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Taekwondo

태권도

Striking🇰🇷 KoreaOlympic Sport

AI-generated content — may contain inaccuracies

Why train this

At a Glance

IntensityHigh
ContactMedium
Beginner FriendlyEasy
Belt SystemGeup/Dan (white to black belt, 10 geup + 9 dan)
Origin🇰🇷 Korea
CompetitionOlympic Games, World Taekwondo Championships, ITF World Championships

Who It's For

CompetitionFitnessSelf-DefenseTraditional

What You'll Learn

High, spinning, and jumping kicks

Poomsae (품새, patterns/forms) for solo practice

Olympic-style kyorugi (겨루기, electronic scoring sparring)

Board breaking — gyeokpa (격파) — for power testing

Self-defense applications — hosinsul (호신술)

Korean martial arts etiquette, dobok (도복, uniform), and philosophy

Your First Class

Watch & Learn

Gallery

Martial arts fight white belt.
1st Signal Brigade HHC conducts taekwondo yellow belt promotion and recognition (9477075)
1st Signal Brigade HHC conducts taekwondo yellow belt promotion and recognition (9477076)

Legends of Taekwondo

Steven Lopez

Steven Lopez is the most decorated Taekwondo athlete in American history, with two Olympic golds and five World Championship titles. He competed in five consecutive Olympics from 2000 to 2016, establishing the Lopez family as American Taekwondo royalty.

1978

Hadi Saei (هادی ساعی)

Hadi Saei is the most decorated Iranian Olympian of all time, winning two consecutive gold medals in Taekwondo. His powerful kicking style and tactical brilliance made him one of the most feared competitors in the sport's Olympic history.

1976

Choi Hong-hi (최홍희)

General Choi Hong-hi is credited as the principal founder of Taekwondo, synthesizing Korean martial traditions with Karate into a distinct kicking art. He established the ITF and spent his life spreading Taekwondo worldwide, making it one of the most practiced martial arts on the planet.

1918–2002

Jade Jones

JJ

Related Styles

Karate

Karate is a Japanese striking art that uses punches, kicks, knee strikes, and open-hand techniques. Originating in Okinawa, it emphasizes kata (型, forms), kihon (基本, basics), and kumite (組手, sparring).

Karate

Tang Soo Do

Tang Soo Do (당수도, "Way of the China Hand") is a Korean martial art that blends Chinese and Japanese influences with native Korean kicking techniques. It places strong emphasis on hyung (형, forms), respect — ye (예) — and the development of character.

Kickboxing

Kickboxing is a stand-up combat sport that combines boxing punches with kicks. It encompasses several rulesets including full-contact, low-kick, and K-1 rules.

Kickboxing

Hapkido

Hapkido (합기도) is a Korean martial art that combines joint locks and throws (similar to Aikido) with dynamic kicks and strikes. It provides a comprehensive self-defense — hoshinsul (호신술) — system covering all ranges of combat.

Hapkido

Popular With

Traditionalist

The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them.

Traditionalist

Showman

Martial art is a form of expression.

Showman

Fitness Fighter

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

Fitness Fighter

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Keep Exploring

Why train this
IntensityHigh
ContactMedium
Beginner FriendlyEasy
Belt SystemGeup/Dan (white to black belt, 10 geup + 9 dan)
Origin🇰🇷 Korea
CompetitionOlympic Games, World Taekwondo Championships, ITF World Championships
Training Goals
CompetitionFitnessSelf-DefenseTraditional
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