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by PanikLIji on December 14th, 2008

PanikLIji

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I've been practicing taekwondo for 6 years now, but I only came across very few throws, which our teacher thaught us as "self defense". Are throws part of taekwondo? (please don't just answer yes or no, gimme detail please.)

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Answers. 5 helpful answers below.

  • by Takei-Shihan on December 14th, 2008

    Takei-Shihan

    ... both yes and no ... technically speaking, TKD is a striking game with no throws allowed in formal tournaments ... TKD was created so Korean soldiers would have a way to practice and train without killing each other ... TKD has many rules, and grabs and throws are "ruled out" ... but if you look at the three main Korean martial arts that make up the foundation for TKD, you will see vast numbers of grabs, throws, leg attacks, and all sorts of take downs, and TKD does contain the essence and basics of these three arts ... Hapkido, Hwrangdo, and Tangsoodo are Korean martial arts designed for war, and their many throws and grapples are quite brutal, usually resulting in spine or neck breaking, with "arm drag" types of throws almost always destroying the arm that was grabbed as well.

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  • by MrJosh on February 24th, 2009

    MrJosh

    In my experience (9+ years of TKD) the focus is on kicking and striking. Throws, grabs and joint locks are part of the package, but they are not the focus. If you really understand what the moves in your forms are, you will find some grabs and joint locks (I can't say I know any throws in TKD forms).

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  • by Bull wears a COAT of many colours on December 14th, 2008

    Bull wears a COAT of many colours

    Takei-Shihan has given a very good breakdown. If you study the forms (Japanese Karate calls them "kata") you will find instances of other moves than punching or kicking such as throws and joint manuevering.

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  • by Master Instructor on April 7th, 2011

    Master Instructor

    Yes, there are throws, take-downs, and grappling as part of the complete, genuine Taekwondo curriculum. Taekwondo was created in Korea as a combination of ancient Korean fighting techniques, tactics, and philosophies, combined with modern influences from both China and Japan. It was officially named in 1955, and the various Kwan (family of annexed schools) in Korea after the liberation from Japanese occupation at the end of WWII, were united to form the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) in 1961.

    Some of the original Korean Kwans were practicing variations of Japanese judo (yudo), and Aikido (Hapkido). Although the Shotokan Karate influence gets the most attention because of the concept of borrowing forms (kata/hyeon/tul/pumsae), the reality is that Taekwondo is supposed to contain all aspects of unarmed self defense. In Taekwondo, the kicks are placed at the forefront, being the primary weapon, with other striking tools (hand, elbows, knees, etc.) being supplementary. The joint locks and manipulations, along with foot sweeps, leg reaps, hip throws and flips have always been a part of Taekwondo's curriculum as combined with the unification of the Kwans.

    However, Taekwondo's tactical preference for striking means that we do not grapple in exactly the same way as a wrestler, judo player, or jujutsu practitioner. We learn ways to nullify their tactics, and use controls of our own to survive on the ground, but we tend to prefer to find opportunities to strike to injure, disable, or destroy the target, and then return quickly to a safe distance, and on our feet where we can face multiple attackers if necessary. The first book written on the subject of Korean "Taekwond-Do art of self defense" was by General Hong-Hi Choi (Korean edition circa 1959; English edition in 1965). In his text, Choi specifically addresses the importance of grappling skills for the Taekwondo student.

    Forms practice show little of this, but forms are not the complete package of Taekwondo training. There are one-steps that typically contain take-downs and throws, and hohsinsul, hapkido, and yudo practice that 'should' be included in Taekwondo training. Unfortunately, many schools and instructors have had little of the complete and authentic training in genuine Korean Taekwondo, therefore they limit their instruction to the common practice of kicking and punching. I am a 6th Dan, and have been teaching Taekwondo for 33 years. I teach the full curriculum, including throws and grappling from a Taekwondo tactical perspective.

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  • by Master Instructor on April 7th, 2011

    Master Instructor

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