Learn About The Styles of Martials Arts Training
Martial Arts are various methods of unarmed combat, originally used in warfare in the Far East and shaped by Eastern Asian philosophical concepts.
The martial arts are popular in many parts of the world today as means of personal development (self esteem, self confidence, focus and concentration, self discipline) self-defense, physical fitness, competitive sports and law enforcement tactics. Among the better known forms are karate, kung fu, taekwondo, jujitsu, judo, aikido, tai chi chuan, and kendo.
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Taekwondo Martial Arts
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and combat sport. Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea. It is also regarded as the world's most popular martial art in terms of number of practitioners, and sparring, or kyeorugi, is an official Olympic sporting event. In Korean hanja, tae means feet or kicking; kwon means hands or striking; and do means art, path, way, or method. Hence, taekwondo is loosely translated as the way of the foot and fist.
Taekwondo's popularity has resulted in the varied evolution of the martial art into several domains: as with many other arts, it combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, meditation and philosophy.
There are two main styles of Taekwondo: World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), which is practised at the Olympics; and International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), which was founded by General Choi Hong Hi, the father of Taekwondo. Although there are great doctrinal and technical differences among the two taekwondo styles and organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, employing the leg's greater reach and power (compared to the arm). Circular motions that generate power are of central importance. Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks.
A Tae Kwon Do student typically wears a uniform (dobok), often white but sometimes black or other colors, with a belt (tti) tied around the waist. The belt indicates the student's rank. The school or place where instruction is given is called the dojang.
Tae Kwon Do is famed for its use of kicking techniques,especially which distinguishes it from martial arts such as karate or southern styles of kung fu. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without successful retaliation.
Tae Kwon Do as a sport and exercise is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. Physically, Tae Kwon Do develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of boards, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and the concentration to focus one's strength.
Other Martial Art Types and Techniques
Karate (Japanese, "empty hand"), martial art of unarmed self-defense in which directed or focused blows of the hands and feet, accompanied by special breathing and shouts, are dealt from poised positions. More than a method of combat, karate emphasizes self-discipline, positive attitude, and high moral purpose. It is taught professionally at different levels, and under different Asian names, as a self-defense skill, a competitive sport, and a free-style exercise.
Kung fu (Chinese boxing) is, with karate, the most popularly known of all the martial arts. It employs kicks, strikes, throws, body turns, dodges, holds, crouches and starts, leaps and falls, hand springs and somersaults. These movements include more techniques involving the open hand, such as claws and rips, than those used in karate.
Taekwondo is a type of fighting system that originated in Korea and that employs kicking, punching, and various evasive techniques. Most famous for its kicks, Tae Kwon Do incorporates jumping and kicking into characteristic maneuvers called "flying kicks." Taekwondo spread worldwide from Korea in the 1960s and the first World Tae Kwon Do Championship took place in Seoul, South Korea, in 1973.
Jujitsu or jiujitsu (from Japanese Ju, for "gentle"), uses holds, chokes, throws, trips, joint locks, kicks, and atemi (strikes to vital body areas). The techniques are gentle only in the sense that they are directed toward deflecting or controlling an attack; however, they can maim or kill.
Judo is a popular wrestling form developed from jujitsu in 1882 by Jigoro Kano, a Japanese educator. Like jujitsu, it attempts to turn an attacker's force to one's own advantage. Techniques include throwing and grappling. Judo was first included in the Olympic Games in 1964.
Aikido was, like judo, derived from jujitsu within the last century. In aikido, an attack is avoided with flowing, circular movements. The opponent can then be brought to the ground with painful, immobilizing joint locks.
Tai chi chuan, more popularly referred to as tai chi, is an ancient Chinese exercise and fighting system, still practiced in China and elsewhere in the world, mainly for its health benefits. It employs slow, graceful movements that are stylized renditions of original arm and foot blows.
Kendo, or Japanese fencing, is a sport derived from ancient sword fighting, now using bamboo swords.
Martial Arts Belt Levels
In many forms of the martial arts, practitioners wear colored belts to denote rank. A white belt indicates a novice; a black belt signifies proficiency at various levels. For example, first degree black belt, signifies the first level of black belt; fifth degree black belt, usually signifies a master.
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