.  There are hundreds of different martial arts styles out there, although you may be limited in choice, depending on what all is offered in your area.  Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, and Jiu-Jitsu and some of the most common types of martial arts, and normally offered just about everywhere.  The more distinct styles, such as Kung Fu, Shootfighting, Kenpo, and Shaolin styles are a bit hard to harder to find.

If you do your homework on some of the styles that are offered in your area, you’ll find one that best fits your reasons to study.  Martial arts can change your outlook on life - all you have to do it devote yourself to learning all you can about the philosophy of your martial art.

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The Belt Colors Of Taekwondo

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

The belts and their colors that are used with Taekwondo aren’t just a random assortment of colors that are used to separate the ranks in the martial art.  In Taekwondo, each belt color has a meaning that lets fighters known about their advancement and increasing knowledge.  Belts are also great for the stylist, as they let the stylist know just how far they have progressed.

The colors of the belts found in Taekwondo vary, as they represent the advancement of rank, as well as the growth of the student.  It can take a long time for students to move up the ranks, all depending on their knowledge and how quite they adapt to the techniques and forms of the art.

Below, are the colors and belts of Taekwondo, along with their meaning.

White belt
A white belt is the symbol of birth, or the beginning for the stylist.  Students that wear white belts are just starting out, searching for the knowledge to continue Taekwondo.

Yellow belt
A yellow belt is the first ray of light that shines on the student, giving them new strength to the Taekwondo martial art.  Students that have yellow belts have taken a great step in learning, and have opened their mind to new techniques.

Green belt
A green belt is the symbol of growth, or a seed as it sprouts from the ground and begins to grow into a plant.  Students with green belts are continuing along the path of Taekwondo, learning to develop further and redefine every technique they have been taught.

Blue belt
A blue belt represents a blue sky, with the plant continuing to grow upwards, heading for the sky.  Students with blue belts continue to move higher in ranks, as the plant continues to grow taller.  Students at this stage will also be given additional knowledge of Taekwondo so that their mind and body can continue to grow and develop.

Red belt
The red belt is the heat of the sun, with the plant continuing the path upwards toward the sun.  Students that possess red belts are higher in rank, as they have acquired a lot of the knowledge in the art of Taekwondo.  Red belts also tell the students to be cautious, as they gain more knowledge and their physical techniques increase.

Black belt
A black belt is the best of the best.  It symbolizes the darkness that is out there beyond the light of the sun.  Once the student is given a black belt and begins to train other students, he will teach all that has been taught to him.  Black belts recognize the best students, as they continue to teach others the art of Taekwondo, and continue the never ending cycle of training.

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Martial Arts For Children

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

These days, martial arts are something that everyone should know.  With crime at an all time high, knowing how to defend yourself is essential.  For the children, martial arts can mean a lot of things.  Even though martial arts is great for adults to know and practice as well, it is also a great way for children to stay in shape and learn how to defend themselves from attackers.  You can even find after school programs with pick up from the school.

Although martial arts can teach children how to defend themselves, it will also teach them self control and self confidence as well.  If your child has a bad temper or low self esteem, learning a martial art can actually help them to get back on the right path.  Martial arts will help children with life in general - which will take them a lot farther in life.

The first thing you will need to do when getting your child involved in martial arts is pick a style that they will enjoy.  With several different styles to choose from, it can be a very difficult choice to make.  Among the most popular for children are Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu.  When making the decision, you should go by what your child has interests in, such as punching and kicking, or ground grappling and submission.

Once you have a style in mind, you’ll need to start checking out the local martial arts centers and dojo’s.  If you live in a big city, you’ll have a lot more to choose from than those who live in smaller areas or rural towns.  Those who live in smaller towns or rural areas may be very limited on the choices available for themselves and their children.

Rural and smaller towns are limited in choice, although what they offer is normally among the best styles of martial arts.  The instructors are black belts and above, with the highest ranked students helping them instruct classes.  If the classes are small in attendance, the instructors and student teachers can spend a lot of hands on time with the kids to help them improve in their weakest areas.

When you decide to enroll your child in martial arts, you should always check out the dojo or classes first.  You don’t want your child to be in a class that isn’t goal focused, nor do you want them to have a teacher who doesn’t know what he is teaching.  The environment is also important, as you want to be sure that the dojo and equipment are clean, and that everything is up to the latest and greatest standards.

Even though a martial art may be beneficial to your child, it won’t do them any good unless the facilities and the instructors are good.  You want to make sure you get the best available to you, which is why it always pays to look around.  If you look at all of your available choices, you’ll normally be able to find the best for both you and your child.

When it comes to children and their future, martial arts is a great way for them to start.  Martial arts can help them improve in many different areas, not just self defense.  A martial art can help a child develop a lot of essential areas, including self control and responsibility.  The longer a child studies a martial art, the more goal oriented and responsible they will become.  Martial arts are a great investment for parents and children - which is why they are so very popular.

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A Close Look At Belts

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

With most types of martial arts, the color of the belt that you have will signify your rank within your style of martial arts.  The belts that are used with martial arts signify your rank within that style, although they have no universal means or ranking within the martial arts world.  More or less, they tell others how much you know about your specific martial art.

The use of belt colors in martial arts is an old practice, dating back hundreds of years.  Belts and their use in martial arts all started by a man known as Jigoro Kano, who created the style known as Kodokan Judo.  Kano started out by using only white and black belts to signify rank within his style of martial arts.  His reason for using belts, was to specify which students could compete in different activities.  For example, those with white belts couldn’t compete in the same activities as those with black belts.

Shortly after Kano introduced his idea of using belts, other belt colors were introduced to the world of martial arts.  Over the years, it became a great way of telling what experience a student had in his style - just by the look of his belt.  Other styles began to use this system as well over the years, including Karate, Taekwondo, and several others.

The only problem with using belts to signify ranking, is the fact that one school may have different requirements from another school.  Even though they both may teach the same style of martial arts, their ranking system and requirements to get a certain ranking may be totally different.  This can cause confusion in ranks, especially if a black belt from one school isn’t as versed in the style as a black belt from another school.  Even though most schools stick to the same criteria, there are schools that choose to incorporate their own unique style as well.

Although most martial arts styles use belts to signify rank, there are some martial arts out there such as Shootfighting that don’t use belts at all.  The styles that choose not to use belts don’t go by rankings either, as they are more or less for self defense purposes.  Pitfighting is another style that doesn’t use belts either.  These styles are great to learn for protecting yourself - although they differ from the traditional sense of martial arts.

All things aside, belts are an innovation to martial arts.  They give students something to aim for, and a reason to keep practicing.  Most students that study martial arts aim for getting the black belt, which is the most prestige belt in martial arts.  A black belt takes years of practice to obtain, as the student will move through many lower ranked belts before getting the opportunity to try and earn the black belt.

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Martial Arts Overview

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

Anytime an individual decides to learn how to protect themselves, learn self defense, or become a better person, one thing comes to mind - martial arts.  Martial arts are very common these days, being practiced all over the world.

The martial arts have been used for many centuries, although they really became famous around the time of Bruce Lee.  Bruce invented the style of Jeet Kune Do, which involves very fast strikes with amazing counter defenses.  Once people began to see just how fast Bruce Lee could move, they began to look into martial arts and see just how it could benefit them.

Martial arts are broken down into specific styles.  The style all depends on where and what you study.  A lot of cultures and countries offer martial arts that they originated, developed, and perfected.  Brazil offers Brazilian Jui-Jitsu, Japan has Karate, Thailand has Muay Thai, France has Savate, and China has Shaolin.  Keep in mind that each style will vary in techniques and what it has to offer you.

Although many people think of martial arts as being just for self defense purposes, this isn’t always the case.  Martial arts are used in tournaments and competitions as well, which can include sparring, floor routines, and even block and brick breaking demonstrations.  All across the world, there are competitions and chances for fighters to prove themselves and their knowledge.

In general, all martial arts will teach you how to defend yourself and above all else - help you develop self control.  Once you begin to study a martial art, you’ll quickly start to develop a much better state of mind.  No matter what style of martial art you study, the instructors will drill self control into your head.

Those of you who have a bad temper or just need to learn self control, martial arts can be very beneficial to study.  Not only will you learn self control, you’ll also learn how to defend yourself in the most drastic of situations.  Self control is very important, as martial arts can be very deadly if they are taught to the wrong person - with the wrong intentions.

Over the last decade, there have been a lot of mainstream competitions that showcase martial arts, such as Extreme Fighting, King of the cage, and the most popular of all, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).  The UFC has come a long way over the years, sparking interest from all over the world.  It pairs stylists from all over the world together, to test their skills and see who is the better fighter.

With the UFC, a lot of people have gotten the wrong idea about martial arts.  A martial art is great to learn, although if it works in the UFC, it doesn’t always mean that it will protect you out on the streets.  Karate for example, teaching blocking and striking, with little to no emphasis on grappling
techniques.  If you get in close, Karate really doesn’t help.  With some distance however, Karate can be very devastating.

No matter how you look at it, martial arts can be great to learn if you learn it for the right reasons.  Each style will vary in technique and what it has to offer you, which is why you should pick the best style for your needs and what you hope to accomplish.  Martial arts can teach you a lot about self defense and yourself - all you have to do is give it a try.

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Martial Arts Sparring

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Sparring is something that all martial arts use.  There are numerous sports, such as boxing and wrestling that use sparring as well.  It is a very useful technique, helping students become better with their techniques and what they have learned.  By practicing with other people, students learn their arts better and become more apt at performing the techniques quickly and efficiently.

If you are studying martial arts in a dojo, you’ll find sparring to be very exciting as well as beneficial to your training.  The instructors and teachers will be right there watching and guiding students, making sure that no one gets hurt.  Students use full body gear, including headgear, to ensure safety during practice.

Depending on your skill level and martial art you are studying, you may end up using no protective gear.  Students that are very skilled won’t normally need protective equipment, as they are good enough with sparring and their techniques that they can go a few rounds with other skilled students and not make any type of contact at all.

Martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that focus on grappling, make the most use of sparring, as it is needed to properly execute the techniques.  Martial arts that focus mainly on grappling use joint locks and submission techniques, which will need to be practiced quite a bit before they can be used effectively during a competition or even as self defense.

During sparring, students go back and forth, competing with each other and testing each other.  The rounds will vary, although most last several minutes.  Students will also receive help and insight from their instructors to let them know how they are doing and if they need to change anything they are doing.  This also gives instructors the chance to see just how well you are progressing in training and what areas you need to work more on.

Sometimes, sparring is done by yourself, without anyone else working with you.  If you are sparring by yourself, you’ll use equipment such as punching bags, tackling dummies, or other forms of equipment that will help you with your martial art.  The foam or rubber dummies are most often used with grappling techniques or punching on the ground, as they represent the opponent that you are trying to pummel into submission.

All in all, sparring is an excellent way to practice the skills you have learned against equipment or other students.  Students are fun to spar against, especially if they are at a higher level of skill than you are.  You can use sparring to your advantage, learning what others do and how they react to your movements and techniques.  The longer you spar and practice your moves - the better you will get in your training, speed, and the execution of your skills.

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The Basics Of Tae Kwon Do

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Tae Kwon Do is a modern martial art, well known all around the world for it’s lightning fast, often high, spectacular spin kicks. Tae Kwon Do has been around for many years, originally founded in Korea. It translates to “the are of punching and kicking”, or the “art of unarmed combat”.

The martial art Tae Kwon Do has four disciplines - patters, self defense, break test, and sparring. It isn’t just one of these disciplines that make up the art, but a combination of them. All 4 of them are important, especially for those looking to advance in belt ranking. To advance in a belt, there are certain tests that students need to pass.

One of the great things about Tae Kwon Do is the fact that there are no age limits, and it can easily be learned by young children. Children of all ages will quickly learn fast reactions playing games, learn respect, and they will also learn their abilities as well as their disabilities.

The competitions however, are a bit different for children than they are for the adults. Even though the participants will wear full body protection, children can only kick and punch to the body, as no shots to the head are allowed. The competitions in Tae Kwon Do is what makes the art so very dominating. A majority of students that practice this martial art do so because of the competitions.

The competitions can be very exciting to watch, as they can get very competitive. Contrary to what many may think, the competitions aren’t deadly, nor are they anywhere close to being as dangerous as Muay Thai fights. Competitors will wear full protection, including head gear. For adults, kicks to the head are allowed, although a majority of stylists can block them before they make impact.

In order to participate in the competitions, stylists will need to have a certain level of experience. It can take years to become good enough, especially for those who win. Competitions are a great way to learn, especially if there are participating fighters from other areas of the world. The skill of a stylist is a very important factor with the competitions and tournaments. If you have a black belt fighter going against a white belt - the results will normally be quite obvious.

All things aside, the art of Tae Kwon Do is a great martial art. Stylists can learn kicking, punching, blocking, and the spectacular movements the art is known for. Tae Kwon Do is practiced all around the world, meaning that there are just as many places to learn this art as there are Karate. For an art that won’t disappoint - Tae Kwon Do teaches self defense and a whole lot more.

Haynes TKD is a great Louisville area school.

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Tae Kwon Do

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

By Allen Owen

Tae Kwon Do fighters on an Olympic arena are a bit unique in that the feet and legs are used almost exclusively with the fists playing minor roles such as blocking and setting-up kick points- almost the opposite of boxing. Matches are breathtaking to watch as experienced fighters let loose with a flurry of kicks at seemingly superhuman speed.

Inclusion in the Olympics and the accompanying exposure has gained this devastating but graceful Korean martial art a huge international following. In fact, it has the most number of practitioners around the world (30 million practitioners with 3 million black belt holders)- making it the most popular martial art in terms of membership. On the other hand, spectators that are non- practitioners and oblivious to the fact that sport Tae Kwon Do athletes are bound by Olympic rules, criticize it for being ’soft’ and unbalanced with not enough upper body technique. Truth is, traditional Tae Kwon Do training is far from being incomplete and is one of the most well-rounded hard style martial arts in existence. It would hardly be included in South Korean military training if it was otherwise

‘Tae Kwon Do’ is a combination of three Korean words: Tae meaning to kick or hit with the feet; Kwon to punch or hit with hands; and Do, just as in Japanese means art, style or ‘way’. The meaning of Tae Kwon Do translated in English then is ‘The Art of Kicking And Punching.’

Traditional Tae Kwon Do (as opposed to sport Tae Kwon Do) is not as competition-oriented and training focuses on traditional self defense techniques and values of this relatively young martial art. It has been divided into two styles- the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) and the International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF). The sparring rules for Olympic Tae Kwon Do matches came from the latter with its (WTF) headquarters located at Kukkiwon in South Korea. The two forms are different in that the ITF rules allow punches to the head and give bigger points on spectacular airborne kicks. The obligatory headgear and body armor in Olympic Tae Kwon Do matches are absent in ITF tournaments with only protective padding for the feet and fists are required.

Despite these differences in sparring rules, the two Tae Kwon Do divisions are basically the same in principle- taking advantage of the leg’s longer reach and relatively greater power. Typical of hard-style martial arts, training for Tae Kwon Do involves rigorous body conditioning and countless hours of practice in blocking, kicking, fist, and hand strikes. Tae Kwon Do fighting techniques also incorporate an array of leg sweeps, throws, and trapping/locking.

The origins of Tae Kwon Do are quite unclear and accounts of its development are quite conflicting. It’s certain though that the ancient Korean martial arts of Subak and Taekyon were main influences. The name for Tae Kwon Do was officially adopted in April 11, 1955 and the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association was formed a few years after in 1961.

Allen Owen has been practicing martial arts of one form or another since he was in grammar school. Check out his eBay store at: http://stores.ebay.com/The-Sublime-Tao-Martial-Arts-Supply

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Basic Stances Used in Tae Kwon Do

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

By Nick G

Tae Kwon Do is an excellent way for individuals to learn self-defense, proper exercise, and self-confidence. While becoming an expert in Tae Kwon Do can take years of practice and dedication, a knowledge of a few basic stances is needed in order to form the foundation of this martial art.

The first stance a student would learn is called the Attention Stance. It is a simple stance used when beginning and ending practice, testing, and times when respect is to be directed toward the instructor. The stance is performed with feet placed closely together with toes pointing forward. The hands are one fist length away from the student’s belt and one fist length away from each other. They are closed fisted with the thumbs closet to the person’s waist. The individual should have a good posture and be looking straight ahead.

The Horse Stance is used primary when doing kicks and in some fighting situations. Like its name, this stance is taken from its simulation to riding a horse. The feet are one and one half shoulder lengths apart. The hands are placed at chest level with one hand slightly forward.

The Fighting Stance is used primarily when training for the martial arts, but would not be used a means of defensive. Here, the feet form an L shape. The left foot is facing forward and the right foot is turned ninety degrees to the right. The feet are one and a half foot lengths apart. Because the feet are so close together, the stance should only be used in practice. It would be easy to lose one’s balance with this stance. Despite it’s name, the fighting stance would not be an effective means of defending oneself. Here, the Horse Stance would be better suited.

Good and proper stances are the foundation to the proper execution of latter martial arts material. Once these stances are understood, proper technique will follow.

Nick G.

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