Learn the basics of Olympic Tae Kwon Do, one of the most exciting international martial arts competitions today.
Tae Kwon Do Basics:
Translated as "The Way of the Foot and Fist", the sport of Tae Kwon Do emphasizes flexibility and powerful kicks, as well as fierce punches. The sport arose out of a 5,000-year tradition of martial arts in Korea, but has only recently been unified and recognized as a sport, culminating in its inclusion in the Olympic Games in 2000. With a strong international following and millions of practitioners worldwide, Tae Kwon Do is now a very popular and
Based on the three ideals, "Swiftly, Powerfully, Accurately," the sport seeks to teach youngsters and students how to control their actions and movements. Though a full-contact and fairly violent sport, Tae Kwon Do emphasizes control and respect, and overly violent or disrespectful behavior is punished.
Tae Kwon Do History:
Although there have been several martial arts to come out of Korea, Tae Kwon Do was the first to reach an international audience. Originating in the aftermath of World War II, when Korea's occupation by Japan was finally ended, it was chosen in 1955 as the definitive Korean sport. The five main schools of Tae Kwon Do which had arisen independently, were finally unified and the sport took on its modern form. In 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation was born, recognized by the Korean government as the legitimate governing body of the sport. There remain different strains of the martial art, however, which emphasize different styles of competition and training.
Olympic Tae Kwon Do:
First included in the Olympic roster in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Tae Kwon Do is a relatively new member of the Olympics. Both Men's and Women's competitions are divided up into four weight groups, ensuring that competitors are pitted against those of similar size and weight. Contestants are eliminated in a single-elimination tournament competition for the Gold and Silver medals. All contestants beaten by the Gold and Silver winners get to compete in a second elimination pool in competition for the Bronze medal. Only one Bronze medal is awarded.
Tae Kwon Do matches take place on a flat elastic mat, measuring 12 meters by 12 meters. Competitors are required to wear protective padding, including head guards, to prevent injury. Because kicking is allowed, no shoes can be worn during matches, however, players are allowed to tape their feet.
Tae Kwon Do scoring is determined by the number of hits or blows given or received by a competitor. Points are added for each hit scored, and detracted for each penalty. A hit on the opponent's chest counts for one point, and a kick on the opponent's head counts for two points. An extra point is added if the opponent falls down and the referee begins the countdown. Hits can only be scored against an opponents chest or head, all other blows are penalized by the loss of one point. Other penalties include stepping off the mat, turning ones back to ones opponent, falling down, avoiding the enemy, and faking injury. If a contestant scores minus 4 points due to penalties they automatically lose the match.
If a player is knocked down for a count of 10 seconds by the referee, a K.O. is declared and the player loses the match. Also, if the referee declares one player unfit to continue, or if a player is injured, they forfeit the match and the winner is declared. Matches are divided into three rounds of three minutes each. Each round is divided by one minute of rest time. At the end of the three rounds, all points and penalties awarded the two players are added and the winner is declared. In case of a tie, a panel of judges decides a winner based on points, hits, and overall performance.
