Taekwondo’s origins date back to the 2,000 years when it was created as a way of unarmed combat. It wasn’t until 1955 when Choi Hong Hi helped to modernize the art making it both a self defense and a sport. The unique feature of Taekwondo as compared to Karate, Judo, or Kung Fu is that is focuses on attacking the opponent with kicks. In 2008 it is estimated that there are over 50 million practitioners of Taekwondo. It also received a boost by the Olympics when it was added to the games in 2000.
Origins of Taekwondo
Taekwondo is known to have two forefathers. The first one is the ancient art of Taekyon, which was known for its complex kicking and quick takedowns. The second arts is Subak which was created to be used on the battlefield with its deadly and powerful movements. One such movement is known today as the flying side kick. This was originated as a technique to take soldiers off their horses. The rest of this article can be found here: The emergence of Tae Kwon Do.
