The Korean fighter's guide to tae kwon do and other martial arts

Shape up, meditate and protect your honor with a Korean-style wallop

By Max Kim

Now, doesn't that look fun? Competitive sport taek won do remains the world's favorite Korean martial art.

When it comes to tae kwon do and other traditional martial arts, thousands of people tend to fly around the world for the best training and competitions.

Some 20,000 visitors will be attending the American Taekwondo Association's 22nd annual World Championship conference in Arizona next week, while 2,000 athletes from 30 countries will be flying in to Korea for the World Taekwondo Culture Expo in the North Jeolla province in July.

The most spectacular tournaments will surely be at the London Olympics this August, for which Koreans have set the bar unnecessarily high for themselves by comparing failing to win gold medals in the sport as tantamount to treason.

For the best way to learn about the culture of honorable fighting, it's best to head to the motherland. Here's where to train and defend yourself like a true Korean martial arts guru.

Tae kwon do's just the beginning.

1. Tae kwon do (태권도)

Not all Korean women reinforce the stereotype -- some of them will kick it out of you.

The most distinguishing feature of tae kwon do is its emphasis on legwork, with swift, powerful kicks being heavily favored over punches or grabs.

It also embodies the ancient Korean warrior ethos in its foundational philosophy: nonviolence, honor, respect, modesty and the discipline of body and soul.

Tae kwon do is, unsurprisingly, Korea's national sport, as well as one of two Asian martial arts to become an official Olympic sport. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism estimated in 2009 that tae kwon do was practiced by 70 million people in 190 countries.

In addition to the obvious perk of shaping up, for anyone relatively new to Korea, tae kwon do can be a golden opportunity to organically get to know the language, (tae kwon do entails lots of vigorous shouting in Korean) as well make Korean friends.

Mooto Taekwondo Academy runs classes for all ages, teaching a well-rounded blend of traditional tae kwon do and the more hands-on competitive sport tae kwon do. The curriculum covers fundamental theory and its practical application, including breaking (bricks, wood or cinder blocks), sparring, pumsae (patterns and forms) and practical self-defense.

"Tae kwon do isn't just physical exercise," says Mooto instructor Young Ki Kwon. "There's a positive psychological element to it that peps up not only children but also adults worn out from a taxing work week."

With two spacious training studios, shower facilities and the best in gear, Mooto welcomes students of all levels and nationalities. Still undecided? Mooto Taekwondo Academy offers prospective trainees free trial lessons to get a feel for the sport.

3/F Beomsan Building, 97-3 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 서초구 반포동 97-3번지 범산빌딩 3층); +82 1544 9196; adult classes are held weekdays at 10:30 a.m., 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. for an hour. Prices and curricula are customized to accommodate individual schedules and needs and are available on direct inquiry.

2. Kumdo (검도)

This is the part where you try to stare your opponent down before making him eat bamboo.

Kumdo is a modern Korean martial art descended in the late 1800s from Japanese kendo (both terms, however, are mutual cognates meaning, "the way of the sword") and teaches swordsmanship in both mind and body. Since its inception, however, kumdo has diverged from kendo in many stylistic, technical and ritualistic aspects and has successfully established itself in its own right.

Master Jae-seung Jung of Myungmoodae Kumdo compares kendo and kumdo to water and fire, respectively, the Korean adaption being appreciably more dynamic and active in its offensive strategy than its Japanese precursor.

"Kendo has a distinctly sedate quality to it -- you wait until you find the right moment to attack," says Jung. "Kumdo, in comparison, is much more spirited and dynamic. If there isn't an opportunity, you create one."

Trainees begin practicing with jukdo (bamboo practice sword) and later practice various advanced forms with a mokgum (wooden sword) to gain a comprehensive understanding of both Kumdo theory and tradition. Rookies start at the five geup rank and work their way "up" (numerically down), and upon mastering the five junior ranks (geups), are encouraged to earn senior ranks (dans).

"My training philosophy is harmony and self-realization," says Master Jung. "Kumdo is not just about dominating your opponent. It's about self-discovery through physical and mental discipline."

4/F Young-soo Building, Sangdo 5-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 동작구 상도5동 영수빌딩 4층); +82 2 813 6878; 60-minute classes are held every weekday starting with the 6 a.m. session and ending with the 9 p.m. session. The monthly fee is ₩100,000. Equipment (dobok and jukdo) cost an additional one-time fee of ₩70,000.

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3. Choi Kwang Do (최광도)

Choi kwang do causes more peril to the crotch of your pants than your joints.

Choi kwang do is a relatively young martial art founded in 1987, with roots in tae kwon do but with a few noteworthy twists. Its founder Kwang Jo Choi, after receiving debilitating injuries from his career in tae kwon do, created a new martial art that emphasized meditation and discipline of the self over competition. Influenced in part by yoga and kinesiology, choi kwang do seeks to prevent joint damage or other potential injuries that are common in many striking martial arts.

Despite its current reputation in Korea as a harmless "well-being martial art," choi kwang do is nevertheless a full-contact sport that requires the extensive use of one's limbs. The key difference is that the motions are more fluid and optimized than in tae kwon do, alleviating the kinetic shock from a strike while maximizing the force of delivery.

Kwang is scheduled to conduct a seminar on choi kwang do on June 30 at KAIST in Daejeon.

And as he said at last year's seminar, "The theory of choi kwang do is naturalism based on the structure and physiology of the human body. As opposed to mysticism, it makes use of modern science."

Lee Yong-seok, master and instructor at Choi Kwang Do Hangang Dojang, added:. "Choi kwang do is both a self-defense martial art and a modernized meditation program for all ages and genders," says"And you don't have to worry about putting strain on your joints."

3F Hangang Hyundai Apartments Sang-ga, Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 동작구 흑석동 28번지 한강현대아파트상가 3층); +82 2 815 6102; Fees are ₩100,000 per month for hour-long classes three times a week. Adult classes begin at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

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