Taekwondo is one of the best sports all over the world. This sport is one that promotes the physical abilities. Before knowing the history of Taekwondo, it is very important to know the meaning of the word Taekwondo. Taekwondo means the fighting that happens with empty hands. This meaning has a very important significance. This significance of this word is that this sport has many rules and ethics. It is a fighting but not any kind of fighting because this fighting happens with empty hands. It happens with honor and dignity.
Taekwondo Method of Fighting:
This sport is very unique because it includes the usage of the entire body in fighting. Through this way of fighting, Taekwondo has got a big popularity all over the world. People liked the sport for being training the whole human body other than other sports that do not train the whole body, but they either train hand and shoulders like boxing or they train only legs. Therefore, Taekwondo is a very distinctive sport that has a big benefit to the entire body. Taekwondo is a sport that does not depend on fighting with weapons but it is a sport that involves fighting with body using hands, legs and fists. Taekwondo includes all forms of fighting in only one sport. These techniques are like jumping, punching, kicking, blocking, and dodging.
Naming of Taekwondo Sport:
The word Taekwondo has many syllables in which the syllable Tae means either to kick or to smash with your feet. Hence, Taekwondo mainly depends on the legs in fighting because the word starts with a syllable means leg fighting. The syllable Kwon means that one uses his hand either to punch or to destroy and smash something. The syllable do means the method or the way. Hence, Taekwondo consists of four syllables that means the usage of the whole body for fighting.
The History of the Taekwondo:
Taekwondo Was First Play in Korea:
The sport of Taekwondo has been played first in the year of 50 B. C. This means that the sport has been played for more than 21 centuries. In this time, the sport was played in the country of Korea. In this time, Korea was distributed to three parts or kingdoms. The three kingdoms were Silla, Koguryo, and peakche. All these three kingdoms have started to play the sport of Taekwondo and each kingdom had a certain technique, but Koguryo was the first kingdom to play this sport. This has been known through the paintings that have been discovered in Korea. These people were unnamed and these people where fighting in a way that is similar to the Taekwondo that is common these days. In fact, the persons were fighting in unarmed way using their hands and legs.
Sillan Warriors As First Taekwondo Warriors:
Sillan warriors were the first warriors to practice Taekwondo, because they have given the a high qualified training in the region of Taek Kyon through masters that come form Koguryo. The masters of Taek Kyon have trained many warriors in order to qualify them and these warriors were known as Hwarang. The people that were known as Hwarang have established an academy to train the sons of the rich people and the royalty and this academy was named Hwarang-do. This academy means the method of highpoint determination.
Role of the Hwarang People in Taekwondo:
The Hwarang people wanted to set rules and morals for the tactics of the military, the Buddhist religion, ethics, philosophy and history. .These warriors have combined the best things in every field in only one sport. The Hawang-do ethics, religion and education are based on 5 main codes in the field of the human conduct. These five have been written by scholars of Buddhist Taekwondo has been transferred to many countries through Hwarangs who have travelled to many regions and they taught fighting techniques. This has many advantages. First, Taekwondo has speared the sport to many countries and states and this has made the sport very popular.
Second, Hwarangs have learned many of the norms and ethics of many people all over the world. This has made the sport international and global because it has included something from each culture. Taekwondo has included five major principals and these principals were respecting parents, respecting friends, respecting the elder people, taking life justly, having loyalty to schools, having faith to the spouse, having loyalty to the country, respecting sisters and brothers, respecting the teachers, and finishing what one has begun.
Taekwondo History As a Base for Respect:
Therefore, this sport is based on respect, faith and loyalty. The first book of Taekwondo has been published in the age of Yi Dynasty. In this age, Taekwondo has been taught for the first time to the people through guidelines and ethics. Before the time of publishing this book, Taekwondo has been taught only for armies and people that have a military capacity. But in this time, people have learned about Taekwondo and they started to practice the sport. In the year of 1909, the country of Japan has invaded the country of Korea. The matter did not stop at this limit, because it Japan occupied Korea for thirty-six years. In order to control Korea, Japan has prevented Korea from practicing any arts of fighting or wars. This has affected the sport of Taekwondo a little bit.
Equipment Taekwondo Sport:
1- The Suit:
Many pieces of equipment are used in Taekwondo sport and these equipment are essential and none can play Taekwondo without wearing these thigs. The first thing that is used in Taekwondo is the Taekwondo suit. The suit of Taekwondo is very important because it represents the identity of the sport. Each sport of fighting has a suit and the suit of Taekwondo is very distinctive. The shape of this suit is similar to the shape of the suit is similar to the shape of the Karate suit. Therefore, Taekwondo has a very distinctive suit. The suit of Taekwondo has two types. The first type is the suit of the adult people and this comes in many sizes to fit all the bodies. The second type of Taekwondo suits is for children and this suit comes in small sizes.
2- The Belt:
The second element of Taekwondo equipment is the belts. Belts of Taekwondo come in many colors are like orange, red, yellow, green, purple, blue, brown and black. Each color of belts expresses a specific kind of professionality. This is the same idea of karate in which each color shows the rank of the player in the sport. The brightest colors express that the player is a beginner or he did not start to practice the sport since a long time. This is unlike the dark colors that express that the player has started to play the sport since a long time and that he is a professional player in the sport. In Taekwondo, players use their legs a lot and this requires an equipment to save the human body from any injuries. Here comes the rule of Taekwondo body armor. This armor is very important for saving the human body. Through the body armor, the chest is saved from any bad or wrong kick. Taekwondo matches cannot be started without that all players wearing this part of the body. The players of Taekwondo wear the body armor over the suit of Taekwondo. Almost this part comes in a white color and there are some few spots on it.
3- Floor Mats:
The third equipment that is used in Taekwondo is the floor mats. Floor mats are mats made of rubber in order to save the body of the players. Through such mats, players are saved from any injuring falls. When a Taekwondo player falls on the floor mat, he does not kick the ground hard because this rubber mat saves and protects him.
4- Foot Guards:
The fourth equipment that is used in Taekwondo is the foot guards. These parts are made of soft things such as sponge. Taekwondo players wear these guards of foot over their shoes in order to not harm each other while they are striking with their legs. This part is the second most important part after the body armor because saving the chest and the legs is very essential. The fourth equipment that Taekwondo players use is the footwear. This footwear is such as a shoes but it is very soft and flexible. It should not contain any metal or hard materials. Through this equipment, Taekwondo players use their legs in striking each other. Almost the color of this footwear is black and it should be pursuant to the norms of Taekwondo committees.
5- Gloves:
The fifth part or equipment that is uses in Taekwondo is the gloves. It has been mentioned before that Taekwondo players use their hands and this is allowed exactly like using their legs because Taekwondo is an inclusive or a comprehensive sport. Taekwondo gloves are used in order not to harm the opposing party while pushing him. This equipment should be also pursuant to the norms, specifications and regulations of Taekwondo national and international committees. The gloves of Taekwondo are not soft and they are not hard. One can say that these gloves are very moderate.
6- Groin Guards:
The sixth part that is used in Taekwondo is the groin guards. This equipment is very important because it protects all the vulnerable parts of the human body. It is worn under the Taekwondo suit. Through this part, the Taekwondo player protects himself and feel with confidence that he or she would not be harmed under any circumstances.
7- Gum Shields:
The seventh part is used in Taekwondo is the gum shields. The gum shields are not only used in Taekwondo but they are also used in boxing. This part is worn in the moth over the teeth. This is to protect teeth from any wrong kick in the face that would make the teeth fall or being injured. The gum shields are worn in the mouth to ban the teeth from injuries that would lead bleeding or any falling.
8- Head Guards:
The eighth equipment that is used in Taekwondo is the head guards. The head guards are protecting the head of the player that is very essential because the head is the most vulnerable part in the human body. To protect the head means that the player would be safe.
9- Shin Guards:
The last equipment that is used in Taekwondo is the shin guards. This part is to protect the leg of the player from any kicks that would harm him. Through the previous equipment that is used in Taekwondo one could discover that the sport is very safe. Therefore, the objective of Taekwondo is not harm the players but to save them from any harms and protect their lives and bodies. It is recommended that all people play Taekwondo and no fear that children play it because their bodies would not be injured at all.
Rules of Taekwondo Sport:
Taekwondo is the sport of the five rules that depend on fair share of everything in the sport. There are general rules for the sport of Taekwondo and these rules are principal in any match of Taekwondo. The biggest aim and the most important objective in this sport is to target certain places in the human body. The first rule in the sport that it consists of 3 rounds. The duration of each round of Taekwondo is about two minutes and this would show that the matches of Taekwondo do not last for long times but they end quickly. Between each round, there is a break of one minute. Therefore, there are two breaks in each Taekwondo match. The actual time of fighting is totally six minutes and the total time with breaks is nearly eight minutes.
The size of the mat of Taekwondo is ten square meter to fight inside this area. Therefore the fighting area is moderate as it is not big and it is not small. The winning that happens in the matches of Taekwondo depends on the knockouts that the opponent kicks the opposing party with and through these knockouts, the points are measured. There is also another case in which a victory occurs and this case is when the opponent is disqualified and he cannot fight well.
To speak about the scoring system of Taekwondo, one should discuss many points in detail. In fact, the points of Taekwondo depends or scored and registered when an opponent kicks the other party with a legitimate kick on his body. There is a score of two points if the opponent kicks the other party's face. When an opponent causes the other party a knockdown, he gets an extra point. The contest is reviewed and controlled by three judges and only one referee. The points are not registered and granted unless that two judges register it at the same time. The kicks of the body or the head are registered and they become worthy of points in case that the kicker has made them with the part that is under his ankle.
There is a prohibition in this sport that is not to punch the head of the opposing party. The system of penalties in Taekwondo includes many things such as holding, feigning injury, pushing, grabbing, and when one turns his back to be on the opposing party. In Taekwondo there are certain actions that are called Gam-jeom and these actions are many. Gam-Jeom includes things such as throwing the opposing party, stepping deliberately on the boundaries, pulling the opposing party to the floor, and attacking the opponent's face with things other than the feet. In such case, points are deducted and the opponent would lose the match.
Psychological, Physiological and Sociological Effects of Taekwondo:
It is a factual matter that all kinds of sports have a positive psychological, physiological and sociological effect to any human either he is an adult or a child. To speak in detail, one could speak about each effect alone. The psychological effect of Taekwondo is that it enhances the mood of the human and get him get rid of any negative emotions or tension and this is fore adults more than children.. This is very essential to any human because life is full of stresses and problems. These stresses and problems make human feel with tension and feel that he is in a bad mood. For children, the effect would be teaching the child respect and ethics. A sport such as Taekwondo could make the human get rid of such bad feelings. This is in addition to the physical effect of Taekwondo as a sport that builds the human body and helps the athlete to be fit and to have a good shape. The physiological effect of Taekwondo is briefed on the ability of the sport to make one feel with confidence and self-estimation. When an athlete wins a match in Taekwondo, he feels that he confident enough. Moreover, championship of the athlete can make him feel with self-estimation that he ca make an achievement in his life and he is a constructive member. For the sociological effect of Taekwondo, the matter is very different. That is because this sport has many sociological effects to humans.
The first sociological effect is that the sport increase communication and interaction between the community members. This would be through the matches that the champions play and the audience that cheer around them. The second effect is that Taekwondo increases the morality of the society. When children sea champions while they shake hand or hug each other before and after the matches, they would learn many good ethics. The third sociological effect of Taekwondo is that the sport encourages people to practice sports and have fit bodies. The last sociological effect of Taekwondo is that it builds a generation that is aware of the sports importance and that is able to lead their countries in the future because they would have sound minds and bodies. All these effects are very few if they are compared to reality in which the persons develop themselves and the community is being developed through the healthy persons on it. In addition to that, many studies that have proved the more one practices sports, the less he would protect himself form illnesses and diseases. When there are healthy people in the community, it would contain less illnesses and it could be the best society among other societies in which there are many ill persons.
Comparing Taekwondo to Other Sports:
In fact, Taekwondo is better than many other sportsif compared for many reasons. First, Taekwondo depends on the usage of both hands and legs. This means that the person should be trained well and train all his body in order to be good at this sport. Taekwondo is unlike a sport like boxing in which the athlete uses only his hands and his shoulder. The sport is also better than other sports such as karate. This is because karate is an aerobic sport, not a sport that helps one to defend himself because it does not include a direct fight with an opponent. Thus, one can say that Taekwondo is better than many other sports. In addition to that, Taekwondo is better than sports that only train the body and not teach people to defend themselves such as basketball, football and volley ball. Moreover, Taekwondo is different from cricket because it depends on the body strength more than cricket. All these sports are good for health but they are not so good for two reasons. The first reason for not being professional sports is that they do not train all parts of the body and this is unprofessional and imperfect. The second reason is that they do not include any kind of self defense techniques and this make these sports very amical.
Summary:
To sum up, Taekwondo is a very unique and beneficial sport that would help in improving both individuals and societies. The reason of this is that this sport train all the body and this gives it a priority to other many sports. Moreover, Taekwondo is an old sport that has a big ancient history for being developed over ages to include many civilizations and cultures inside it. Besides, Taekwondo is a very safe sport for both children and adults for being protecting all the parts of the body through many pieces of equipment.
