Taekwon-Do the Korean art of self Defense, traces its toots back throught 1300 years of Korean history. In ancient times it was called "Tae Kyon", and primarily involved kickingtechniques. In later years, hand techniques were incorporated and the name "Taekwon-Do" was chosen.  

Tae refers to all foot techniques which include blocks,jumps,  strikes, thrusts and every possible use of the legs.

Kwon,the Korean word for fist,represents all blows, strikes or the  offensive absorption with the hand and arm., the Way or Path, is the same as that mentioned in the fundamental  philosophy of other Asian martial art forms.

DO is the key element - an intrinsic spiritual awareness and perceptiveness that should be integrated into ones way of life. It represents all the things which lead to maturing, success, and to learning experiences outside of the school.  Many people practice Taekwon-Do for its self-defense benefits, but it is also an art that is studied and appreciated for its beauty and grace in movement. Through strict discipline, Taekwon-Do trains both the body and mind placing great emphasis on the development of moral character.

Taekwondo's popularity has resulted in the varied development of the martial art into several domains: as with many other arts, it combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, meditation and philosophy. Taekwondo is also used by the South Korean military as part of its training.

Separate from the various taekwondo organizations, there have been two general branches of taekwondo development: traditional and sport. The term "traditional taekwondo" typically refers to the martial art as it was established in the 1950s and 1960s; in particular, the names and symbolism of the traditional patterns often refer to elements of Korean history. Sport taekwondo has evolved in the decades since then and has a somewhat different focus, especially in terms of its emphasis on sparring, whereas traditional taekwondo tends to emphasize speed, power and self-defense.

Traditional Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks.