| ~ The Most Successful Olympic Sparring team in the Pacific Northwest ~ |
| Traditional Tae Kwon Do Taekwondo developed from humble beginnings over 1,000 years ago and has since spread internationally to become one of the world's most successful and popular martial arts. Its practitioners enjoy physical and mental discipline, as well as excellent fitness and the ability to defend themselves if necessary. Taekwondo is not only a combat sport, but is also a way of life for enthusiasts around the globe. The word Taekwondo itself is made up of three Chinese/Korean words: Tae, meaning to kick or jump; Kwon, meaning fist or hand; and Do, which means "the way." Loosely (if not literally), it can be thought of as "The Way of the Hand and Foot." While famous for its wide range of kicks, Taekwondo also emphasizes breaking power, such as splitting wood and bricks using only the bare hands and feet. Training involves a variety of techniques, to include punching, kicking, dodging, jumping, parrying and blocking. Taekwondo also focuses on sparring and learning formal patterns of movement called forms. |
| Olympic Tae Kwon Do Tae Kwon Do is an Olympic sport. It was introduced to the Olympics in Korea in 1988as an exabition sport. In 2000 'Sport Tae Kwon Do' became a Offical Olympic Sport. Unlike many of the other sports that young people are involved with today, Tae Kwon Do competitors are required by rule to demonstrate respect for officials coaches and their fellow competitors. Olympic Tae Kwon Do is a full contact sport where players compete one on one to score points. One point is awarded for a solid kicking techinque to the body and two points are awarded for a kick to the head. |