A brief history of Tae Kwon-Do.
April 11, 1955 saw the beginning of what is now called Tae Kwon-Do.
General Choi Hong Hi presented the concepts and name of this Korean martial art to a group of Korean leaders.
General Choi, the founder of Tae Kwon-Do, who was already a holder of a Japanese-style Karate black belt, developed this “new” martial art by merging and refining techniques from TaeKyon, and SooBak (ancient Korean martial arts) with Karate, to form a martial art based on proven scientific principles.
General Choi's Instructors who were the original Tae Kwon-Do Pioneers, spread the Art around the world from the 1960's. Since then Tae Kwon-do has grown in popularity and is now taught in nearly every country in the world. It is most famous for its spectacular and dynamic kicking techniques, although this has led to the misconception that Tae Kwon-Do do is just a kicking art .
Today there are two different styles of Tae Kwon-do the I.T.F. (International Tae Kwon-Do Federation) and the W.T.F. (World Tae Kwon-Do Federation)
I.T.F. Tae Kwon-Do can be considered as an even mixture of Kicking, punching, striking and blocking techniques.
W.T.F. Tae Kwon-Do uses considerably more kicking techniques. This may be were the misconception that Tae Kwon-Do is just a kicking art, occurs. Especially now that W.T.F. Tae Kwon-Do is an Olympic sport.
These two groups, I.T.F. And W.T.F. are the main governing bodies in Taekwondo but due to the politics in both groups, this has led to many Independent Taekwondo associations and Independent schools being formed, who base their teachings on either style.
General Choi Hong Hi presented the concepts and name of this Korean martial art to a group of Korean leaders.
General Choi, the founder of Tae Kwon-Do, who was already a holder of a Japanese-style Karate black belt, developed this “new” martial art by merging and refining techniques from TaeKyon, and SooBak (ancient Korean martial arts) with Karate, to form a martial art based on proven scientific principles.
General Choi's Instructors who were the original Tae Kwon-Do Pioneers, spread the Art around the world from the 1960's. Since then Tae Kwon-do has grown in popularity and is now taught in nearly every country in the world. It is most famous for its spectacular and dynamic kicking techniques, although this has led to the misconception that Tae Kwon-Do do is just a kicking art .
Today there are two different styles of Tae Kwon-do the I.T.F. (International Tae Kwon-Do Federation) and the W.T.F. (World Tae Kwon-Do Federation)
I.T.F. Tae Kwon-Do can be considered as an even mixture of Kicking, punching, striking and blocking techniques.
W.T.F. Tae Kwon-Do uses considerably more kicking techniques. This may be were the misconception that Tae Kwon-Do is just a kicking art, occurs. Especially now that W.T.F. Tae Kwon-Do is an Olympic sport.
These two groups, I.T.F. And W.T.F. are the main governing bodies in Taekwondo but due to the politics in both groups, this has led to many Independent Taekwondo associations and Independent schools being formed, who base their teachings on either style.
