Speed Kicking
How many clean kicks can you land against the clock? Athletes strike an electronic target at full speed, alternating legs, and every valid hit counts.
Taekwondo
The Korean martial art of the foot and fist, and an Olympic sport since 2000.
The Name
- Tae
- To strike or break with the foot
- Kwon
- To strike or break with the hand
- Do
- The way: the discipline and character behind the technique
From Korea to the Olympics
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1972
Kukkiwon, the world taekwondo headquarters, opens in Seoul. It sets standard techniques and awards Dan and Poom grades.
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1973
The World Taekwondo Federation, now World Taekwondo, is founded and holds the first World Championships.
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1988
Taekwondo is a demonstration sport at the Seoul Olympic Games, and again at Barcelona in 1992.
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2000
Taekwondo becomes an official Olympic medal sport at the Sydney Games.
The Five Tenets
The principles every student carries from the training hall into daily life.
예의, Ye-ui
Courtesy
Respect for instructors, opponents and fellow students.
On the Mat
Bow to your instructor and opponent before and after every bout, and train with your partner's safety in mind.
염치, Yeom-chi
Integrity
Knowing right from wrong, and having the conscience to act on it.
On the Mat
Accept the referee's decision, and never claim a point you did not earn.
인내, In-nae
Perseverance
Patience and persistence to reach a goal, however long it takes.
On the Mat
Repeat a poomsae until every stance is exact, and come back stronger after a loss.
극기, Geuk-gi
Self-Control
Control of mind and body, in training and in daily life.
On the Mat
Hold back a technique at the right moment, and keep your temper when a bout turns against you.
백절불굴, Baekjeol-bulgul
Indomitable Spirit
The courage to stand firm, whatever the odds.
On the Mat
Fight to the final second, whatever the scoreboard says.
Kyorugi: Olympic Sparring
Sensors in the body protector and head guard register valid kicks. Judges score punches and the extra points for turning kicks.
Matches are best of three rounds of two minutes. Hong (red) and chung (blue) mark the two competitors.
- Punch to the trunk 1 point
- Kick to the trunk 2 points
- Kick to the head 3 points
- Turning kick to the trunk 4 points
- Turning kick to the head 5 points
- Penalty (gam-jeom) given against the opponent 1 point
More Ways to Compete
Beyond Olympic sparring and recognised poomsae, two formats test speed and creativity.
Freestyle Poomsae
Set to music, freestyle poomsae blends core technique with jumping, spinning and multi-kick acrobatics, judged on skill and presentation.
Poomsae: Eight Forms, One Philosophy
The Taegeuk poomsae are the eight forms every coloured-belt student learns. Each one expresses a trigram of the Taegeuk.
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1
Taegeuk Il Jang
Keon, Heaven and light
The beginning of all things. Simple, direct technique for a new student.
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2
Taegeuk Ee Jang
Tae, Lake
Joy, with inner firmness behind a gentle exterior.
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3
Taegeuk Sam Jang
Ri, Fire
Warmth and passion, expressed through quick, rhythmic combinations.
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4
Taegeuk Sa Jang
Jin, Thunder
Power and dignity. Staying calm in the face of danger.
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5
Taegeuk Oh Jang
Seon, Wind
Gentle yet unstoppable, like wind that can soothe or uproot.
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6
Taegeuk Yuk Jang
Gam, Water
Steady, flowing effort that finds its way past every obstacle.
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7
Taegeuk Chil Jang
Gan, Mountain
Stillness and stability. Knowing when to move and when to stop.
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8
Taegeuk Pal Jang
Gon, Earth
The root and the source. The last form before the black belt.
After the black belt, students learn the Dan forms: Koryo, Keumgang, Taebaek, Pyongwon, Sipjin, Jitae, Cheonkwon, Hansu and Ilyeo.
The Path of the Belt
From the first white belt to the black belt, every grade is earned through training, testing and time.
Students under 15 hold a Poom certificate, which converts to Dan once they turn 15.
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White
A beginner with no prior knowledge, like an unwritten page.
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Yellow
The earth in which the seed of training takes root.
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Green
The growing plant, as skill begins to develop.
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Green I
Intermediate grade
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Blue
The sky the plant grows toward as training advances.
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Blue I
Intermediate grade
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Red
Danger. Technique is now strong and must be used with control.
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Red I
Intermediate grade
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Black
Maturity and mastery. The Dan grades begin here and run from 1st to 9th Dan.
Who Competes Where
- Sub-Junior
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8-11
8 to 11 years
Green belt and above
- Cadet
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12-14
12 to 14 years
Green belt and above
- Junior
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15-17
15 to 17 years
Kukkiwon 1st Dan and above
- Senior
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17+
17 years and above
Kukkiwon 1st Dan and above. Senior Poomsae starts at 18.
Age is counted by year of birth for each championship. The event circular gives the exact birth-date range.
Start Taekwondo in Uttar Pradesh
Athletes progress from district events to the UP State Championships, and state medallists go on to national championships. Begin at a training centre authorised by UPTA.