HISTORY OF TAE KWON DO
Taek-Kyon is the ancient name of Tae Kwon Do. It was practiced in the Silla Dynasty 1,350 years ago.
Originally, Silla possessed the smallest territory in Korea and was meeting constant harassment and invasions from Koguryo in the North and Bakjae in the west. King Chin Hung, in his 37th year of rein, called up the strong, patriotic youths and formed a military organization under General Kim Yu-Sin, called the Hwarang-Do. In 668 AD all territories were unified. During the Yi Dynasty, this sort of valor was humiliated in Korea while the literary arts were encouraged
(1393-1910).
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, the hand techniques were introduced and combined with extensive Korean foot techniques. After the liberation, there was a movement to find the “real” name for this Korean martial art. In 1955, a special board of Tae Kwon Do masters, historians, and prominent leaders were formed. The term “Tae Kwon Do” was unanimously accepted. As of today, Tae Kwon Do is known throughout the world, and is now one of only two martial arts that has become a sport in the World Olympic Games.
About General Choi, Hong Hi
The history of Tae Kwon Do would not be complete without the mention of General Choi, Hong Hi, better known as the “Father of Tae Kwon Do.” General Choi was born on November 9th, 1918 in Hwa Dae, better known now as D.P.R. of Korea. He was frail as a child and in concern for his welfare, his calligraphy teacher introduced him to Taek Kyon, (the ancient Korean art of foot fighting). In 1937, he was later sent to Japan to continue his education, where he also took the opportunity to study Karate. After WW II, Korea was liberated from the Japanese and General Choi became a founding member of the South Korean Armed Forces. Feeling that Korea needed its own martial art that would be more refined or superior of other martial arts, he
began teaching what was later to be termed “Tae Kwon Do,” to the Korean soldiers as well as the American soldiers who were stationed there.
In 1949, Choi, now promoted to colonel, visited the United States for the first time to attend the Fort Riley Ground General School, where he introduced Tae Kwon Do to the American Public. Choi later was promoted to “major general” and in 1955, Tea Kwon Do was formally recognized as a Korean martial art. On April 11 of that same year, General Choi decided on the name of Tae Kwon Do. In the years to come, General Choi, along with many instructors, began a sweep of demonstrations, courses, and training of Tae Kwon Do to the nations of the world, including among them Vietnam, Malaysia, United States, West Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Arab Republic of Egypt. Thus, International Tea Kwon Do Federation, also known as ITF was formed on March 22, 1966. General Choi, Hong Hi, the founder of Tae Kwon Do and President of the International Tae Kwon Do Federation, died of cancer on June 15th, 2002.
The info presented on this portion of the website is for educational purposes only. The following sources where used, but no limited, to research the previous information:
The Origins and Development Of The Martial Arts: The Encyclopedia of Taekwondo
ITF Information: Tae Kwon Do: The Korean Art of Self Defense
Master Pennison (right) with General Choi (left)
Eclipse Tae Kwon Do History
Eclipse Tae Kwon Do was originally established in Brenham by Master Pennison in 1992 at the Old Pacific Train Depot where it still resides today. Began originally as Unified Tae Kwon Do, we strive to continue teaching traditional Tae Kwon Do as it was established many years ago.We continue to train with distinct detail of each technique, from proper stances for balance to the physics involved in executing each punch and kick. We continue to train with ITF (International Taekwondo Federation) forms and methods so that our students can continue to practice at their leisure outside of the do-jang.
The class structure will resume to integrate drills and numerous exercises with training, as well as self-defense techniques and their properties. Sparring is also another component for Tae Kwon Do training in which we have expanded to include the competition styles. While “point sparring” is more controlled and places more emphasis on precision, rather than excessive contact, the “Olympic sparring,” (full-contact sparring) is a sport that is fast paced and more intense. When sparring in “regular” classes, we place more emphasis on proper techniques that are characteristic of point sparring, which includes balance, timing, execution, and focus. We have reserved additional classes for full-contact sparring for those who like additional practice with endurance, speed, and timing. Full contact-competitional sparring is by no means required for Tea Kwon Do training, however, regular sparring is a useful tool for testing one’s abilities and is encouraged to participate in point sparring tournaments to test their skills in a different environment. Sparring has always been a favorite pastime to challenge ourselves even further.
At the present, Eclipse Tae Kwon Do has eight schools here in Texas, including locations in Bellville, East Bernard, and Eagle Lake. We are locally and nationally known competitively and we sponsor our own tournaments annually. We are actively competing in both Olympic and Point style sparring in AAU tournaments and have been participating in the national level for over six years. We also compete in open style tournaments and still expanding our tournament experience.