Tae Kwon Do

Taekwondo, the popularized Korean martial art and established as the national sport of South Korea and also an Olympic sport event.
Taekwondo is translated as foot, fist, way - the was of the foot and fist. It is also loosely defined as the art of kicking and punching (Wikipedia, 2008)

Taekwondo was originally practiced in Korea, martial art practices in Korea dates back to 50 B.C as evidently shown in paintings of men in fighting stances pictured on the walls of tombs, although some rejects this and put forward the theory that these men could have been dancing (Nauta, 2008).

Taekwondo is used by South Korea as a military training, involving the combination of different techniques of self-defense, sport, exercise, meditation and philosophy (Wikipedia, 2008).
Like many other martial arts, Taekwondo does not only emphasise on the body but also the mind and soul, to achieve a way of cultivating one's mind allowing the achievement of much greater skill and knowledge beyond techniques of the art.


Taekwondo became an Olympic sport event which is governed by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). Another federation governing taekwondo is the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). There are certain differences in regards to techniques and doctrines between the two federations, but overall shares common concepts. "the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, employing the leg's greater reach and power (compared to the arm) (Wikipedia, 2008)

Taekwondo in 2008 Olympic






Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taekwondo
http://www.barrel.net/history.php - Barry Nauta: General Taekwondo information
http://uk.reuters.com/news/sports/beijingOlympics/taekwondo

picture courtesy of dynamite kenji

Useful links:
http://www.taekwondobible.com/tkdbible/maintext/tkdphe6.htm