What are some of the basics about Tae Kwon Do?

Freedom Tae Kwon Do Policies

1. Please arrive promptly to class in order to avoid missing warm-ups;

2. ALL CHECKS must be paid to Freedom Tae Kwon Do. No refunds, no make-ups, no time extensions. Payments are due the first week of the month;

3. Drop in Classes are $12.00 per class, payable at the time of class;

4. All children and Adults who are not members of Spa Fitness must get a hand stamp at the Front Desk before class begins;

5. For children's classes all parents must be available to pick up child(ren) 5 minutes prior to the end of class;

NOTE: Monthly payment will be due regardless of attendance to save your spot in the class (Please notify the instructor if discontinuing classes.)

Basic Instructional Information: Children's Classes

Level 1 (Beginning) Tae Kwon Do Ages 5-10: An introductory class based on the principles of Tae Kwon Do. Students will learn basic stretches, blocks, self defense, respect and Tae Kwon Do terms that will prepare them for Intermediate advancement.

Level 2 (Intermediate) Tae Kwon Do Ages 6-12: Main focus in class is to teach students proper technique for belt advancement. Students learn one on one principals in fighting, block techniques, self defense and forms. This class will prepare students for Advanced Class and the right direction for their black belt.

Level 3 (Advanced) Tae Kwon Do Ages 8 & Up: Main focus in class is advanced blocks, jumping and spinning kicks. Advanced hand work for punching set ups. This class is focused on higher level of fighting, self defense and take downs. This class is for higher level belts only. Some exceptions may apply, based on the instructors determination.

Classes will meet at scheduled times.

Easter Sunday, July 4th, two week holiday break between Christmas and New Year's.

Additional Holidays may be observed and will be posted in advance.

Please Call Augie Gonzalez if you have any questions. 831-254-6292

What is Tae Kwon Do?

Taekwondo (also spelled tae kwon do or taekwon-do) is a martial art originating in Korea. Having become one of the most widely practiced martial arts in the world, it is the national sport of Korea and one form of sparring, shihap kyeorugi, is an Olympic sporting event. In Korean, derived from hanja, tae (跆) means to kick or strike with the foot"; kwon (拳) means "fist or to strike with the hand"; and do (道) means "way". Hence, taekwondo is loosely translated as "the way of the foot and hand". Taekwondo's popularity has resulted in the divergent evolution of the martial art. As with many other martial arts, taekwondo is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment, and philosophy. Although there are great doctrinal and technical differences among public and private taekwondo organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, using the leg's greater reach and power to disable the opponent from a distance. In sparring, turning (roundhouse), 45 degree, front, axe, reverse turning and side kicks are most often used; advanced kicks include jump, spin, and skip kicks, often in combination. Taekwondo training also includes a comprehensive system of blocks, punches, open-handed strikes, various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and some joint locks.

What are some of the basics about Tae Kwon Do?

Taekwondo is famed for its employment of kicking techniques, which distinguishes it from martial arts such as karate or certain southern styles of kung fu. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without retaliation successfully. Taekwondo as a sport and exercise is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. Physically, taekwondo develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of boards, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and the concentration to focus one's strength. Stretching to increase flexibility is an important aspect of Taekwondo training.Although each taekwondo club or school will be different, a taekwondo student can typically expect to take part in most or all of the following: Learning the techniques and curriculum of taekwondo Both anerobic and aerobic workout, including stretching Self-defense techniques Poomse, or patterns (also called forms) -- either tul, hyung, palgwe, or taeguk Kyorugi (Sparring), including 3,2 and 1 step-sparring and/or free-style, arranged, point, hoshinsul and much more Relaxation exercises Breaking (using techniques to break boards for testing, training & martial arts demonstrations) Exams to progress to the next rank A focus on mental & ethical discipline, justice, etiquette, respect, and self confidence. Some of the best-known taekwondo techniques include: Front Kick (Ap chagi): This is a very linear kick. The practitioner raises their knee to their waist, pulls their toes back and quickly extends their foot at an opponent. It is also known as the snap kick. The front kick is one of the first kicks learned in TKD, if mastered it can become one of the most powerful. Example of Front Kick Side Kick (Yup chagi): A very powerful kick, first the practitioner raises his knee, rotates their body 90 degrees, extend their leg striking with the side or heel of their foot. Example of Side Kick Roundhouse Kick or Turning Kick (Ap dol-lyuh chagi or Dol-lyuh chagi): The practitioner raises their knee, turns their hips, and extends the kick horizontally, into their target at a 90 degree angle. Example of Round House Kick Hook Kick (Hoo-ryuh chagi): A less popular kick traditionally, it has found increasing favor in modern competitions. The practitioner raises the knee in a fashion similar to the roundhouse kick, then extends the foot in a dorsal arc (would be clock-wise for the right foot) with the heel as the intended striking weapon. Axe Kick (Nae-ryuh Chagi): Another kick that has increased in popularity due to sparring competitions. The knee is raised in front of the body, the leg then extended and pulled down with the heel pointed downward. It is typically targeted toward the head or shoulders and requires significant flexibility to employ effectively. Due to the way that the Axe Kick is set up it requires the attacker to be within 1 to 2 feet of the opponent to land an effective blow on the shoulders or head. Example of Axe Kick Crescent Kick (Ban-dal Chagi): There are two variations of this kick; outer crescent and the inner crescent. In outer, the practitioner raises the extended leg as high as they can, and slightly up across the body, (a bit across the centerline of the body), then sweeping outward to the side, in a circular movement. For the inner, the motions are the same but the direction of the kick changes, this time originating from the outside of the body, heading towards the inside, or centerline of the body. Spin Kicks (Bande dol lyuh chagi): There are a number of spinning kicks that involve the rotation of the entire body and head, before the kick is released. Spinning kicks include the back pivot kick (dweel cha kee), spinning hook kick (dweel hoorye cha kee), spinning axe kick, returning kick, 360 turning kick, and a number of other kicks of varying popularity. Example of Spin Kick Jump Kicks (Ttwi-uh chagi): There are also a number of kicks that involve jumping before their execution. These include jumping front kick (ee dan ap cha kee), jumping side kick (ee dan yop cha kee), flying side kick, jump roundhouse (ee dan dol ryu cha kee) jump spinning hook kick, butterfly kick or "shuffle jump kick," jumping (or counter) back kick, and jump spinning side kick. Advanced Kicks : There are variety of kicks that can be used in combination or stem out from a simple kick to create more difficult ones. Some of these include 540 Kick (One spins 1 1/2 times in mid-air and does a kick, usually back spinning hook kick) and Triple Aero Kicks (One does round house kick, back spinning hook kick, and another round house kick in mid-air). More of these Advanced Kicks can be seen here Some taekwondo instructors also incorporate the use of pressure points, known as ji ap sul as well as grabbing self-defense techniques borrowed from other martial arts, such as Hapkido and Judo.