HISTORY OF TAEKWANDO

1. Tae means foot, Kwon meaning fist and Do meaning way of. Taekwondo means the way
of the foot and fist.
2. This arts root began 2300 years ago in Korea and the word taekwondo only been used
since 1955.
3. Korea peninsula was divided into three kingdoms which were Koguryo, Ppaekja and Silla
during the 6th century A.D.
4. Archeological findings such as the mural paintings on the royal tombs during the
Koguryo period, stone sculptures at pagodas during the Silla period and documents
written in the Paekje period, show techniques and fighting stances that were probably the
first forms of Taekwondo.
5. The three kingdoms constantly fought with each other and Silla, being the smallest and
the weakest militarily have difficult time protecting itself and took action which turn out
to be the key point in Korean history.
6. Hwarang (group of warriors) formed by Chin Heung were trained in weapons.
7. Hwarang studied unarmed combat called SooBak which is a primitive form of foot
fighting, using some hand but mostly foot techniques.
8. The techniques of SooBak were created to be used in fighting along with the other
weapons of the HwaRang to make the warriors able to defeat their enemies.
9. Chin Heung needed something more than just competent soldiers; he needed something
to unify the HwaRang and create the mental conditioning to lead the kingdom to victory.
10. Won Kang, a Buddhist monk and scholar, to take charge of the HwaRang training
11. Won Kang came up with a code of ethics that the HwaRang warriors followed. They
were:
1. Be loyal to your king
2. Be obedient to your parents
3. Have honor and faith among friends
4. Have perseverance in battle
5. Justice never to take a life without cause
12. HwaRang became the HwaRangDo, which meant "way of the flower of manhood."
13. HwaRangDo is known for their bravery and fighting skills
14. Defeat both Paekje and Koguryo and unify Korea to one country known then as Koryo.
15. SooBak was introduced to China and became known there as KwonPup.
16. SooBak also changed its name to SooBakGi because of the new techniques and the
mental discipline added to the style.
17. New styles began to appear and one such style is Tae Kyon which involved many new
kicking techniques and was designed as fighting sport than a discipline.
18. During Yi Dinasty, Korea underwent a change from Buddhism to Confucianism.
19. Military leaders start to lose their power to civilian and people began to lose interest in
martial arts..
20. King Jong Jo ordered a manual of military arts to be written including weapons, Tae
Kyon and sooBakGi.
21. This manual is written by Lee Duk Mu.

22. Yi Dinasty ended with Japanese takeover on August 2, 1910.

23. During Japanese control, competitive sports and martial arts were outlawed.
24. SooBakGi was practiced in secret and soon changed to SooBakDo.
25. Japanese combat arts were introduced in Kora.
26. Japanese educational curricula were taught in all Korea school such as Kendo ("way of
the sword"), Judo, Karate, and Aikido.
27. August 15, 1945, Korea was liberated.
28. Korea have 5 major martial art academies called Mooduk Kwan, Jido Kwan, Changmu
Kwan, Chungdo Kwan, and Songmu Kwan
29. In 1946 an attempt was made to unify Dojangs (training halls) and standardize
instructional methods.
30. In 1955 a board of instructors, historians and prominent society members sat down to
coordinate all the schools and select a name for the hopefully unified art
31. In April 1955 a new name was from a group of names by the board, it was Taekwondo.
32. In 1962 the Korean Amateur Sports Association recognized the Korean Taekwondo
Union, which later became known as the Korean Taekwondo Association (K.T.A.).

HISTORY OF TAEKWONDO IN MALAYSIA

1. Taekwondo was brought to Malaysia by General Choi Hong Hi (Ambassador of the

Republic of Korea to Malaysia)
2. Training started in Kuala Lumpur which then gradually spread to other states.
3. Selangor Taekwondo Association was formed.
4. The technical direction and for the most part, the administrative procedure of the
Selangor Taekwondo association were in the hand of the Korean Instructors
5. Communication between instructors and students was less than satisfactory
6. The advancement of senior and junior grades among the Malaysians were slow.
7. Creation of the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) headed by General Choi Hong
Hi, based in Toronto, Canada
8. World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), under the Presidentship of Dr. Un Yong Kim, based
in Seoul, South Korea.
9. Three men who initiated the formation of WTF were Mr. Leow Cheng, Mr. Christopher
Lai and Mr. Chin Mee Keong.
10. Seniors decided to contact the Korean Taekwondo Association directly for technical
advice and aids necessary to continue with the propagation of Taekwondo.
11. Malaysia Taekwondo Association affiliated itself with the World Taekwondo Federation,
and participated in the 1st World Taekwondo Championship in 1973, Seoul.
12. MTA was given due recognition by the Olympic Council of Malaysia in 1978

RULES AND REGULATIONS

THE GENERAL RULES OF TAEKWANDO

1. The aim of taekwondo is land as many hits as you can on your opponent in the allowed
targets only.
2. A taekwondo contest compromises of 3 rounds of 2 minutes each with one-minute break
between each them.
3. The whole taekwondo contest area is a 10m square mat
4. Victory in a taekwondo bout can be achieved by knockout, by scoring the most points, or
by default if the opponent is disqualified
SCORING IN TAEKWANDO
1. I POINT = Strike on the body
2. 2 point = Kicks to the face
3. Additional point = Knockdown
4. A point is awarded only when two or more judges register a hit at the same time, one
referee and three judges oversee the contest.
5. Points are rewarded if kicks on the head and body landed with part of the foot below the
ankle.
6. Blows to the body must be with the front of the index and middle finger knuckles of a
tightly clenched fist if they are to be awarded points. Fighters are not allowed to punch
to the head.
Penalties in taekwondo
1. For offences such as grabbing, holding, feigning, pushing and turning ones back on an
opponent.
2. Most serious offence: Gam-jeom
3. Gam-jeom leads to one point being deducted.
4. Knockdown become a knockout if a competitor cannot regain his or her feet by 10
seconds or the referee decides he or she is unfit to continue to the end.
5. The referee begins a 10 second count after an opponent being knockdown. A knockdown
occurs if any part of a contestant's body touches the floor apart from the foot. There is a
mandatory eight-second count before the referee decides whether it should continue.
6. In the final of a competition, when a tied contest will go to an extra sudden death round
where the first to score a point wins. If no result is achieved during this round then the
final decision once again lies with the referee.

OLYMPIC COMPETITION RULES

o 1. The Olympic taekwondo competition takes the form of an elimination tournament to

decide the gold and silver medals.
o After this initial tournament, two groups are then drawn up of all the competitors
except the semi-finalists who have lost to either of the finalists. Another knockout
process then produces two pool winners. Each pool winner then faces the beaten semifinalist from the other side of the draw, and the winners of these two bouts compete for
the bronze medal.
o The weight divisions for an Olympic taekwondo competition are as follows: Men
under 58kg; under 68kg; under 80kg; over 80kg. Women under 49kg; under 57kg;
under 67kg; over 67kg.

TAEKWANDO BELT COLORS

Belts
White
Yellow
Green/ Orange
Blue
Red

Black

Meaning
Innocence
Represents the earth. In which the
roots of you taekwondo form ready
for a plant to grow
Represents the plant (your
taekwondo) starting to grow)
Sky or heaven, like a tall plant
growing up towards the blue sky.
Represents danger means that the
student has becoming very skilled in
taekwondo
maturity

You often need to be graded two times before upgrading to the next belt

Terminology of Taekwondo
Definition of Taekwondo
Tae" means "foot" or "to strike with the feet". "Kwon" means "hand", or "to strike
with the hand". "Do" means discipline, art, or way. Hence TaeKwonDo (foot-hand-way)
means literally "the art of the feet and the hands" or "the art of kicking and punching".
Different schools and/or styles may impose different variations on the formal definition
however. For example, some styles add the words "self defense" to the literal definition
and/or throw in some form of the phrase "physical and mental training".

KOREAN COUNTING
hana
h
2 : dool
3 : set
4 : net
5 : dasot
6 : yasot
7 : ilgop
8 : yadol
9 : ahop
10 : yool
1 :

Basic Body Parts

mom
kwanjeol
ulgool
muh ree
noon
gui
ko
in joong
eep
tuhk
mokoomeong
mok
ouka

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

body
joint
face & head
head
eye
ear
nose
philtrum
mouth
chin
throat
neck
shoulder

myung chi
pahl
pahlkup
pahlmahk
ahn pahlmahk
bahkat pahlmahk
meet pahlmahk
wi pahlmahk
deung pahlmahk
sahnmahk
sahn
sahnkal
sahnkal deung
sahn deung
joomok
sahnkahrak
sahnkeut
momtong
huri
ahrae
noolro
dahree
mooreup
ahp jung kang yi
bahl mahk
bahl
bahldung
bahlbong oh ri
bahl nahl
an bahl nahl
bahl badak
ahp chook
dwi koomchi
dwi chook
bahlkeut
Tenets of TaeKwonDo

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

solar plexus
arm
elbow
forearm
inner side of forearm
outer side of forearm
palm side of forearm
back side of forearm
back of forearm
wrist
hand
outside edge of hand (knifehand)
inside edge of hand (ridgehand)
back hand
fist
finger
fingertip
trunk (middle section)
waist
lower body (low section)
groin
leg
knee
shin
ankle
foot (or feet)
instep
arch of foot
outside edge of foot
inside edge of foot
sole of foot
ball of foot
heel
bottom of heel
toes

ye ui
yom chi
in nae
kuk gi
baekjool

:
:
:
:
:

courtesy
integrity
perseverance
self-control (also "jah jeh")
indomitable spirit (also "boolgool eui jung shin")

Body Movements
mom omgigi
mahki
chagi
chirugi
chigi
jeek gi
bahk gi
sahn ki sool
bahl ki sool
kyorugi
bituro
gamya
kuht neun

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

uro

bang hyang bakoogi

bitkyuh surgi
tdwim yu
dora
dolmyo
mee keul myu
jupgi
donzigi
goorugi
pyihagi
hecho
moyo
bojoo

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

Directions

movement of the body

block
kick
thrust (or punch)
strike (with the hand)
strike (with the foot)
strike (with the head)
hand technique
foot technique
sparring
twisting
stepping (also "omkyuh didigi")
walking
moving in a particular direction (e.g. "ahp uro gamya" - stepping
forward)
changing direction
escaping
jumping
to turn
spinning
sliding (also "mee kul gi")
holding/grabbing
throwing
rolling/tumbling
dodging
spreading
gathering
covering

oo
joa
ahp
ahn
bahkat
bahndae
dwi
ahnuro
bahkuro
whee
whee uro
guande
ulgool
momtong
ahrae

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

right (also "oh-ruen")

left (also "wen")
front
inner
outer
reverse
back
inward
outward
high (up)
upward
middle
high section (also "sahngdahn")
middle section (also "chungdahn")
low section (also "hahdahn")

Rank
kagup
gup
dan
simsa
simsa kwan
dan gup jedo

:
:
:
:
:
:

rank
grade
degree
grading (or promotional) test
examiner
system of rank

Hand Positions
sahnkal
sahnkal jecho
sahnkal deung
sahn bahtong
sahn deung
ah keum sahn
galkwi sahn
jipke sahn
joomok
deung joomuk
yup joomuk

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

knifehand
knifehand with palm up
ridgehand (also "oppun sahnkal")
palm heel (also "bahtong sahn")
back hand (also "deung sahn")
arc hand
ripping (or raking) hand
pincers hand
fist
back fist
side fist

me joomuk
inju joomuk
bamchu joomuk
doo bam joomuk
pyun joomuk
omji joomuk
kwan soo
sahnkeut
gawi sahnkeut

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

hammer-fist
forefinger one-knuckle fist
middle-finger one-knuckle fist
two-knuckle fist
flat (or open) fist
thumb-knuckle fist
spearhand (also "pyun sahnkeut")
spearfinger
scissors-shaped spearfingers

Hand Attacks
bahro chirugi
bahndae chirugi
gullgi chirugi
yung seuk chirugi
doo bun chirugi
sae bun chirugi
sahnkeut chirugi
sewo chirugi
gotjang chirugi
dolrya chirugi
dwijubo chirugi
soteum chirugi
nehryuh chirugi
chi chirugi
jae chuh chirugi
doo joomuk chirugi
dikootja chirugi
sosum chirugi
keumgang chirugi
nalgeh chirugi

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

straight (return) punch

reverse punch
hook punch
combination (consecutive) punch
double punch
triple punch
spearfinger thrust
vertical punch
vertical fist punch
round punch
upset punch
spring punch
downward punch
uppercut punch
upper punch (also "jae chin chirugi")
doublefist punch
`U' (or `C') shaped punch (hi-lo)
double uppercut punch
diamond-shaped punch
wing-shaped punch

Blocks
bahkat palmahk mahki
ahn palmahk mahki
sahng palmahk mahki

: outer forearm block

: inner forearm block
: twin forearm block

ahnuro mahki
bahkuro mahki
ahrae mahki
cho kyo mahki
daebi mahki
bituro mahki
gahwi mahki
keumgang mahki
gutjha mahki
yeot pero mahki
santeul mahki
weh santeul mahki
utgallruyuh mahki
hechuh mahki
hwang so mahki
bahtangsahn nooluh mahki
deuluh oll ryu mahki

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

inward block
outward block
low block
rising block
guarding block
twisting block
scissors block
diamond-shaped (Hercules) block
`9'-shaped block (cross block)
`X'-shaped block (also "kyo cha mahki")
mountain-shaped block (also "osanteul mahki")
part mountain-shaped block
cross block (also "utgiruh mahki")
scattered block (or wedge block)
ox (or "bull") block
pressing down block
upward scooping fist block

Kicks
cha olligi
jillo chagi
ahp chagi
yup chagi
dolrya chagi
dwi chagi
bahndae dolrya chagi
dwi dolrya chagi
gullgi chagi
bahndall chagi
hoohrio chagi
beet chagi
bahn dolrya chagi
beakya chagi
nehryuh jeek gi
hwe jun chagi
mil a chagi
gokwang i chagi

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

stretching kick
thrusting kick
front kick
side kick
round (roundhouse) kick
back kick
reverse round kick ("hook kick" for some styles)
back round kick ("hook kick" for some styles)
hook kick (also "golcho chagi" or "golro chagi")
crescent kick (literally "half moon kick")
wheel kick
slant (or instep) kick
half round kick (also "instep kick")
slap kick
ax kick; literally "downward foot strike"
swing kick
pushing kick (also "mil gi chagi")
pickax kick

pyojuk chagi
dolmyo chagi
tdwim yah chagi
yung seuk chagi
meekulmyu chagi
goollruh chagi
natgeh tdwim yu chagi
nalla chagi
gahwi chagi
illja chagi
japgo chagi
ohpo chagi
nachu oh chagi

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

target kick
spinning kick
jumping kick
combination (consecutive) kick
sliding kick (also "mikulgi chagi")
rolling kick
hopping kick
flying kick (also "goong jung chagi")
scissors kick
linear kick
holding (grasp) kick
falling kick (leg sweep)
stooping kick

Stances
sohgi
jah seh
ahnjun sohgi
ahp sohgi
ahp koo bi sohgi
dwi sohgi
dwi koo bi sohgi
beom sohgi
kuht neun sohgi
juchoom sohgi
mot sohgi
kyorugi sohgi
choon bi sohgi
gibon sohgi
guande sohgi
naranhee sohgi
niun ja sohgi
gojang sohgi
sa sun sohgi
gyuttari sohgi

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

stance
posture (or stance) [used instead of "sohgi" in some styles]
sitting stance
front stance
front bent knee stance (also just "ahp koo bi")
back stance
back bent knee stance (also just "dwi koo bi")
cat (or tiger) stance (also "goyang-i sohgi")
walking stance
horseback riding stance ("kima sohgi" in some styles)
fighting stance
sparring stance
ready stance (also "pyeonhi sohgi")
basic stance
middle stance
parallel stance
`L'-stance
fixed (lower-back) stance
diagonal stance
fixed balance (or bent knee) stance

koh ah sohgi
kyo cha sohgi
mo ah sohgi
joong-rib sohgi
dong yuk sohgi
cha yun sohgi
chagi sohgi
hahktari sohgi

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

crossed foot stance

`X'-stance
close stance
neutral stance
dynamic stance
natural stance
kicking stance
crane stance (also "ue bal sohgi")

Sparring
kyorugi
han bun kyorugi
doo bun kyorugi
sae bun kyorugi
bahn ja yu kyorugi
machu oh kyorugi
jeon
shihap
jeum
shi gan
keum bahk
kyong go
gam jeum
shil kyuk
boo sang
seung
bi kim
chung
hong
hin
jajun bahl
nachugi

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

(free) sparring
one step sparring
two step sparring
three step sparring
semi free sparring
arranged free sparring
round (competition segment)
bout or match
point
time out
out of bounds
warning
deduction of point
disqualification
injury
win
tie
blue
red
white
use of footwork to dodge a technique
body evasion by "ducking"

Forms
poomse
tul

: form (pronounced "poom-say"), also "hyung"

: patterns

jang
yung seuk
sa bang hyang

: similar to a page or a chapter

: combination
: four direction

Uniform
dhee
dobok
ha'i

:
:
:

belt
uniform
training pants

Equipment
hogoo
sahn boho jang kap
pahlmahk bohodae
jung kang yi bohodae
nang shim bohodae
muh ree bohodae
eep bohodae

:
:
:
:
:
:
:

chest protector (also "bohogoo")

protective gloves
forearm guard
shin guard
groin cup
protective head gear
mouth guard

Commands
cha ryuht
choon bi
bah ro
dwi uro dorah
dorah
elosoh
gomahn
geuk gi hyang ha yoh
jwa woo hyang woo
sah bum nim keh
sun bae nim keh
simsa kwan nim keh
dobok dahnjung
dhee dahnjung
hai sahn

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

attention
ready
return to starting position
about face
turn
stand
stop (also "mum cho")
face the flag
face each other
face instructor/master
face senior student
face examiner/tester
fix your uniform
fix your belt
class dismissed (also "hae cho")

jonglee
kyung nae
ahnjoe
kool o angi
bah ro angi
bahl bah kwah
koo ryung op see
seijak
shiuh
kalyeo
kae sok

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

line up (also "ji hap" and "jung yul")

bow
sit
kneel (kneeling)
sit in lotus position (yoga posture)
switch your stance (switch your feet)
in your own time
begin
relax
break (or stop)
continue

Titles
do joo nim
kwan jang nim
chung sah nim
sah bum nim

:
:
:
:

sah boo nim

kyo sah nim

sun bae nim
hu bae nim
hak saeng
suryun saeng
jeja
joo sim
bu sim
bae sim
kae sim
ki rohk

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

founder (of the art)

grandmaster
chief instructor (or "chief master")
instructor (or "master")
more intimate and respectful form of "sah bum nim"; literally "teaching
father"
teacher (also "seon saeng nim")
senior student
junior student
student
trainee
pupil
referee
judge
juror
time keeper
recorder

Miscellaneous
dojang
gong-kyok
hosinsool
mukyum
kihap

:
:
:
:
:

place where one trains (house of discipline)

offense
self-defense
meditation
yell

jung shin yuk

jung shin dong il
jung shin soo yang
jung do
sim shin dahn ryun
chung myung kwon
chi shik
heng dong
pil seung
il sok pil sai
ho hyoop
shim ho hyoop
himm
ki
dahnjun
bokboo
choong sim
chojum
jeung ga
kyuk pa
shibum
pyugi
ye jol
jon gyung
choong sung
jung jhik
kahjok

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

mental strength, or martial art spirit (also "moodo jung shin")

concentration of the mind
development (training) of the mind
the "right" way (correctness of action)
mind and body discipline
development (training) of the body, mind, and spirit
knowledge of mind and thoughts
execution (action) of the body and its techniques
certain victory
one strike must kill
breathing
breathing control (deep breathing)
force or power
life-energy
the center of your "ki"
the stomach area where "ki" is generated.
center of gravity
focus (focal point) of your energy
increase (to strengthen or augment)
breaking (the art of breaking boards, bricks, and tiles)
demonstration (or exhibition)
stretching
etiquette
respect
loyalty (also "eui ri")
honesty
family