Taekwondo’s world-wide accomplishment
If you at any time get a chance to visit the spectacular country of South Korea (also known as the Republic of Korea), prospects are you will possibly be remaining mesmerised by the hordes of Korean young ones operating all over the streets in their Taekwondo ‘doboks’ indicating uniform.
Is it the hottest fashion trend amid Korean youngsters, you request? The reply is no Taekwondo is South Korea’s nationwide sport and mothers and fathers often sign their kids up for following-college lessons.
Inspite of cricket getting England’s summer time sport, how typically do you see young ones operating about in cricket gear in the course of the hotter sections of the 12 months? Probably hardly ever, ideal? Properly, it seems that there are other motives why Korean mom and dad are so eager for their sons and daughters to grasp the art of Taekwondo.
They say that Taekwondo is not just about strategies of self-defence it also teaches you to command your intellect and the activity promotes self-self-control, among other life competencies, to enable you guide a happier life. Koreans believe that in the power of Taekwondo, and by the seems to be of it, men and women close to the environment are also fond of it as it really is now practised in a lot more than 100 international locations.
Spreading the word
Taekwondo is now the most well-known form of martial arts in the planet and this may be down to the simple fact that Basic Choi Hong Hi, the founder of Taekwondo, travelled all around the globe to encourage Korea’s national sport all through the 1970s.
Typical Choi chose the most effective black belt gurus from the Global Taekwondo Federation (ITF) to accompany him on his tour to display the art of Taekwondo in each individual state.
The demonstrations have been held amidst considerably fanfare in nations around the world as far afield as Australia, Holland and Malaysia and new ITF branches started to open up up all throughout the environment. With General Choi’s dedication and really hard work, Taekwondo re-emerged more robust than ever.
Taekwondo as a martial art
Taekwondo is not just about sparring even though yelling, throwing punches and demonstrating off some spectacular kicks it also has a lot of positive aspects for the your psychological health and physical effectively-staying. Seeking at Taekwondo as a marital artwork sort alternatively than just a sport, there is extra emphasis on styles also recognised as ‘poomsae’.
During Taekwondo classes, learners begin off by studying basic poomsae which is a sequence of actions incorporating kicks, punches and blocks. A ton of focus is desired to execute all the moves in the correct get and as a end result, participant’s respiration, endurance and their preventing techniques are generally drastically improved.
Persons are realising that Taekwondo is a form of meditation which connects the system to the mind. The beauty of Taekwondo is that you can begin practising from a tender age or even consider up the Korean martial art at 70 a long time-previous, there is no age restriction.
Taekwondo as a activity
Possibly the most significant variable in receiving Taekwondo seen globally as a activity was its debut in the money of South Korea’s Olympics in 1988. Done as a demonstration sport and getting adulation for its capacity to keep spectators’ awareness many thanks to its extravagant kicking approaches and nail-biting action, Taekwondo manufactured a identify for itself.
Due to the fact then, the activity has appeared time and time once more in Olympic occasions, showcasing in the1992 Barcelona Olympics to currently being built an official Olympics function in the Sydney Olympics, 2000. Taekwondo obtained ever higher recognition following appearing in Athens in 2004 and once again in Beijing in 2008.
London 2012
It is crucial to be aware that when there are a lot of Taekwondo governing organisations close to the environment, the two major kinds are ITF, founded in 1966, and The Globe Taekwondo Federation (WTF), started in 1973.
To illustrate the recognition of Taekwondo, a total of109 international locations used to enter the four-working day Entire world Taekwondo Qualification Match held in in Azerbaijan this 12 months. Out of 345 athletes who entered (a mixture of males and women of all ages), only 24 qualified to compete in the London 2012 Olympics.
Taekwondo in the United kingdom
The British Taekwondo Manage Board (BTCB), aspect of the WTF, is billed with marketing Taekwondo consciousness and aiding the Korean martial artwork prosper in Britain. The BTCB is also responsible for deciding on groups to compete in national and global competitions.
With the aid of funding from reputable associations this sort of as Activity England, academies like Wonderful Britain Taekwondo are in a position to supply aspiring stars the coaching and support they have to have to enable them access their entire prospective.
Aiming for gold
When 345 athletes globally battled it out in Azerbaijan to qualify for the London 2012 Taekwondo Video games, four users from the United kingdom will automatically be set forward to take part. As hosts of the 2012 Olympics, the strain is on for group GB to perform perfectly all through the online games.
Nevertheless, issues are on the lookout encouraging for the athletes from the Excellent Britain Taekwondo Planet Course Efficiency Programme. The current Earth Champion for the Women’s Welterweight, Sarah Stevenson, has her eyes established on gold in the forthcoming Olympic Games and we have high hopes that she will thrive.
Taekwondo’s ongoing achievements
Though Korean athletes led the way in the 2011 Entire world Taekwondo Championships with 10 medals in total, Iran followed closely driving by profitable 6 medals – a few of which ended up gold. Iran also knocked South Korea off the top rated of the listing on the men’s general staff position desk.
Other Asian nations this kind of as China are catching up with the region that gave the environment Taekwondo by falling only three factors quick of the direct in the women’s crew position desk. European nations that made it into the top rated 10 for the gentlemen and women’s staff ranking contain United kingdom, France, Spain and Italy.
The People have also been lovers of Taekwondo since Normal Choi’s go to for the duration of the 1960s. The Basic fulfilled with college students in the Karate Club owned by Jhoon Rhees in San Antonio. It was right here that the Korean Normal persuaded the students to use the title Taekwondo more than Karate. For far more on this topic you click on in this article for Taekwondo Gear and doboks.