What is Taekwon-do?

Taekwon-Do is a Korean martial-art founded by General Choi Hong Hi 9th Dan.

It was given the name Taekwon-Do by General Choi and agreed by leading officials in Korea on 11th April 1955. Taekwon-Do can be translated literally as ‘the way of the foot and the fist’.

(Korean writing for Tae)  Tae represents the foot used for kicking, smashing and jumping.

(Korean writing for Kwon)  Kwon represents the hand used for punching, striking, thrusting and blocking.

(Korean writing for Do)  Do represents the art, way or method.

Taekwon-Do is practiced by 60 million people worldwide, making it one of the most, if not the most popular martial art in the world today.

Taekwon-Do training has a broad and encompassing program which consists of fitness exercises, stretching, defensive and offensive techniques such as blocking, punching and kicking, semi-contact sparring, destruction and more.

To be successful in Taekwon-Do requires patience, self-discipline, and serious dedicated training. North Bristol Taekwon-Do offers a carefully planned syllabus teaching effective self-defence, strength development, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and variety of fighting techniques, through a combination of mental and physical training.

Benefits

The study of Taekwon-Do offers several unique advantages for physical fitness. Since the body sets its on limits, injuries and strains are rare. The entire muscle system is used from the fingers to the toes. Taekown-Do’s high repetition, low resistance movements can develop a longer, leaner and more flexible muscles. Such muscles are close to blood supplies thus producing maximum endurance and well being. Training also brings the heart rate up, keeping the heart healthy as well as helping the lungs operate more efficiently, can lower blood pressure and can help promote better sleep.

Training in Taekwon-Do can teach a person to have resolve and help them over difficulties. One of the biggest benefits is self-confidence that training can develop. It can also help with humility, courage, alertness, accuracy and self-control. With the under lying principles of Taekwon-Do a student learns to be polite, respectful as well as learning right from wrong.

Syllabus

The Taekwon-Do syllabus comprises of many different aspects, including patterns, line work, set sparring, free sparring, power test, theory as well as etiquette and conduct. To complement this we also train in personal fitness and stamina, basic self-defence and self-awareness skills, as well as a variety of weapons training as the student progresses.

A typical class commences with a warm-up, the main body of the class will follow one of the syllabus or complementary themes, with etiquette and conduct running throughout. The class will finish with a cool down.

Belts
There are ten coloured belt stages before black belt; five belt colours each with a half way stage between – known as a ‘tag’. You commence training as a white belt, after you pass your first grading you will be given the next belt colour. The belt orders then progress through yellow, green, blue and red – each with a half way ‘tag’ stage.

White Belt 10th Kup to 9th Kup	Signifies innocence, as that of the beginning student who has no previous knowledge of Taekwon-Do.
Yellow Belt 8th Kup to 7th Kup	Signifies the earth from which a plant sprouts and takes root as the foundation of Taekwon-Do is being laid.
Intermediate grades begin to develop their skills using more variety and combination of techniques
Green Belt 6th Kup to 5th Kup	Signifies the plant’s growth as Taekwon-Do skills begin to develop.
Blue Belt  4th Kup to 3rd Kup	Signifies the Heaven towards which the plant matures into a towering tree as training in Taekwon-Do progresses.
Senior grades further develop their skills, attitude and theory and become role models to junior grade students
Red Belt 2nd Kup to 1st Kup	Signifies Danger, cautioning the student to exercise control and warning the opponent to stay away.
Black Belt 1st Dan onwards	Opposite of white, therefore signifying the maturity and proficiency in Taekwon-Do, also indicates the wearer’s imperviousness to darkness and fear.

P.U.M.A

P.U.M.A. stands for the Professional Unification of Martial Arts.

Founded on 1^st September 2000 the organisation now has schools across the UK (and some abroad) and teach a variety of martial arts.

North Bristol Taekwon-Do are proud to have been a part of the PUMA family since its formation.

As members we have access to a number of specialist seminars put on throughout the year. This includes the annual “P.U.M.A. Day” where instructors from across the country gather together for a day-long-schedule of exciting and interesting master classes. This is a free event and normally attended by hundreds of P.U.M.A. students from across the nation.

P.U.M.A. also offers regular Bo Staff seminars, Ground Fighting Seminars, Child Safeguarding Training, Instructor Training, Health and Safety advice and much more.

For more information please look at the P.U.M.A. website http://www.puma-uk.com