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AN INTRODUCTION TO TAEKWONDO

Welcome to the first in our series of blog entries introducing some of the most important global martial arts disciplines that we have available here at Bytomic. First up is a martial art that stems back thousands of years, born on the battlefields of ancient Korea - Taekwondo.

What is Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is one of the most storied and practiced Asian martial arts, with tens of millions of practitioners globally, and academies all over the world. However, it's much more than a martial art, it's a way of being, and a method for harmonising the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of daily life.

The word 'Taekwondo' is formed by three distinct parts, which greatly define the martial art itself. First, 'Tae' refers to kicking techniques; second 'Kwon' refers to punching techniques; and lastly, 'Do' translates closely to 'method' or 'way' (in much the same way it does in the Japanese words 'Kendo' - way of the sword and 'Dojo' - place of the way.) When placed together, you can loosely translate 'Taekwondo' as 'the way of the hands and feet'.

Modern Taekwondo - The balance between a martial art and sport.

Taekwondo in the 21st century is flourishing, and enjoys a huge global reach with a solidified spot in pop-culture. But it wasn't always plain sailing, and the artform itself was in danger of going extinct during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Although its scope and popularity was momentarily squashed, Korea's eventual independence, alongside efforts of Taekwondo masters to modernise and integrate aspects of Taekkyon, saw it popularised once more. In the 1970's, the world was captivated by by an actor from Hong Kong who utilised many techniques he had learned from his time training in Taekwondo. This actor became an overnight superstar upon his arrival in the US, and the name Bruce Lee resonates strongly with all of us today.

In 2000, Taekwondo was added as an official sport of the Summer Olympic Games in Australia, which was the culmination of its decades-long efforts to adapt the martial art to a competition style sports environment. Taekwondo in Britain saw its own surge in popularity after witnessing the heroics of Jade Jones take home gold, and GB's first Olympic medal in Taekwondo, at the London 2012 Games.

Find the essential Taekwondo equipment at Bytomic

The standard Taekwondo uniform consists of a dobok, or Taekwondo suit; a Taekwondo belt to represent rank; and a variety of specialised Taekwondo sparring gear.

If you're a Taekwondo instructor or Taekwondo retailer, you could be eligible for a trade account here with us at Bytomic. Benefit from wholesale trade discount prices and our wide range of official Taekwondo uniforms and protective gear. Don't hesitate to get in touch with our experienced team for guidance on how to apply for your trade account to get the very best Taekwondo equipment and Taekwondo uniforms at special wholesale prices.