CZECH TAEKWON-DO ITF FEDERATION

Taekwon-Do ITF - basic information

When, in April 1955 a Korean general, Choi Hong Hi officially presented to the public for the first time a modern combat virtu focused on defensive movements, called Taekwon-do, nobody anticipated how popular such a sport would become several years later. Nowadays, only forty-four years later after its beginning, Taekwon-do is practiced by over 100 million people all over the world. Eventhough almost everybody has encountered Taekwon-Do (either at exhibitions, sports contests, or in many films), the public does not know it too well. That is the reason why we have decided to introduce the sport to you a little further.

The purpose of Taekwon-do was to create a highly effective combat virtu of self-defence, which could be used in present times, contemporary 20th century, and which could be learned by anybody (in the frame of individual abilities, of course). No less important in the element of training is also the aspect of moral principles, leading a person towards being more honest, polite, persistant, self-confident, etc.. A typical sign of modern Taekwon-do is its large nature, proficient footwork, speed, dexterity, and, therefore, there is no surprise that in many out-of-Asia countries, such as the United States or Poland, Taekwon-do is more popular than any other combat virtu.

Among the main advantages of teaching Taekwon-do is its integrated and proficient composition, which enables one the possibility to improve techniques over several years, or even one's entire life. The basic element of learning is to learn basic techniques. If we consider that in a 15-volume encyclopedia of Taekwon-do, over 3,300 different effective techniques are precisely described; one can say that one can dedicate one's entire life to learning them. Upon mastering a certain group of basic techniques, such techniques are then joined into formations, the so called Tuls. There are 24 Tuls which are divided according to difficulty. For many people, the most attractive part of Taekwon-do is learning free combat. Elaborated systems of exercises are precisely divided into several phases, in which each phase teaches a specific nature, required for real combat (e.g. practicing of the effective distance between opponents, combination of individual techniques, proficient defence, hard end of combat, etc.). Since in a simulated combat hard technique can not be used, as it might result in serious injuries for trainees, there is a special form of teaching - the so called Wirok (active break), in which everybody can fully experience their force and technique. For example, at exhibitions, one can watch the breaking of 5 cm thick wooden boards, 10 roofing tiles in one hit, breaking bricks or ice pieces, or breaking boards with finger tips, etc.

A top form of teaching Taekwon-do is the self defence method of Hosin Sul. Eventhough there is a large number of Taekwon-do trainees, there are only a few who can proudly say that they have mastered such a part of the learning.

The sense of teaching is to prepare a trainee to be able to defend themselves any time and anywhere against one, or even more, aggressors, including those armed. Moreover, the entire form of self defense should be performed with the use of reflex, without prior preparation, or awareness. Among other, no less important parts of teaching, is muscle development and hardening, increasing joint flexibility, practicing speed and dexterity (at special breaking techniques one jumps over 2.5 meters, where at the highest point, a wooden board is broken). Teaching theory is also important - technical, moral, and ethical, which teaches one to support the truth and justice.

At the beginning, Tae-kwon-do was introduced as an army combat technique. Nowadays it is possible to practice it in the civilian International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF). Such an organization provides toward their members Taekwon-do teaching all over the world (with help from its international trainers), development of techniques of trainees (among ITF, there are ten "Kups", student color grades and nine "Dans", master black grades) and also arranges plenty of international seminars and Taekwon-Do championships, including the official World Championship.

Taekwon-Do has been practiced in the Czech Republic since 1987, and nowadays, all Czech Taekwon-Do ITF trainees are associated with the Czech Taekwon-Do Federation ITF (address: Zátopkova 100/2, P.S. 40, Prague 6 - Strahov, 160 17, tel.: +420 257 224 209, http://www.taekwondo.cz) at more than 30 registered schools. Teaching supervision in the Czech Republic is provided by Korean master Hwang Ho Yong (8th Degree) since 1987, who as the only one in the Czech Republic, is entitled to award technique degrees to trainees.

Recently, the first trainees in the Czech Republic were awarded with 5 Degree, which is, presenty, the highest achieved grade awarded in the Czech Republic. Therefore, since 1992, the Czech Republic has had its own highly successful Taekwon-Do ITF representatives (i.e. Jaromír Michl - World Champion T-KI (1999 Argentina,2003 Greece, 2005 Australia); Radka Dlouhá (Heydušková) - 1994 World Champion in matsogi, Malaya; Jan Mraček, Michal Košátko - 2005 World Champions in matsogi, Australia; Jiří Hovorka - our first Junior World Champion in matsogi, 1995 Poland. Taekwon-Do ITF belongs along with other very successful sports in the Czech Republic and there has been dedicated special care toward future representatives and gifted trainees. Due to its success, Czech Taekwon-Do ITF has entered the top of the world's best in Taekwon-Do and has gained the respect of the entire world (during the latest European Championship in Italy, the Czech Republic was awarded with 9 gold medals and achieved the silver position in Europe). A considerable degree of respect and admiration is deserved by the master Hwang Ho Yong, who is well recognized and well belongs among the best Taekwon-Do ITF trainers in the world.

Czech Taekwon-Do Federation ITF presents its plentiful activities in magazines specialized in battle combat - The Fighter's Magazine, The ATTACK magazine, BUDO journal, and above all, on its Internet pages at: http://www.taekwondo.cz , where the Bulletin Ceskeho svazu Taekwon-Do ITF (Bulletin of the Czech Taekwon-Do Federation ITF) is presented. A new issue is issued every two months and is available in electronic version (in Czech).