Taekwondo

Tae kwon do, Korean art of unarmed combat that is based on the earlier form of Korean self-defense known as tae kyon and on karate. Tae kwon do is characterized by the extensive use of high standing and jump kicks as well as punches and is practiced for sport, self-defense, and spiritual development. Training in tae kwon do is carried out by learning individual techniques of kicking, punching, and blocking, which are practiced in combined series of techniques in traditional sets known as hyung. Students also practice basic sparring combinations; these are short, set sequences of attack and counter practiced between partners, after which the students may practice free sparring as opponents. In sparring, blows are stopped just short of contact. Tae kwon do is practiced as a sport by awarding points to correctly executed techniques during free sparring or by judging the quality of performed hyung.