Taekwon-Do is not to be confused with many other styles of Martial Arts. Emphasis is placed on Self Defence, and the necessary personal development of self- control. Concurrent with the development of ones physical ability (co-ordination, strength, reflex, endurance, speed etc..), psychological development, leading to a greater self belief is assisted by the memorising and practising of the 6 Tenets (doctrine of belief) of Taekwon-Do. The precise interpretation of them in every day life is what makes one a true practitioner of the Art.

Taekwon-Do is a modernised and scientifically developed version of a centuries old Korean Martial Art. Hundreds of years ago in Korea, the warrior class of society known as the Hwarang-Do practised a form of weaponless combat known as Taek Kyon and developed a code of conduct to serve as a guideline to compliment their intensive physical training.

Taekwon-Do was 'born' on April 11th, 1955 having been created by General (he was a Major General in the South Korean Army) Grandmaster Choi Hong Hi - 9th Degree Black Belt.

Gen Choi was born on November 9th, 1918 in the rugged and harsh area of Hwa Dae, Myong Chun District in what is now D.P.R of Korea. Even at an early age, however, the future general showed a strong and independent spirit.

General Choi Hong Hi was trained in his native Korea in the art of Taek Kyon however during the Japanese occupation of Korea he became a Black Belt in Karate also. It was not until the 1940's when the General decided that Korea needed it's own martial art for it's own army that the foundations of Taekwon-Do were laid.

On the 11th of April 1955 a board, consisting of ministers and army officers was convened by Gen. Choi in order to officially name this art that he had researched into and invented. Taekwon-Do was the name submitted by the General and accepted thereby becoming the name of the most powerful Martial Art the world has come to know.

Although General Choi's fundamental training was in Taek Kyon and Karate the basic principles of Taekwon-Do are totally different from those of any other martial art in the world. When you look at some martial arts and you are impressed by their dance like grace and beauty, with Taekwon-Do you can marvel at its spectacular power and practical effectiveness. This is what makes it so special.

General Choi compiled a total of 24 Patterns frequently referred to as the Chon-ji or Chang Hon (his pen name) series and this is the compilation that forms the backbone of the BUTF’s syllabus.

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Principles of Taekwon-Do

In the technical area, General Choi Hong Hi created a wide variety of techniques that can be used in almost any situation. They are based on the following principles

All movement should be designed to produce maximum power in accordance with scientific formulas and the principle of kinetic energy; The principles behind the techniques should be so clear that even those ignorant to Taekwon-Do are be able to distinguish correct from incorrect movement; The distance and angle of each movement should be exactly defined in order to achieve more efficient attack and defence. The purpose and method of each movement should be clear and simple, in order to facilitate the teaching and learning process.
Rational teaching methods should be developed so that the benefits of Taekwon-Do training may be enjoyed by everyone, young and old, men and women. Correct breathing methods should be devised, enhancing the speed of each movement and reducing fatigue. Attack should be possible against any vital spot on the body and it should be possible to defend against all varieties of attack.
Each attacking tool should be clearly defined and soundly based on the structure of the human body. Each movement should be easy to execute, enabling the student to enjoy Taekwon-Do as a sport and recreation; Special consideration should be paid to promoting good health and preventing injuries.
Each movement should be harmonious and rhythmical so that Taekwon-Do is aesthetically pleasing; Each movement in a pattern must express the personality and spiritual character of the person it is named after.

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Tenets of Taekwon-Do

The 6 Taekwon-Do Tenets that the BUTF abide by:

Courtesy (Ye Ui)
Integrity (Yom Chi)
Perseverance (In Nae)
Self-Control (Guk Gi)
Indomitable Spirit (Baekjul Boolgul)
Humilty (Kyom Son)

Courtesy - Treat others with the respect that you expect to receive yourself. If you do treat other people with respect and courtesy and you will receive it in return. If you were rude to strangers what would they do to you? Be rude back? Yes, at the very least. If you are courteous to people what do you think they do in return? Isn't life far simpler if we all get on and are not constantly at odds with one another. Courtesy and respect are the first steps towards this. Try it. Ask for something and watch the response. Try again and say 'please' and 'thank you' and see how people are far more helpful.

Integrity - Integrity is honesty, but not just with other people. More importantly integrity is more about being honest with yourself. For us this means that when we give a competition result then we know that it is truly the correct result. That when we say we are going to do something, we fulfil on our promise. Integrity is the ability to be truly honest, truthful and trustworthy without compromise.

Perseverance - This is one of the hardest of all tenets as this is the one that requires effort. Perseverance is about not giving up. When asked to do a task, do not fall at the first hurdle or put false impediments in the way. Perseverance is about doing everything within your power to achieve the desired result be it learning a new kick or breaking an old habit. Keep practicing until you get it right.

Self-Control - Where would we be without self-control? Self-Control affects many things that we do. But in the martial arts it is vital. What would happen in you had no control when practicing moves? Everyone in the class would get hurt and no-one would ever come again. Self-Control is about making sure you stay within the rules that life lays down to ensure that you remain healthy, happy and safe.

Indomitable Spirit - How can one person overcome many others? Because they have the will to win when the others do not. How can one person appear confident and trouble-free when others are worried and anxious? Indomitable Spirit is about having the courage of your convictions and having a desire to win. It is about not accepting failure. You can win and you will win. You have the confidence to win and become someone special so do it. That is indomitable spirit.

Humility - In an age where arrogance, conceit, narcissism, and over indulgence in being self-opinionated is the undercurrent that drives our society, the time to stop and reflect on the essence of the martial arts and what it is to be a true martial artist, is long overdue. The word 'humble' in the Collins New English Dictionary is interpreted as exhibiting a 'modest and unpretentious demeanour' and to be conscious of ones failings. As such, the true martial artist should allow the physical acts of their achievements to be the broadcaster and not the sound of their own pontificating voices, as appears to be in so many ever increasing cases.

As a reminder of the frailty of human character, the word 'Humility' is added on to the existing five Tenets thereby making them 'Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, Indomitable Spirit, and Humility'. C.I.P.S.I.H.

If the Tenets can serve to develop further virtuous qualities in the fabric of a martial artist's make-up, it is hoped that the word Humility will achieve prominence above all else.

Note: This sixth tenet was introduced by Master Raymond M. K. Choy VIII (see BUTF Newsletter 2-05) and is the culmination of his personal observations of the demeanour of the many ‘so called exponents’ of the martial arts that he has come across over the past 38 years that he has been involved in Taekwon-Do.

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Taekwon-Do Ranking System of Belts

The system of rank in Taekwon-Do is denoted by various colours of the belts worn by its practitioners.

				Black 9th Degree - Grand Master (Sasung)

				Black 7th & 8th Degree - Master (Sahun)

				Black 4th, 5th & 6th Degree - International Instructor (Sabum)

				Black 1st, 2nd & 3rd Degree - Novice

				Red Belt, Black Tag - 1st Kup

				Red Belt - 2nd Kup

				Blue Belt, Red Tag - 3rd Kup

				Blue Belt - 4th Kup

				Green Belt, Blue Tag - 5th Kup

				Green Belt - 6th Kup

				Yellow Belt, Green Tag - 7th Kup

				Yellow Belt - 8th Kup

				White Belt, Yellow Tag - 9th Kup

				White Belt - 10th Kup

The above colours have not been randomly chosen. They are in fact, steeped in tradition. Colours of Black, Red and Blue denote the various levels of hierarchy during the Koguryo and Silla Dynasties in Korea.

The degrees of Black Belt are divided into three distinct classes. The 1st through 3rd degree are considered the novice stages of Black Belt. Students are still merely beginners in comparison to higher degrees.

At 4th degree, the student crosses the threshold of puberty and enters the expert class.

7th to 8th is composed of the Tae- kwon-Do Masters - the elite who fully understand all the particulars of Taekwon-Do, mental and physical with the 9th degree signifying the pinnacle of what is usually a life time of dedication to the art.

A black belt with a white ribbon running the length of it on one side indicates a junior (under 16 yrs.) Black Belt exponent.

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Patterns

There are 24 patterns in Taekwondo which represent the 24 hours in a day. The names of the patterns, the numberof movements within each and the floor-shape that the patterns create are chosen as they represent either important people or events in Korean history.

Chon-Ji -
Dan-Gun
Do-San
Won-Hyo
Yul-Guk
Choong-Gun
Toi-Gye
Hwa-Rang
Choong-Moo
Kwang-Gae
Po-Eun Pattern
Ge-Baek Pattern
Eui-Am Pattern
Chonng-Jang Pattern
Juche Pattern
Sam-Il Pattern
Yoo-Sin Pattern
Choi-Yong Pattern
Yon-Gae Pattern
Ul-Ji Pattern
Moon-Moo Pattern
So-San Pattern
Se-Jong Pattern
Tong-Il Pattern

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Info reproduced with the kind permission of the BUTF