Tae Kwon Do

Tae kwon do loosely translated means 'the way of the hand and foot.' Like other martial arts, the study of tae kwon doe is a combination of self-defense, combat techniques, philosophy, and, for many, entertainment and sport. Those who study tae kwon do learn a variety of kicks, hand strikes, and blocks to disable an opponent from a distance.Tae kwon do is an amalgamation of several fighting styles. The martial art's roots can be traced back as far as the Silla Dynasty (668 AD to 935 AD) when Korean warriors learned Chinese chuan fu fighting techniques. During the Japanese occupation of Korea in the mid-1900s, karate was incorporated into traditional forms of Korean martial arts. In the 1950s, Korea's numerous martial arts schools were ordered to unify, with the title 'tae kwon do' being chosen by the Korean government.Learning tae kwon do will take you through 10 different levels of student (gup, geup, or kup) and nine or 10 levels of black belt, or 'dan.' Which level you're at is represented by the color of your belt. Typically, a student will start with a white belt and work towards achieving the numerous levels of black belt. However, since there is no standardization in terms of belt color, students often refer to their ranking by title instead of belt color. For example, one might say he is a seventh gup rather than indicating his belt color.Tae kwon do equipment used by a student or teacher encompasses everything from shoes, mitts, pads, sticks, swords, and sparring protection. For males, specially designed groin cups are highly recommended, as they will provide protection and offer comfort while competing. Adidas is one of the more popular manufacturers of tae kwon do equipment, producing shoes, cups, and uniforms specifically for tae kwon do.