Tae Kwon Do
Translation: "The Art of Hand and Foot"
Country of Origin: Korea
Created: 1955

Probably the best known and most popular of the Korean martial arts Tae Kwon Do is renowned for it spectacular kicking techniques. A skilled practitioner will have in his/her arsenal a range of jumping and spinning techniques and will think nothing of kicking above their own head height. It makes life easier if you're naturally flexible and have long legs! The Japanese occupied Korea in the early 20th century and banned the practice of all of the already existing Korean martial arts. Karate and Kempo, being Japanese, where permitted and Tae Kwon Do has strong influences from these two martial arts. In fact the Americans called it Korean Karate when if first hit the US. (Perhaps it was too hard to remember more than one martial art). Grand Master General Choi Hong Hi is generally noted as being the creator of Tae Kwon Do. The Korean government officially sponsored Tae Kwon Do in an attempt to increase the feeling of national identity after the Japanese occupation had finished. They did a very good job because in less than 50 years it has become an international sport and made it into the Olympic games. Ironically enough General Choi is nothing to do with the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) which is the association that takes part in the Olympics. He runs the International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF). It is common for Tae Kwon Do to be written Taekwon-Do, Tae Kwondo, Taekwondo or even apparently T'aegwondo.