Tae Kwon Do is a martial art originating in Korea. An combination of Chinese, Japanese, and traditional Korean fighting styles, Tae Kwon Do has become the world's most commonly practiced martial art, and is the national sport of Korea as well as an Olympic sporting event.

   In general Tae Kwon Do emphasizes kicks; thrown from a mobile stance, using the leg's greater reach and power to disable the opponent from a distance. It is this emphasis which distinguishes it from other martial arts. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential as weapons. Advanced kicks commonly used include jump, spin, skip, and drop kicks, often in combination. Tae Kwon Do training also includes a comprehensive system of hand strikes and blocks, but generally does not emphasize grappling .

   In Korean, derived from Hanja, tae means "to strike or smash with the foot"; kwon means "to strike or smash with the hand"; and do means "way" or "path". Hence, Tae Kwon Do is loosely translated as "the art of kicking and punching". As with many other martial arts, Tae Kwon Do is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment, and philosophy. “DO” is the philosophical base of Tae Kwon Do. It refers to anything over the neck and has to do with the mind/brain that governs the body. Tae Kwon and Do symbolize the harmonic coexistence of body and mind. With the exercise of body and mind balance and harmony are achieved. The aim of the martial art of Tae Kwon Do is not only to improve and develop the fitness and technique level of its pupils but also to teach them through the sport's deep philosophical dimensions.

   Tae Kwon Do as a sport and exercise is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. Physically, Tae Kwon Do develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of boards, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and the concentration to focus one's strength.

   A Tae Kwon Do student can typically expect to take part in most or all of the following:

• Learning the techniques and curriculum of Tae Kwon Do
• Learning the history of Tae Kwon Do as well as glimpses at Korean Culture
• Both anaerobic and aerobic workout
• Stretching to increase flexibility
• Self-defense techniques
• Poomse, or patterns (also called forms)
• Kyorugi (Sparring), including step-sparring and/or free-style
• Relaxation exercises
• Breaking (using techniques to break boards for testing, & demonstrations)
• Exams to progress to the next rank
• A focus on mental & ethical discipline, justice, etiquette, respect, and self confidence.