Characterized by high-flying kicks and punches that easily shatter thick boards, Tae Kwon Do is one of the world's most popular martial arts and exhibition sports. This Korean system of self-defense offers its students improved cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, balance, self-confidence, and peace of mind. Inside Kung-Fu's Ultimate Guide to Tae Kwon Do offers all Tae Kwon Do students--from white belts to black belts--a wealth of insightful, reliable, hard-to-find information from world-renowned experts in every aspect of the art. Inside, you'll find chapters that inform and inspire, addressing such topics as:
The history and traditions of Tae Kwon Do
Mastering the ten basic movements that are the foundation for all advanced techniques
One-step sparring, stretching, competing, and performing great demonstrations
Finding and evaluating schools, classes, and instructors
Streetwise self-defense applications of Tae Kwon Do techniques
In the Ultimate Guide to Tae Kwon Do, you will find everything you need to know to get started and advance through the ranks of this immensely challenging, rigorous, and rewarding martial art. John R. Little is the author of The Warrior Within, Bruce Lee: Words from a Master, and other books on Bruce Lee. He is also the author of numerous published articles on martial arts philosophy and practice. Curtis F. Wong is the publisher of Inside Kung-Fu and other highly respected martial-arts magazines.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: I Like This Book Comment: I like this book. Most overview books on the martial arts are very disjointed. This book is not. Though it presents chapters written by various authors, it presents these chapters in manner that the reader can truly learn the various subtle aspects and techniques of Taekwondo. I believe this book is a good read, full of important information about how to become a better practitioner of Taekwondo and a better martial artist in general. Customer Rating: Summary: Good for Enhancement, Not Great for Basics Comment: As a beginner in Tae Kwon Do, I didn't find this book helpful for learning the basics. It did give some good advice though (assuming) for enhancing your abilities. However, if you are not familiar with all of the basics (i.e. punches, kicks, etc.) then most of this book will go probably over your head. Plus there are not many graphics and they are explaining different excersizes and techniques. If you are a person who learns by being shown like me, don't get this book. Customer Rating: Summary: Unique Presentation of Taekwondo Comment: This book presents Taekwondo in a unique manner. It take ideas and techniques from various Taekwondo Masters and puts them all in one book. Whereas most books on Martial Arts only share the ideas and opnions of one individual or one organization, this book combines the thoughts of many. Thereby, making it a unique, all encompassing, way to learn about Taekwondo. Customer Rating: Summary: Great Overview of Taekwondo Comment: This is a very interesting book. It is made up of articles which first appeared in Inside Taekwondo magazine between 1993 and 1995. This magazine was edited by John Corcoran, who has made some notable contributons to the martial arts with his editing, writing, and his martial art encyclopedias. So, you can be sure the articles are pertinent and well written.
What this book provides the reader with is a excellent overview of Taekwondo from some of the great modern Masters, including: Hee Il Cho, Scott Shaw, and Keith D. Yates. Moreover, this book is not simply filled with pages of photo techniques. It details the history of Taekwondo, Trainning Methods, and Taekwondo Combat Techniques. This book is a great addition to the library of any discriminating reader.
Customer Rating: Summary: For the beginner Comment: First, I am a 2nd degree black belt and instructor in Tae Kwon Do, and I approached this book from that perspective. I guess that this book could be good for the beginner as an introduction to Tae Kwon Do, but you could probably do better just by going to your dojang. I certainly didn't buy it.