Welcome to my Taekwondo reference site. The site provides graphical examples of WTF Taekwondo techniques, patterns, sparring sequences along with text to add explanation to complement the images. I have also included translations of the moves from English to Korean as this is an important part of and Taekwondo student's training. Please bare in mind the translations I use are those learnt at my club - other clubs with different instructors may have slightly (or completely) different translations. The Korean language is as varied and complex as the English language. There is always more than one way to say the same word!
For the uninitiated, Taekwondo is a Korean Martial Art. The literal translation of Taekwondo is:
Tae - Foot
Kwon - Fist (or more correctly "to smash with the fist")
Do - Way (or "art")
Taekwondo is a modern discipline that began in the 1950's and is now an Olympic competitive sport. It does, however, have heritage stretching far back into Korean history and draws many techniques and philosophies from older Korean arts including Tangsoodo and Hapkido. Taekwondo is probably best known for it's dramatic high spinning kicks and destruction techniques (breaking bricks, wooden boards, ice etc). These types of techniques are distinctly Korean, and were incorporated into the Japanese Karate (or more correctly Karate-Do) during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Because there are certain similarities between Taekwondo and Karate, Taekwondo is sometimes referred to as "Korean Karate".
Unlike many older martial arts from the far east, Taekwondo bases it's techniques on modern scientific principles to ensure effectiveness in causing maximum damage to an opponent and minimum damage to the Taekwondo student. It is often said that certain styles of Karate are most effective at damaging the student, rather than the opponent.
The Taekwondo student should embrace these virtues:
Etiquette, Modesty, Perseverance, Self Control and Indomitable Spirit