Table of Contents

What Is Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art characterized by its emphasis on high, fast, and powerful kicks. While it includes hand techniques, blocks, and patterns, what distinguishes taekwondo from other martial arts is the prominence of kicking — spinning kicks, jumping kicks, head-level kicks, and combinations that showcase extraordinary flexibility, speed, and athletic ability.

With an estimated 80 million practitioners in over 200 countries, it’s one of the most widely practiced martial arts in the world. It’s also been an Olympic sport since 2000.

Origins

Taekwondo’s history is somewhat contested, but the broad story goes like this: After Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation in 1945, several Korean martial arts schools (kwans) emerged, drawing on traditional Korean kicking techniques, Japanese karate (which many Korean martial artists had studied during the occupation), and Chinese martial arts influences.

In the 1950s and 1960s, General Choi Hong Hi and other martial arts leaders worked to unify these schools under a single name. “Taekwondo” was officially adopted in 1955. The art subsequently split into two main organizations: the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF, founded by General Choi) and the World Taekwondo (WT, formerly WTF, based at the Kukkiwon in Seoul).

The WT style is what you see in the Olympics. ITF-style taekwondo has different rules and scoring systems. Both share the same fundamental techniques but differ in competition format, forms, and organizational philosophy.

The Techniques

Kicks

Taekwondo’s signature. Common kicks include:

• Roundhouse kick (dollyo chagi) — The bread-and-butter technique, a circular kick striking with the instep
• Side kick (yop chagi) — A straight thrust to the side, striking with the heel or blade of the foot
• Spinning back kick (dwi chagi) — A powerful technique where the practitioner turns 180 degrees and thrusts the heel backward
• Axe kick (naeryo chagi) — The leg swings up and drops down onto the target
• Spinning hook kick (dwi huryeo chagi) — A high-level technique combining a spin with a hooking motion

Advanced practitioners perform jumping and spinning combinations — a 540-degree spinning kick involves one and a half full rotations in the air before striking. These spectacular techniques are a major part of taekwondo’s visual appeal.

Hand Techniques and Blocks

Punches, knife-hand strikes, and various blocking techniques are part of the curriculum, though they receive less emphasis than kicks in competition sparring. In WT competition, punches to the body score but punches to the head are not permitted.

Forms (Poomsae/Tul)

Pre-arranged patterns of techniques performed solo — similar to kata in karate. Forms teach technique, balance, breathing, and the martial application of movements. They’re a required part of belt testing and are now a competitive discipline in their own right.

Olympic Taekwondo

WT-style sparring is the Olympic format. Two competitors face each other wearing electronic chest protectors (hogus) and helmets that register scoring strikes. Points are awarded for kicks to the trunk (2 points), kicks to the head (3 points), and spinning techniques add bonus points.

Matches consist of three 2-minute rounds. The electronic scoring system, introduced to reduce judging controversy, registers valid strikes through sensors in the protective equipment.

Olympic taekwondo is fast, tactical, and explosive. Fighters maintain distance, feint to draw reactions, and explode with sudden attacks — often targeting the head for high-scoring kicks. A single well-timed spinning head kick can swing an entire match.

The Belt System

Taekwondo uses a colored belt ranking system to mark student progression:

• White — Beginner, symbolizing purity and lack of knowledge
• Yellow — Earth, where the seed is planted
• Green — Growth, as the plant sprouts
• Blue — Sky, toward which the plant grows
• Red — Danger, as skill increases and must be controlled
• Black — Maturity and proficiency

Black belts are ranked in Dan levels from 1st through 9th (or 10th in some organizations). Higher Dan ranks require years of practice, teaching, and contribution to the art.

Benefits of Training

• Fitness — Taekwondo builds cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, strength, and coordination
• Discipline — Structured training, respect for instructors, and adherence to tenets (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit) develop character
• Confidence — Progressing through belts and mastering difficult techniques builds genuine self-assurance
• Flexibility — The kicking emphasis makes taekwondo practitioners some of the most flexible athletes in martial arts

Getting Started

Taekwondo schools are easy to find in most areas. Look for schools affiliated with established organizations (WT/Kukkiwon or ITF). A good school emphasizes technique, fitness, and character development rather than just belt promotion. Trial classes are standard. All you need to start is comfortable clothing — a uniform (dobok) can be purchased once you’re committed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does taekwondo mean?

Taekwondo translates roughly as 'the way of the foot and fist.' 'Tae' means to strike with the foot, 'kwon' means to strike with the hand, and 'do' means way, path, or discipline. The name reflects the art's emphasis on kicking techniques while also including hand strikes, though kicks are the dominant feature.

How long does it take to get a black belt in taekwondo?

Typically 3-5 years of regular training, though this varies by school and governing body. Students progress through colored belts (usually white, yellow, green, blue, red/brown, and black), with testing at each level. A first-degree black belt (1st Dan) is considered an 'advanced beginner' — mastery continues through higher Dan ranks, up to 9th or 10th Dan.

Is taekwondo effective for self-defense?

Taekwondo develops excellent kicking ability, distance management, speed, and fitness. Its emphasis on maintaining distance through kicks can be effective in certain self-defense situations. However, it traditionally devotes less training to close-range techniques, ground fighting, and grappling. Many practitioners supplement taekwondo with other martial arts for a more complete self-defense skill set.

Further Reading

• World Taekwondo Federation
• Taekwondo - Olympic Games
• Kukkiwon - World Taekwondo Headquarters