Tae Kwon Do, the Korean art of unarmed fighting, has a long and proud history.  Its earliest roots have been traced back more than 2,000 years to 50 BC when artists of the time incorporated images of fighters using classic Tae Kwon Do techniques in their work.  Known in its earliest form as Taek Kyon, this fighting art has developed over the centuries since its creation until all of its branches were unified in the 1950s into the deadly self-defense system and immensely popular international sport that it is today.

Tae Kwon Do literally means "the way of the hand and foot."  But this is only the barest, most superficial definition of an intricate and complex art.  Certainly, Tae Kwon Do is a system of unarmed self-defense, in which the practitioner uses parts of his or her body as weapons.  Advanced level practitioners have the ability to shatter bone with a single kick or hand strike.  However, self-defense is only one aspect of our art.

During the Silla dynasty in Korea (AD 668 - AD 935), a group of traveling warriors known as the Hwarang were responsible for the spread of the system through out the country.  These nomadic warriors were not mere soldiers.  These were well-educated nobles dedicated to the highest moral ideals.  While Tae Kyon was incorporated into their basic education, the core of their learning was centered on Confucian philosophy and Buddhist morality.  In all things, their actions were guided by a set of principles known as the Five Codes of Human Conduct that stressed loyalty and justice as the central tenets of a moral life.  While very effective as a system of self-defense, this early form of Tae Kwon Do served mainly as a sport and recreational activity designed to improve the character of its practitioners.  Since that time, Tae Kwon Do has remained an art centered on personal growth and moral improvement.

Today, Tae Kwon Do has developed into not only a most effective method of weaponless self-defense, but it brings an intricate art, an exciting sport, and an energetic method of maintaining physical fitness.  Tremendous skill and control are required in Tae Kwon Do class.  While blocking, kicking, and punching techniques all contribute to making Tae Kwon Do one of the most exciting martial arts, its challenge lies in the adept use of these techniques with controlled physical contact.  Complete control over punching and kicking movements is imperative.

Tae Kwon Do remains not only a superior art of self-defense, but also a moral teaching tool.  Practicing Tae Kwon Do makes people feel generous in their attitudes towards other people.  They can equally stand against any opponent, but their code forbids unfair assaults or unnecessary use of force.  The practice of Tae Kwon Do also provides an individual with the mental attitude of modesty.  The virtues of modesty and generosity are fundamentally based on self-confidence.  Such mental and physical self-confidence are beneficial to the mental lives of practitioners as well as to their families, friends, neighbors, and nation.