TAEKWONDO

Taekwondo is an ancient martial art and a modern sport. The art of Taekwondo originated nearly 2,000 years ago in Korea and it was an Official Demonstration Sport at the 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, Korea and at the 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain.

Literally translated, Taekwondo means way of the striking hand and kicking foot. But to its student, Taekwondo is a way of life. Beginning students learn the five tenets of Taekwondo: Courtesy; Integrity; Perseverance; Self-Control and Indomitable Spirit. It is essential to develop the right attitude toward instructors and fellow students and to show respect for elders. Outside of the class, Taekwondo students respect their teachers, parents, elders and friends. Taekwondo teaches students to respect themselves so that they can respect others. What better gift can a parent give a child than the gift of self-respect.

History of TAEKWONDO

The modern philosophy of Taekwondo comes largely from the 7^th century Hwarang-do, which means "Way of the flowering Manhood", a corps of noblemen in the kingdom of Silla, the smallest of the three kingdoms on the Korean peninsula. These young men studied the martial and cultural arts and led Silla to unify the Korean peninsula for the first time in history. The five principals they lived by were: be loyal to your country, be obedient to your parents, be honorable to your friends, never retreat from adversity, and never take life unnecessarily. This is the nonaggressive foundation of modern Taekwondo, the respectful, philosophical foundation that sets it apart from others martial arts.

Toward the end of the 10^th century, Silla was overthrown and the kingdom of Koryo was founded. For the next 500 years it was compulsory for all young men to learn martial arts such as Tae Kyon and Soo Bak. Then the old arts declined and they would have been lost if it had not been for the Buddhist monks who kept them alive in their mountain refuges. During the Japanese occupation from 1910 through 1945, the practice of all martial arts was banned in an attempt to suppress the Korean nationalist spirit. Following WW II came a flowering of Korean arts and in 1995, Taekwondo acquired its modern name. Since then it has spread throughout the world and is called by some the fastest growing sport in the world.