Taekwondo 태권도Taekwondo Preschool
Promotion from one geup to the next can proceed rapidly in some schools, since schools often allow geup promotions every two, three, or four months. Students of geup rank learn the most basic techniques first, and then move on to more advanced techniques as they approach first dan. Many of the older and more traditional schools often take longer to allow students to test for higher ranks than newer, more contemporary schools, as they may not have the required testing intervals. View Taekwondo belt levels »
Focus Mitt
When you reach senior belt you are expected to guide the junior belts when they are beginning Taekwondo such as showing by example.
A focus mitt is a padded target attached to a glove and usually used in training boxers and other combat athletes.
The person holding the focus mitts will typically call out combinations and "feed" the puncher good counter-force while maneuvering and working specific skills. Focus mitts are often used as an augment to sparring, with more explicit focus on the puncher than the feeder, especially to develop good punch combinations and defensive maneuvers such as "slipping," "bobbing" and "weaving."
When wearing focus mitts it is important not merely to hold them but to actively "feed" them into the punches, to balance their force and prevent injury to both parties.
Similar to a focus mitt but designed for different purposes are heavier thai pads used in muay thai boxing and kicking shields used in a variety of martial arts to help gauge distance and practice techniques with kicks, knees and elbows.
It is often said that holding focus mitts can be as taxing as striking them. Typically, the person wearing the focus mitts will yell a number that represents a combination. For example, yelling "three!" might signify that the striker should throw a jab, followed by a cross, followed by a hook in rapid succession. Defensive maneuvers are often incorporated into the combinations as well.
Improving punching technique relies upon the person wearing the focus mitts knowing where to set his/her hands, as well as knowing how to time the movement of the focus mitts. Typically the holder will comment on how the striker can improve his/her technique between combinations.
Heavybags are for developing power; technique is best learned on the punch mitts or pads.
Taekwondo Basics
Here is where you can learn more about Taekwondo 태권도. Knowing the fundamental basics is very important for your learning path as you build your skills and knowledge. There are certain rules that need to be followed to show respect to the master ( 사범님 sabeomnim ), the instructors ( 교사님 gyosannim ), other practitioners and to the martial arts. They vary between schools but many have similar rules and guidelines. For more information View Taekwondo Basics »
There are five tenets defined in the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) and several more in World Taekwondo (WT).
Indomitable spirit ( 백절불굴 baekjul-boolgool ): "To have indomitable spirit means to have the courage to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what odds you are up against, and to always give 100% effort in whatever you do." View Taekwondo Tenets »
RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Focus Mitt", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
