What is Taekwondo?
Literally translated, the Korean word, “TAE” means “to kick with the foot.” “KWON” implies “a hand or fist to block, punch, or strike.” “DO” means a “way”. Thus, “TaeKwonDo” means, find your way of life from learning to punch and kick.
What is the meaning of the Uniform?
We call the uniform “Dobok”, which is composed of two words. ‘Do’ means way and ‘bok’ means clothing. Combined you can call it the “clothing for the way”, meaning the clothing used to learn the way of the taekwondo.
What is the meaning of the Belt?
Belt represents your effort. Students need to earn their belts from practice in the class. If you don’t practice hard, you can fail the test. But if you work hard, you can go to the next level. Every time you work hard and practice, you will see your achievement.
Why do we need to wear a clean uniform ?
Why do you take a shower? The uniform represents yourself. If you wear a clean uniform you will feel clean yourself. You are also showing readiness and respect for your Taekwondo school and for learning Taekwondo.
What is the meaning of Poomsae (Form) and Sparring ?
- Poomsae (Form)
Poomsae is as the heart of of Tae Kwon Do. It is a combination of offensive and defensive techniques towards an imaginary opponent. Essentially, it is the Taekwondo spirit. Practicing Poomsae will enhance your basic techniques for later use in Sparring.
- Sparring
Sparring is distinct from fights in competition. The goal of sparring is developing discipline. We need to find what we are good at and what we are not good at from partner. After that we need to practice and make it your own. This is not winning against someone, but rather overcoming your own limits.
What can you learn from Taekwondo?
- Respect
Martial arts, especially Asian ones such as Taekwondo are all about respecting the elders and learning from the leaders. Not listening or respecting the leader of a martial arts place(Dojang) is not allowed to Taekwondo spirit. Therefore Taekwondo is a fantastic way to teach your kids some respect. Also students have to know why they need to respect to other people especially parents exactly.
- Focus
The big mental benefit that comes along with practicing Taekwondo is that it can go a very long way in helping you to better your focus. It takes a whole lot of time and constant repetition to master absolutely anything and everything in Taekwondo and that requires a whole lot of focus.
- Confidence
Taekwondo can also help you improve your self-confidence because it tones your muscles and helps you lose weight, both which happen through the virtue of it being a high-intensity martial art to be practicing. Also when students earn theirs next belt, they feel satisfaction with confidence by achievement.
- Discipline
Taekwondo is not all about the physical, and as with the case with most martial arts, Taekwondo has much to do with mental discipline as it does with physical discipline. Taekwondo is not an easy thing to learn, and every single set of moves, every strike, and every stance takes a lot of discipline to master.
- Mental Health
One of the main ways in which Taekwondo can make you feel happier is because of the nature of any type of exercise. Exercising causes your brain to produce an excess of neurochemical, the most important of which is serotonin.
- Physical Health
Taekwondo is great way to strengthen your muscles. Training for Taekwondo involves a lot of different weight and strength training. All of the punching, kicking, and sparring that you do in order to train for Taekwondo goes a very long way in strengthening and toning your muscles.
- Social Health
Having friends is very important because they give us something to fall back in when times are tough, and when it comes to your kids, there is no better time to make friends than when they are young.