Taekwondo

Won Kwang Bopsa was a Buddhist Priest who created a system of martial arts called Um-Yang Kwan in the early part of the Three Kingdoms period. At the time, what is now Korea was divided into three kingdoms, the smallest of which was Silla, on the South-Eastern tip of the peninsula.

The system he created was the basis of physical skill for an elite youth group called the Hwarang, or "Flower Men". The Hwarang warriors trained in many aspects of martial skill as well as cultural arts and sciences and were leaders and generals in the Silla kingdom.

To understand the purpose of "belt testing" or promotion test in Taekwondo, you should start with a general understanding of what Taekwondo is, then what the belt itself represents, and finally what is a promotion test or examination in Taekwondo. After that, you can begin to understand why the test is an important part of the learning and teaching process.

In the broadest sense, Taekwondo is a combination of an educational curriculum, a physical fitness activity, and a skill that is applied to many aspects of life - - including the defense of one's self, and others. Advanced knowledge and skill of Taekwondo is acquired through a blend of personal life experience, qualified instruction, and intense practice.

Only a qualified Master possesses all the pieces of the puzzle, and can see the full picture of what the student is there to learn. Instructors are under the guidance of a Master, and they do the job of teaching the student on a daily basis. Instructors are skilled practitioners (usually certified Black Belts who have additional training as teachers), and they know what they are doing, but need a structured curriculum to ensure that the art is not taught incorrectly, nor incompletely due to individual mistakes, personal preferences, or a lack of integrity.

The process of testing is setting, and reaching goals. The first main goal of a student is to build a solid foundation, and become an expert at the basics. This is the level of 1st Degree Black Belt. There is far too much information, and skill to reach the Black Belt than can be consistently comprehended in one block of training material. Therefore, it has been the experience of Master Instructors that students learn best, retain the information, and are able to pass it on to the next generation with greater preservation, as well as improvement, if the basics are divided into graduated levels called grades. Each color belt represents a different "geup" (grade - 급) or level of progress from novice to expert as a dan (degree - 단).

The promotion test serves the purpose of checking the student, the instructor, and the curriculum itself as a successful tool for teaching the lessons. At specific intervals along the path of progress, the student is called upon to demonstrate what they have learned, and are graded by experienced judges on their performance. In addition to the physical skills, there is an element of mental challenge that is very important for the student to learn how to control emotions, adrenaline, and focus their concentration while under a stressful situation. The student gains confidence in themselves, and their instructor by accomplishing goals, and witnessing their own personal achievements of abilities that their conscious mind might not have been aware they were capable of doing.

At these checkpoints, called promotion tests, the Instructors are also tested, taught and corrected through their own student's progress and performance by the Master Instructors who judge the results of proper or improper instruction. The curriculum itself is also put to the test as students either benefit from the training, or the Masters discover where adjustments need to be made in the teaching curriculum. It is better to catch an error, and make the correction as soon as possible, rather than repeat the mistake for a longer period, and develop less than ideal reflexes that later need to be unlearned before learning the lesson correctly.

One important aspect of a Taekwondo test is to bring the entire family together at one event where the newest of students can meet the most senior of Masters (like a child meeting their great-grandparent). The Dojang Sabeom (school head Master - 도장 사범) should strive to grow, and expand the student body, as well as the Taekwondo organization to help spread the knowledge, and success of the education. At promotion tests, relationships beyond the immediate classroom are developed, and strengthened, and each member of the Taekwondo family is exposed to the philosophy, and direction of the senior Master or Grandmaster, rather than each individual instructor heading off in their own direction, to divide and dilute the art through inexperience, and lack of leadership.

World Taekwondo Federation >> Asian Taekwondo Union >> Palestine Taekwondo Federation

President: Mr. Tahseen Omar Saleh ABU ZAIDEH

Address: P.O. Box (191), Tulkarm City, Palestine

Email: paltf@yahoo.com, t_abuzaideh@yahoo.com

(see related link below)

Yes and no. Taekwondo was named on April 11, 1955, but it can trace its developments and influence much farther back into history.

New Taekwondo schools open, and old ones close all the time. The best thing to do is to check your local phone book directory, and find a Taekwondo school in your area that is accredited through a nationally, or internationally recognized organization. Then go and visit a class to see if you like what they teach, and how they teach it. Talk to current students and parents of children in the class, and get their feedback. If available, ask to participate in a trial period to see if it is what you are looking for.

Keep in mind, it is better to travel some distance to find a good, qualified and certified instructor, than to go to the closest, or cheapest school near you.

For member National Associations linked to the Kukkiwon, World Taekwondo Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, check the related link below, and select the Taekwondo Union covering your part of the world. Then select country in which you live to find the Taekwondo Union for your area.

Find a great teacher, and do your best to become a legitimately qualified and exceptional Black Belt student. Then find a certified and experienced coach (if not your own instructor), and do whatever he/she tells you to do in order to become the best. Train hard, participate in as many tournaments as you can, and never give up.

Define and discuss indomitable spirit, integrity, and/or perseverance, perhaps with real-world examples.

The red competitor is called "hong" (홍)

The blue competitor is called "chung" (청)

Perform each movement perfectly, precisely and powerfully. One way to communicate the power of your techniques to the judges is through the snapping sound that your uniform makes when you execute your movements.

Nowadays could be Taekwondo. There is many places where Karate is teached and some other martian arts also.

Australia sent two athletes to compete in taekwondo at the London Games in 2012. Their names are Safwan Khalil and Carmen Marton.

Safwan Khalil competed in the men's 58kg division. He beat Diego Garcia of Mexico in his first round 9-4. He lost to Joel Gonzales of Spain in the quarterfinals 3-5. Gonzales advanced to the finals, so Safwan got a second chance at a medal in the repechage, but he lost to Alexi Denisenk of Russia 1-3.

Carmen Marton competed in the women's 67kg division. She beat Sousan Hajiporgali of Iran in her first round 5-4. She went on to defeat Elin Johansson in the quarterfinals 6-3. She lost to Nur Tatar of Turkey in the semifinals 0-6, and she lost to Helena Fromm of Germany in the bronze medal match.

On more personal note, Safwan Khalil was born in Lebanon, but he has lived in Austrailia since he was a child. At the time of the Olympics he was engaged to be married to his teammate Carmen Marton. Marton was born and raised a Catholic, but she converted to Islam when she met Khalil.

Korea. The mural paintings of taekwondo in the ancient tombs of Koguryo (an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula) belong to the period 3 AD - 427 AD; therefore, it cannot be said that Korean Taekwondo owes its origins to Chinese Kungfu. The mural paintings were found in the ruins of the royal tombs and show scenes of taekwondo practice.

"Easily" is a relative term. What is easy to one person, might not be easy to another. However, although there are many versions of karate, and numerous variations of Taekwondo, they have many similarities in philosophy, classroom training, rank structure, and self defense techniques. Although there are some significant differences, it should be no problem making the switch from one to the other. It really depends on the individual, and how much you are willing to "empty your cup" and open yourself up to knew methods, and following the guidance of a new instructor without mental conflict or adversarial questioning.

When permitted, productive and positive questions posed respectfully, and at the appropriate times might help to learn better, and explain the difference between what you learned before, and are learning now. However, it is often not a matter of one being right or wrong, but different tactics, philosophies, and strategies that are taught uniquely in each system. It is usually best to put those differences aside in you mind, and be 100% open to learning.

Yes. One in particular, is Master Kwon World Class, located at 3909 Highland Drive. Their phone number is (801) 272-5444, if you would like more information.

All things turn out perfect and beautiful.

Hwarang

Hwarang, also known as Flowering Knights, were an elite warrior group of male youth in Silla, an ancient kingdom of the Korean Peninsula that lasted until the 10th century.

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Jeong-Tae KIM was the heavy weight world champion at the the first taekwondo world championships in 1973.

As of October 2023, Kwon Jiyong, also known as G-Dragon, is focusing on his music career and various creative projects. He has been involved in producing new music and collaborating with other artists. Additionally, he continues to engage with his fans through social media and public appearances. While specific details about his current activities may vary, he remains an influential figure in the South Korean entertainment industry.