This section provides a brief overview of the art of Taekwondo, a bit of history of how, when, and why Taekwondo was developed, and the goals of the United States Taekwondo Won for the future of Taekwondo.
[ History of the USTW | What is Taekwondo? | Brief History of Taekwondo ]
The United States Taekwondo Won was formed to develop and expand the philosophy and principles of Taekwondo in the United States. The ancient martial art of Taekwondo was founded in Korea, but has firmly settled in the United States of America since the 1950's. With the development and modernization of Taekwondo throughout the world through the efforts of such groups as the World Taekwondo Federation and the Kukkiwon, it has developed into a unique practice that has distinct standards and culture. Taekwondo has grown at such an extraordinary pace that it now encompasses more than three million American parishioners.
Through the early success of Taekwondo practitioners as pioneers both here and abroad, Taekwondo has continued a feverish growth to include more than 120 countries participating in this international movement. This rapid growth has heightened some unique issues relating to the practice and interpretation of Taekwondo in general. One of these issues of concern is the emphasis of the true spirit and philosophy of Taekwondo as a sport rather than a martial art.
With some Taekwondo schools and clubs placing an increased emphasis on discipline for competition, rather than the study of the ancient Taekwondo philosophy, the true identity of Taekwondo can be lost to its practitioners. It is up to the leadership of the practitioners to correct and compensate for the errors and to reconfirm Taekwondo's rich heritage and identity. This can directly impact the learning environment by informing society of the "martial arts spirit" of Taekwondo and this positive impact that this can have. Instead of only coaching, the status of Taekwondo teachers must be remanded back to Masters in order to prevent that aspect of the martial art from being forever abandoned and lost. In keeping with the true Taekwondo Master, the elements of Taekwondo will in no way be confounded by the elements of competition, but rather heighten the distinction between a Master and a coach.
Taekwondo, through its philosophy and practice, places human relationships and family before anything else in its priority of importance. America and American Taekwondo has found itself in a perfect position to further this cause and practice. As it sets certain standards for life and protects society's health and order, Taekwondo is able to assist in the betterment of our American culture in general. It is only natural that this should be a long-range objective for the Taekwondo practitioner.
The continued development of Taekwondo practitioners and leaders is crucial to maintaining the current momentum that has been achieved over the past years. The United States Taekwondo Won is a collective effort to bring these and other important issues related to Taekwondo to the forefront on a national scale. The USTW is the only non-profit organization that is focused on preserving and enhancing the practice of Taekwondo in the United States of America.
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Although the name "Taekwondo" is only about 40 years old, the martial art itself traces its origins in Korean history as far back as 57 B.C. "Tae" means to kick, "Kwon" means to strike with the hand, and "Do" means a philosophical way of life. The main feature of Taekwondo is that it is a free-fighting combat sport using bare hands and feet to repel an opponent.
The Taekwondo training regimen affects the individual wholly and involves more than just physical coordination and technique. Physical requirements such as flexibility, strength, stamina, speed, and balance are essential to Taekwondo and can only be gained through diligent practice. The training is composed of Poomse (basic forms), Kyorugi (sparring), and Kyukpa (breaking). Taekwondo requires great mental concentration and produces almost incredible power. Before the advent of protective gear, it was impossible to exercise the developed power against men except at the risk of inflicting serious injury or death. Therefore, a method was sought to test such formidable power against non-living things like wood planks, roof tiles, or bricks. We must realize that anyone can properly develop and control this latent power.
Physical mastery of the kicking and self-defense techniques is balanced with the equally important aspect of mental discipline and character formation. As the student walks the path, he/she learns patience, discipline, perseverance, modesty, and respect. As he/she gains proficiency and rank, he/she also gains self-confidence. These lessons must be practiced faithfully both inside and outside of class so that they become integrated in everyday life.
It is our belief that Taekwondo practitioners are self-confident not only in physical respects, but also in their mental discipline. Self-confidence makes strong people generous in their attitudes toward weaker people. They can stand equally against any opponent, but their code forbids unfair assaults or unnecessary use of force. The practice of Taekwondo gives an individual the mental attitude of modesty—the virtues of modesty and generosity are fundamentally based on self-confidence.
No special place is needed to practice Taekwondo. During any free time, individuals can practice and develop Taekwondo techniques anywhere. The Taekwondo uniform is designed to fit for free body action and it is believed that the white color of the uniform signifies its purity and origin. The student's advancement and level of skill is signified by the color of belt that he/she wears: white, yellow, green, blue, red, black. The belt also serves two other purposes: one is the respect of accomplishment of the wearer, and the other is safety during practice by knowing the level of ability of the sparring partner.
A white belt is for the beginner; colored belts are worn by practitioners of 8th - 1st Gup (each belt signifying two gradations); and a black belt is for a Taekwondoist who holds the rank of 1st Dan or higher. The Kukkiwon is authorized to conduct promotion tests and issue certificates for first Dan or Poom (junior black belt rank) and higher in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). 1st through 3rd Dan is considered a serious Taekwondo student, 4th and 5th Dan may become a Taekwondo instructor, 6th Dan and 7th Dan are known as Master, and 8th Dan and above are Grandmasters.
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Since the establishment of the ancient Korean state in 2332 B.C., the Korean people have had to fight to protect their independence from the Chinese, the Mongols, and the Japanese. Like other fighting peoples, they developed a systematic art of self-defense. The earliest known name of this martial art was Soo Bak, meaning "Punching and Butting."
In the Sixth Century A.D., three separate kingdoms developed on the Korean Peninsula, the large kingdoms of Koguryo and Baek Je, and the small kingdom of Silla. The three kingdoms, along with Japan, constantly attacked Silla, which at the time was weak and disorganized. The major turning point for Silla was the reign of Chin Heung, the 24th King, who established the Hwa Rang. The Hwa Rang were warriors who were disciplined at an early age to endure all types of weather and hardships, and were highly trained in swordsmanship and the use of bow and spear. As fighters, they were legendary. The Hwa Rang further developed Soo Bak, which was primarily practiced as an art, by adding hand techniques and kicks. They added mental discipline and principles to transform a festival sport into a useful combat skill. This new art became known as Tae Kyon. With their fighting skills, the Hwa Rang began to be victorious over Koguryo and Baek Je. Eventually, Silla subdued both kingdoms, and, in 935 A.D., the name Koryo was given to the unified kingdom on the peninsula. Tae Kyon prospered in Koryo for 500 years until the beginning of the Yi Dynasty. Under these rulers, anything related to the military or military training was discouraged. Tae Kyon did not die out, however, but was practiced in secret and passed on from generation to generation.
In 1909, Japan conquered the weakened Korea and began an occupation of the land that lasted until the end of World War II. During the Japanese occupation, they strictly banned all forms of martial arts on pain of death. Practitioners of Tae Kyon taught in secret to keep the art alive. After the Japanese occupation ended in 1945, exiled Koreans returned with other forms of martial arts they had studied elsewhere. Some of these were combined with the ancient art of Tae Kyon. In 1955, the name Taekwondo was given to the martial art that emerged—"Tae" for a kick or strike with the foot, "Kwon" for a punch or strike with the fist, and "Do" for the "way of." Thus the name signifies "The way of striking with hand and foot."
In 1973, the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA) formed the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), with the headquarters at the Kukkiwon, Seoul, Korea, for the purpose of promoting and governing the growth of Taekwondo worldwide. The President of the WTF is Dr. Un Yong Kim. In 1974, the United States Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) recognized Taekwondo as a distinct competitive sport and the National AAU Taekwondo Union was established as the governing body of the sport in the U.S. The following year, 1975, Taekwondo was accepted as a member of the General Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF) as the first step toward becoming an Olympic sport.
In 1980, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized the WTF as the international governing body of Taekwondo, and in 1981, approved the inclusion of Taekwondo in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, where it was highlighted as a demonstration sport. In 1985, the National AAU Taekwondo Union became the United States Taekwondo Union (USTU). In August, 1987, Taekwondo was included as an official sport in the 10th Pan-American Games held in Indianapolis, Indiana, with 26 participating nations. In 1992, Taekwondo was again included as a demonstration sport in the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. In August 2000, Taekwondo became a full medal sport in the Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Today, 2 million students practice Taekwondo in the U.S. and over 22 million participate worldwide, with these figures growing rapidly every year.
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