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Copyright 2022 Seneca Taekwondo & Martial Arts will take you to Black Belt & Beyond !!!
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Copyright 2022
Adventure In Self-Discovery
The Many Faces of Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a traditional martial art which, translated
literally, means the art of hand and foot fighting. It
combines sharp, strong angular movements with
graceful and free-flowing circular motions to produce a
harmonious marriage of beauty and power. With the
addition of its own devastating kicking techniques,
taekwondo is a complete, integrated and unique
system of self-defense and personal improvement.
It is no wonder that taekwondo is the fastest-growing
martial art in the world today. Its appeal is universal, as
a practical means of self-defense and a satisfying,
complete regimen of physical conditioning. Taekwondo
is also a valuable aid to improved concentration and
mental performance
The Aim of Taekwondo: Mind, Body, And Spirit
Working as One
The art of taekwondo offers its riches to anyone who
sincerely undertakes its study. Within the training hall,
there are no age, sex or racial barriers; everybody
begins equally, as White Belts. Under the watchful eye
of the Master Instructor, each student progresses at
his or her own pace, according to individual effort and
ability.
Taekwondo training addresses the whole individual -
Body, Mind and Spirit; and it involves a great deal more
than physical technique. To be sure, the student of
taekwondo is expected to develop strength, stamina,
quickness, flexibility, coordination and balance. Along
with a variety of effective hand and foot self-defense
techniques, theses physical skills are fundamental to
the art, and can be perfected only through dedication
and tireless practice.
The road to true mastery also requires that formidable
physical accomplishments be balanced with the
equally important mental characteristics of patience,
humility, self-control, perseverance, concentration and
respect. These too, must be practiced faithfully, both in
and out of class. Gradually, the lessons of the training
hall begin to colour other aspects of life. Mind, Body
and Spirit become unified and transformed. Living
becomes richer and more enjoyable.
Martial Arts “Magic”: The Long Road to Honest
Achievement
How long will it take? This is a question we all ask
when starting out. How long to Black Belt? How long
before I can do those fancy spinning kicks?
The only possible answer to such questions is that it
takes as long as it takes. There are no magic short cuts,
no secret techniques, no mystical practices or occult
books that will instantly transform a person into a
martial artist.
Public attention tends to focus on the flashy aspects of
the martial arts - the dramatic wood and brick breaking
techniques, the fast paced sparring, the beautiful
patterns and the razzle-dazzle demonstrations.
However, the actual training consists of very little flash.
Real taekwondo training is a great deal of hard work. It
requires constant dedicated practice and tireless
physical conditioning. With correct instruction and
sufficient perseverance, anyone can attain their full
potential in the art of taekwondo - that level of skill
which, to the untrained eye, appears to be magic.
It usually requires at least several years of serious
study and practice to reach the Black Belt level. Gaining
in skill, the students advancement is marked by the
award of colour belts which signify class rank.
Belts and respect are earned, not given. Each new belt
can be worn as a symbol of honest accomplishment.
However, it remains only a symbol. The truly successful
student is the one who has learned to enjoy walking
the path instead of worrying too much about the
destination.
Taekwondo Tradition: The Proud Heritage of the
Hwarang Dan
The origins of taekwondo can be traced back to the
Hwarang Dan in the sixth century AD. The Hwarang
Dan subjected themselves to rigorous mental
discipline and severe physical hardship in order to
condition the body and will to great strength and long
endurance.
The Hwarang Dan studied the fighting styles of wild
animals and adapted the techniques of nature to their
own advantage. In addition, certain Buddhist exercises
in intense concentration were applied to the style to
create a harmonious integration of mind body and
spirit.
There is no doubt that the ethical spirit of the art may
be trace directly to the code of conduct of the Hwarang
Dan, which stressed courage, honesty, integrity,
persistence and indomitable spirit.
To consider taekwondo as simply a sport, or a means
to get in shape is to deny the proud heritage of almost
2000 years.
Competitive Taekwondo: an Exciting International
Sport
The phenomenal growth of taekwondo has brought
about many international tournaments where the
general public can see taekwondo demonstrated, and
practitioners of the art can test their skills in tough
hard fought competition.
Largely through the efforts of the World Taekwondo
Federation, taekwondo as a competitive sport has
made great advances in recent years - rules have
become standardized, the quality of judging has risen
steadily and increased emphasis has been placed on
the safety of the competitors.
The acceptance of taekwondo by the International
Olympic Committee spurred great interest throughout
the world, and men, women and children of all nations
are helping to bring the art of taekwondo to the
international arena.