Tae Kwon-Do originated in South Korea in the 1950’s and is a relatively modern martial art. It is very dynamic and is characterized by its fast, high and spinning kicks.
Tae Kwon-Do is derived from several Korean martial arts with the main influence being ‘Tae Kyon’, a very traditional form of Korean foot fighting. There are multiple interpretations of the name Tae Kwon-Do.
Tae Kwon-Do is often translated as
‘The Way of Foot and Hand’
Tae Kwon-Do written in Korean characters (Han'gul)
‘Tae’ means to jump or smash with the foot.
‘Kwon’ means to punch or destroy with the hand.
‘Do’ means art, way or method
…Tae kwon-Do is an art of self-defence which aims at a noble moral rearmament, high degree of intellectual achievement, graceful techniques, formidable power and beauty of physical form, it can (therefore) be considered as a part of one’s daily life, just as are breathing and thinking.- Gen. Choi Hong Hi (1918-2002) The Founder of Tae Kwon-Do