The Art Of Taekwondo
What Is Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is a martial art which is also practised as a sport.
As a sport, for safety reasons, certain aspects of Taekwondo are excluded by the rules governing the sport’s contest.
As a martial art nothing is excluded from its devastating arsenal but there is an expectation that the practitioner will adhere to a strict moral code of conduct which forms the foundation of the art.
What is a Martial Art?
A martial art is a military skill. These skills are predominantly developed for the purpose of warfare or hostile occupation. One indispensable skill, falling within this category, is any system of unarmed combat such as Taekwondo.
The relevance of a Martial Art
In this day and age a system of unarmed combat against either an armed or an unarmed adversary is still extremely relevant even though most people do not walk around openly carrying weapons.
Taekwondo may be divided into 3 major categories relevant to today’s society. They are :-
(a) SELF DEFENCE is only one benefit of a martial art. Indeed, learning how to make a decision where there is an apprehension of violence, comes at least half way to defending ones self or others. What then remains is the ability to utilise and apply confidently the skills you have developed to address a situation ;
(b) SPORT is another benefit which keeps self defence skills alive and allows you to practice them in a safe and realistic setting. In addition, the sports format also provides a comprehensive fitness and exercising regime which produces a huge number of other benefits as well as the opportunity to compete in relative safety ;
(c) ART is indispensable to human development and happiness. When you make the techniques you are taught an art form, a huge amount of self satisfaction is generated through the development of your unique sense of style and achievement. This is supported and recognised by an inbuilt system of promotion making progress and achievement in the art tangible.
To get the full benefit of what Taekwondo can offer you need the guidance of a good instructor and the additional assistance of the Wyllie system.
The Core Concept of Taekwondo
At the centre of any efficient system of unarmed combat is the ability to :-
(a) produce superhuman power on demand ;
(b) apply it with precision ;
(c) from a position of balance ;
(d) with lightning speed
The system must be designed to make this a reality not just a dream.
The Wyllie system of Taekwondo is designed so that practitioners can achieve this level as a realistic expectation by the time they reach the Dan grade levels. To maintain and refine this core skill and further extend it to more techniques, requires constant practice.
The Main Focus of Taekwondo
Unlike most martial arts Taekwondo is not limited to a system of self defence whose techniques are only initiated by an adversary’s attack. Taekwondo includes aggressive techniques because sometimes the best form of defence is attack.
In being so expansive it opens vast strategic areas not available in other systems of unarmed combat. This is due to the huge advantage of fighting from a longer distance, in addition to the shorter fighting distances as seen in most other systems such as boxing and wrestling.
As a result, the kicks which utilise the body’s longest limbs draw the art’s main focus and within the Wyllie system the 2 shorter fighting distances are certainly not forgotten.
Domination through strategy
Taekwondo is recognised as the only long distance unarmed martial art because the techniques and strategies of Taekwondo exponents commence from a long distance away from their opponent’s reach.
Having developed an armoury of techniques capable of being launched from a long distance STRATEGY becomes Taekwondo’s second FOCUS. This additional long distance aspect distinguishes the Taekwondo practitioner as it enhances strategic domination.
Creation of a multi dimensional defence system
With the most powerful and fastest techniques for every fighting distance blocking has all but become obsolete because a blocking arm is in real danger of being broken if it absorbs the full force of a Taekwondo strike.
Whilst at certain fighting distances the block is still effective new defensive techniques such as deflecting, evasion through body shift, lateral movements and counter attacks have in many instances replaced the block and attack strategy.
What is important is that there is more than one strategy and more than one direction of movement which is not seen in other martial arts and which gives Taekwondo a significant edge.
This has been brought about by the most modern developments in Taekwondo through the use of the sports format which has created an immense increase in SPEED and POWER.
The speed of Taekwondo techniques was fully realised in the Sydney Olympics when spectators complained of not being able to properly see and appreciate kicks because of their incredible speed. Initially, it was thought that as a result their impact would not be significant until players were forced to withdraw with broken arms and legs due to failing to properly secure their protective gear.
Outside basic technique development
The core concept of Taekwondo is at the centre of all aspects of Taekwondo training. There are many different aspects of Wyllie Taekwondo all of which are important to developing a well rounded knowledge of this martial art. Basically the Wyllie system can be divided into 6 major areas of learning some of which are only undertaken by students who have reached the black belt level. They are :-
1. Competition
2. Self Defence (unarmed)
3. Form practice
4. Power delivery and destructions
5. Disarming armed opponents and weapons training
6. Take downs and grappling
Performing the art
Any one of these 6 areas may become an area of specialisation and performed in a demonstration of Taekwondo.
Performing is an integral part of any art and Taekwondo is no exception. In fact, performing facilitates refinement of technique which the student demonstrates in promotion tests known as gradings. Grading is at the centre of Taekwondo for a number of reasons some of which are set out in the following paragraphs.
The need for a system of recognition of the Level of Ability
Students progressing through other sports are not informed when they have reached a particular level of ability. Only competition winners are distinguished and the others are left to work out their own level of ability.
In Taekwondo not knowing someone’s level of ability may cause problems and SAFETY must be given greater attention because of the potential danger in both training and competition. This is one of the reasons everyone is required to be graded and display their level of ability in the colour of the belt they wear.
After all, there is very little damage anyone can do with a swimming stroke or even a tennis racket except to a competitor’s ego.
The Belt system of promotion
Under the Wyllie system of training GRADING has other very significant aspects crucial to the student’s development which make it, and the “Grading examination”, indispensable.
RECOGNITION OF ABILITY from a testing procedure that recognises everyone that reaches a certain level is essential. Competition distinguishes only the winner from a random group all of whom may have reached that certain level. Winning or losing is not a comprehensive test of skill levels eg if 10 famous international athletes compete one will win but this does not mean the other 9 have not yet reached a certain level of ability.
TANGIBLE POSITIVE REINFORCENMENT is required for goal achievement. There is an alternative system of testing and recognition for those who choose not to compete in formal sport competition as it, alone, can not comprehensively test all aspects of a martial art. The grading syllabus sets out clear objective criteria which need to be met for each belt level. Once reached promotion follows.
The elementary course consists of 10 grading examinations each of which are capable of being passed every 3 months.
Formal sparring competitions in Taekwondo are only open to black belts. The Wyllie academy pioneered and conducts modified rules competitions for school children because they are very safe and a lot of fun. They also serve to ease students into the black belt tournaments should they desire to pursue an Olympic career.
The Grading Examination
The grading examination is at the heart of Taekwondo because it trains the student, when under pressure, to develop calm and rational thought processes into effective split second strategy decisions.
The main AIM of the grading examination is to get students to perform under pressure as they venture OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE. Through this simple and safe method a student learns how NOT to be ruled by fear, shock and panic.
Developing the ability to work outside one’s comfort zone, is a valuable life skill useful to any endeavour or situation, which can easily be learned through the Wyllie system of Taekwondo at any age.
The 5 Tenets of Taekwondo
Taekwondo is built on :
COURTESY
PERSEVERANCE
INTEGRITY
INDOMITABLE SPIRIT
SELF CONTROL
These should be present in every aspect a student’s training, competition or performance of the art of Taekwondo. They develop a protocol for students which provides a safe and enjoyable training environment.
Additional Benefits of the Wyllie system of Taekwondo
There is a huge number of collateral or additional benefits which emerge from practising the Wyllie system of Taekwondo.
Here are just a few :
1. Developing flexibility, fitness and body strength ;
2. Training co ordination and reflexes ;
3. Understanding the value of developing and controlling intensity ;
4. Improving your ability in other sports ;
5. Training powers of concentration and strategic planning ;
6. Enhancing confidence by learning how to work outside your comfort zone ;
7. Understanding and benefiting from self control and working within a code of conduct ;
8. Reaping the benefits of achieving tangible goals.
Most importantly, having fun while you achieve all this and more in a relaxed environment.