COMPETITION

Whereas baseball and football are the national sports of the United States, Tae Kwon Do singly is the national sport of Korea. Tae Kwon Do was recently recognized as a competitive sport on the international scene by the International Military(;) Sports Council, which has sixty-five member nations, and the General Assembly of International Sport Federations, a member group of the Olympic Committee. This should pave the way for increased multi-national competition in Tae Kwon Do. Tae Kwon Do is an official Olympic sporting event.

SELF-DEFENSE

The importance of being able to defend oneself cannot be overly emphasized. Every person has the power and potential ability to fight in self-defense but few truly understand how to use their talents. People often think themselves as weak only because they do not know how to use their strength.

One of the goals for Tae Kwon Do is to make the individual aware of his natural strengths and teach him to apply them to their greatest advantage. The many powerful kicks and punches as well as the graceful movements of Tae Kwon Do will enable a person to defend himself by using any port of his body, but mostly his brain. The individual proficient in Tae Kwon Do will develop self-confidence because of the power and ability that has been mastered. This self-confidence will spread over all other aspects of life.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

For almost 2,000 years Tae Kwon Do has been used to teach respect towards oneself and others. This respect can be the keynote in the development of a person’s discipline and character. The mind contrails the body and before a child or adult can perform Tae Kwon Do effectively, he or she must learn control of the mind. Self-respect and parental respect are natural outgrowths of Tae Kwon Do training.

PHYSICAL FITNESS

Every part of the body is used in Tae Kwon Do. A person learns multiple techniques of kicking, punching, blocking, bending, and moving. All muscles are therefore utilized during such practices. Proper breathing techniques are stressed throughout all aspects of Tae Kwon Do and in particular, during the “form” (poomses). The “forms” involve the smooth transition from one position to another, alternating from defense to offense and back. All this leads to a healthier, trimmer body and greater discipline of the mind.