Photo Courtesy of West Island Tae-Kwon-Do
While team based sports are great, the benefits of individual sports can’t be overlooked. So while your kids pick up hockey and soccer, I’d like to bring your attention to the popular Korean olympic-grade martial art Tae Kwon Do and the benefits it can provide.
Now, while Tae Kwon Do has been translated directly as “to strike or break with foot” or “The way of the foot and fist”…I have come to think of it as “complete body and mind discipline”. For this reason it has become the world’s most popular martial art form. And luckily, hasn’t been tainted by any terrible hollywood movies (at least prominent ones).
Tae Kwon Do is notable for its focus on combat techniques, self-defense, exercise, physical flexibility, meditation, philosophy and discipline. Among the many aspects the most critical is discipline. I myself began the sport when I was only 10 years old (now 25), with many other students beginning at age 5. The sport teaches respect for your teacher, others, and for your parents.
Indeed, to achieve the rank of black belt you must not only demonstrate flawless technique in front of the Grand Master (9th level black belt), but must perform multiple sets of board breakings, several rounds of sparring, katas and write a paper on what Tae Kwon Do has taught you and means to you personally.
As a result of several years of training (6-8 years average) you then forever retain your rank, receive a certificate and will be shown respect upon entering the training floor with salutes from fellow students (which you reciprocate). Unlike many other martial arts whereby any black belt instructor can hand out a black belt, Tae Kwon Do requires the presence/ arrival of a grand master who must ensure the highest level of quality, as not to diminish the sport or level of its athletes. And as you come to realize, black belt is only the beginning, not the end as so many people believe.
And, as you may not be aware, Tae Kwon Do has more in common with kickboxing then any other sport, as it is about 90 percent leg-based with a unique focus on ranged fighting. Not to say a Tae Kwon Do athlete can’t drop an attacker in close quarters, just that it’s designed that your opponent won’t get the chance to make it close enough to physically harm you.
While it sounds like a fierce sport, in actuality it definitely provides a team spirit as you must work with others to develop your skill-set. In fact, I can honestly attest that there are less injuries in Tae Kwon Do then in sports like hockey. Precision is part of the ideology.
Also, despite public perception, the martial art does not advocate violence in any way. In fact, violence is highly frowned upon and unwarranted (non defensive) violence can lead to expulsion from your school. If anything it teaches pacifism unless you are given no other choice.
Now, it is also important to keep in mind that the martial art comes in 2 flavors, “traditional” and “sport”. Traditional Tae Kwon Do was developed by the Korean military and favors self-defense and ballistic force when confronted by physical threat.
“Sport” on the other hand is the more widely practiced form. As such, in organizations such as the World Tae Kwon Do Federation, an athlete competes for points which are determined by technique used and area of impact. Sport stresses a more competitive flavor, however it retains it’s “street fighting” component as a secondary element.
All this is to say that the martial art provides an extremely high level of satisfaction, self-esteem and is a profound motivational tool. It is highly recommended for students young and old.
Here is a photo of myself with my three siblings training (I am in the red protector). In Tae Kwon Do it is commonplace for a family to train together. In fact, you will often see parents train alongside their children once they are big enough for adult classes. And the sport is taught in a Co-Ed environment.
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