Korean Buddhism is a strain of the Mahayana tradition and dates back to the 4th century. It stresses thoughtful contemplation and the recognition of suffering. The Buddhist insistence on non-violence is probably its most profound influence on Taekwondo. Confucianism made its way into Korea gradually around the 3rd-2nd century BCE. Confucianism is often considered to be as an ethical and philosophical system more than a religion. Its main tenets stress the importance of family and respect for others. The stress on respect in Taekwondo, in part, owes to Confucianism. Taoism has had the least influence on Korea and Taekwondo out of the three intellectual systems. It first spread in Korea around the 8th century. Yet, its respect for nature and focus on thoughtful meditation have influenced and reaffirmed basic principles in Taekwondo.
Truly great Taekwondo marital artists are dedicated to their practice. They practice their techniques and study Asian philosophies on a regular, if not daily, basis. If you want to be a great Taekwondo martial artist, you’ll need to show the same level of dedication.
Find goals that benefit you and your community as a whole. While Taekwondo is not an evangelical movement, it does encourage its practitioners to set a good example for others and to be able to spread its message of discipline and peace.
The main part of your body to stretch are your ham strings. Since Taekwondo focuses primarily on the legs, you’ll want to be the most flexible there. Touch your toes and hold it for at least 1 minute. Then move on to your other lower body stretches like groin stretches, standing calf stretches, angle rotations, and crossed leg stretches. Conclude with core and upper body stretches like forearm rolls, triceps stretches, posterior shoulder stretches, and side stretches. Stretch on a daily basis. If you skip days often, your muscles will contract and lose their elasticity. Even if you aren’t going to the gym or dojang (the Korean name for a Tae kwan do school) everyday, be sure to take 15 minutes at home and stretch your arms, legs, and core.
For leg exercise, do calf raises, hamstring exercises, lateral jumps, leg extension exercises, leg presses, and squat thrusts. To exercise your core, do bicycle crunches, reverse crunches, leg raises, planking exercises, Russian twists, and normal sit-ups. To strengthen your upper body, do pull-ups, push-ups, bench presses, bicep curls, dumbbell flys, and chest dips.
The best way to take care of any muscle strain is to observe RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Do your research on the instructor themselves. Get references and check out his or her social media site. A lot of times, you can get a good idea of how “intense” a Taekwondo instructor will be based on their online presence. Check out yelp. com and other online sites where parents and students can post comments about a Taekwondo school and its instructors. Taekwondo is supposed to be a peaceful, defensive martial arts. Make sure that the instructor is World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) certified in Taekwondo.
Stand still on the ground with your feet close and your heels touching. Clench your fists in front of your body and then open your arms. You need to do this when you hear the command “Charyeot” (차렷). Lean forward when you hear the command “Gyeongnye”(경례). [3] X Research source
When you feel comfortable with your footwork, throw in some fakes. Shift your weight in one direction and then quickly move in the opposite direction. When your opponent is watching your movement, this slight shift can make a big difference. After you’ve mastered fakes, try some kicks. All movements should be fluid and quick. [4] X Research source
Practice standing on one leg in front of a mirror. Hold that position for 1 minute. Then extend your other leg out as far as you can — either forward, backward, or to the side. Hold that position for 1 minute. Then switch legs. Balance on your other leg and extend the other out as far as you can. Hold for the same amount of time. A great Taekwondo artist needs to have the ability to kick with both feet, which requires excellent balance with both legs. Yoga is a great way to improve your balance and works very well with Taekwondo training.
Like with your legs, you need to pay attention to your base. Most martial artists will tell you that the real strength behind a great punch is not necessarily arm strength, but leg and core strength. As you throw your punch, be sure to set a solid base with your legs and twist your core in tandem, adding extra force behind your arm.
Hang a kicking board attached to a bungie chord from the ceiling and practice kicking or hitting it in a particular spot. You won’t break it, because it will recoil and swing around, but you’ll be able to hone your accuracy and increase your strength. [5] X Research source
If someone has you in a “bear-hug” from behind and your arms are immobilized, stomp on the attacker’s foot to distract him and then step back aligning your hips next to his and then bend forward quickly. This should break the attacker’s hold over you and even possibly flip them over, giving you time to escape or to prepare to fight. If your attacker has you by the wrist, start with a front kick to the body or groin and then quickly turn your wrist until the attacker’s thumb and fingers are facing you. The attacker’s grip will be loosed at this angle and you should be able to pull away easily. There are numerous other self-defense techniques that a Taekwondo teacher can show you. “Bear-hugs” and wrist grabs are just two of the most common self-defense situations.
Remember that forms are all about form. Make sure that you are not simply moving from one move to another. Pay close attention to your footing and arm and leg movements. [6] X Research source
