Features

Tae Kwon Do is famed for its employment of leg and jumping techniques, which many believe distinguishes it from martial arts such as Karate or certain southern styles of Kung Fu. The rationale behind this is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to strike without retaliation.

Tae Kwon Do is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. The five tenets of Tae Kwon Do (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit) show that, like all martial arts, Tae Kwon Do is a mental discipline as well as a physical one.

Physically, Tae Kwon Do develops strength, speed, and stamina. Mentally, it often leads to an increased awareness of confidence and discipline as well as improved reflexes. 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.

Although each Tae Kwon Do club or school will be different, a Tae Kwon Do student can typically expect to take part in most or all of the following:

• Learning the techniques and curriculum of Tae Kwon Do
• An aerobic workout, including stretching
• Self-defence techniques
• Free-style sparring
• Relaxation exercises
• Breaking (using the techniques to break boards for martial arts demonstrations)
• Regular gradings (tests to progress to the next grade/belt)
• A focus on discipline, honour, protocol, and self-confidence.

Some Tae Kwon Do Instructors have also recently started teaching the use of pressure points as well as defence against a variety of weapons.