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Information for Beginners Starting Tae Kwon Do Lessons

June 11, 2008

“A Brief Description and History of Tae Kwon Do”

Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art known for its flying and spinning kicks. The name comes from the Korean words tae (foot, or kick), kwon (fist, or punch), and do (art, or way of life) and literally means “the art of hand and foot fighting.”

Students learn the fundamentals of Tae Kwon Do through choreographed sequences of combative moves, the breaking of boards or other materials, and two-person controlled sparring.

They also receive instruction in principles such as courtesy, integrity, perseverance, and self-control. Practitioners wear a white, loose-fitting uniform known as a do bok, tied at the waist with a colored belt that indicates rank. The ranking system is divided into twelve kup (pupil) levels and nine dan (black belt, or expert) levels.

At competitions, participants are judged by how well they perform the choreographed sequences, by their accuracy in breaking boards, and by their skill in sparring contests.

The roots of Tae Kwon Do go back thousands of years. In 1955 a number of similar schools of martial arts were merged, and the resulting style was named Tae Kwon Do. An important figure in this effort was Choi Hong Hi, a Korean general who worked to combine a traditional Korean foot-fighting technique called Tae Kyon with Japanese karate. General Choi established the International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF) in 1966.

Another organization, the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF), was created in 1973. The WTF gradually became recognized as the leading international organization for Tae Kwon Do, and under its guidance Tae Kwon Do became an official medal sport at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

“What you will learn in Tae Kwon Do Classes”

Although schools can differ greatly in how their curriculum is set up, most traditional schools follow a similar format.

In Tae Kwon Do classes at my school, for example, you will learn exercises that improve your coordination, balance, and flexibility. In addition, you’ll learn self defense skills along with numerous foot and hand techniques that are typical of traditional Tae Kwon Do.

You will also learn the traditional values that are taught in Tae Kwon Do… respect, self control, and perseverance. This combination of physical skill with the mental discipline found in Tae Kwon Do creates a person with high self esteem and increased confidence that everyone around you will notice.

“What to Expect on Your First Day of Tae Kwon Do Classes”

On your first day at our school you can expect everyone to be friendly and helpful. You can expect to be nervous… this is a normal feeling that everyone goes through.

The instructors and higher ranked students will help you and answer any questions that you may have. Whether you can believe it or not, we are all human and we have all been there when we first started classes.

Typically, you will start out with the basic movements and progress quickly to more advanced moves. We start new students off with a basic front kick and middle punch.

Once you have repeated these techniques several times, if you understand and execute them correctly we move on to the next step… this way we build on what you have learned and over time everything you do improves and becomes easier to do and understand.

“Required Equipment”

Sparring gear consisting of

  • Head gear
  • Foot gear
  • Hand gear
  • Chest protector
  • Groin cup for males
  • Mouth piece

“Expected Training Costs”

The expected training costs will depend on which program you choose to enroll in. In our school, it starts with a basic program and upgrades are available (too many to list here).

Basic program

  • $87 per month, annual membership fee $60 and Bi-monthly test fee of $45

This does not include uniforms, protectors, patches, etc… but it is fairly typical of most Tae Kwon Do schools around the country. Expect to pay between $80 and $120 USD per month as a beginner in the typical school.
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About the author: Master Jerry Taylor has been practicing Tae Kwon Do since 1979 and has been a school owner since 1982. Master Taylor is a 7th Degree Black Belt certified through the World Tae Kwon Do Federation and is a successful tournament promoter as well. He teaches at his martial arts school in Madison and Osgood Indiana, and can be reached at his website, MartialArtsMadision.com.

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