Blog
The encyclopedic hub of Taekwondo. Three essays a week.
Black belt mindset: 6 habits you'll see in every Dan
Beyond technique, Dans share a particular way of inhabiting the dojang. These six habits reveal what lies behind the black belt mindset in taekwondo and how to start cultivating it from color belt grades.
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Three essays a week,straight to your inbox.
History, technique, forms and Korean culture. No spam, no filler. One email every Monday with what's been published.
Mexico and Taekwondo: Reynoso, Espinoza and the Generation That Opened the Door
The history of taekwondo in Mexico combines Korean migration, Olympic ambition and rivalries that defined an era. A review of the figures who changed the sport.
Hwa-Rang Tul: Why This Pattern Embodies the ITF Spirit
Hwa-Rang Tul is the ninth pattern in the ITF system and marks entry into advanced techniques. Its name evokes the Hwarang of Silla, and its structure, with 29 movements, condenses Choi Hong Hi's vision of discipline, balance, and cultural heritage.
Koryo: the first WT black belt form (and its pedagogical trap)
Koryo poomsae marks the entry into black belt in the WT system, but its apparent technical simplicity hides a trap that most learn wrong from day one.
Hadi Saei: the Iranian Who Claimed Two Consecutive Olympic Golds
From Athens 2004 to Beijing 2008, Hadi Saei redefined what a lightweight could do on the Olympic mat. His side kick reshaped the tactical reading of modern gyeorugi.
Kukkiwon: the Seoul cathedral that defines WT Taekwondo
From a circular building in Gangnam, the Kukkiwon organizes, certifies and exports the Taekwondo practiced by millions. This is its history, its function and its current reach.
Hangul for Taekwondo practitioners: read 태권도 in 30 minutes
Learning to read hangul does not require semesters of Korean. With the right logic and a handful of training words, in half an hour you can decode 태권도, 도장 and 띠. Here is the method.
Charyeot, Kyeongnye, Joonbi: 12 Korean commands you hear every class
A tour of the twelve Korean Taekwondo commands that structure any class, from the opening bow to the last kick, with their historical nuances and the small differences between schools.
How to choose your first dobok without wasting your money
A practical guide to figure out which dobok to buy for your style, what the labels really mean, and why the cheapest one usually ends up being the most expensive.
How many kicks per week you should throw to actually improve
There is no magic kick number, but there are real effective volume ranges by level. Here we break them down without hype, with recovery cues and a simple way to keep count.
Taegeuk: the Korean yin-yang explained for Taekwondo practitioners
The red and blue circle at the center of the Korean flag is not decoration. It is a cosmological statement that runs through the names of the poomsae and the inner logic of Taekwondo.
Steven Lopez: four World titles and the Texan myth
The story of Steven Lopez in taekwondo cannot be understood without his family. Four consecutive world titles, two Olympic golds, and a clan that changed the competitive map of the United States.
How to go from white to yellow belt: the real exam, not the YouTube one
The yellow belt exam is the first real test in Taekwondo. What is evaluated, how to prepare, mistakes that cost the grade, and what changes between ITF and WT. 4-week plan included.
PSS, Daedo and KPNP: how the electronic chest protector works in 2026
Three manufacturers dominate world gyeorugi with their own sensors, transmitters, and algorithms. We explain how each PSS taekwondo electronic chest protector works, what changed after Paris 2024, and why the controversy is still alive.
Counting in Korean in Taekwondo: hana, dul, set and the logic of the dojang
Korean has two ways of counting, and the dojang uses them with different criteria. A clear guide to understanding when to say hana and when to say il, without memorizing blindly.
Dojang etiquette: 12 rules that separate the student from the visitor
Bowing on entry, picking up a belt with both hands, addressing the master with the correct title. Dojang taekwondo etiquette is not empty protocol: it is the first technique you learn and the last you forget.
Dollyeo Chagi vs Bandal Chagi: the roundhouse kick without confusion
The roundhouse kick is the first one almost every practitioner learns, but its name changes depending on the school. We clarify the dollyeo chagi bandal chagi difference with historical and mechanical criteria.
Chon-Ji Tul: the first form of Choi's 24 patterns
The chon ji tul meaning goes beyond a basic sequence: it condenses the worldview that Choi Hong Hi placed at the foundation of his system. Nineteen movements to start reading ITF Taekwondo.
The great 1966 split: why the ITF was born, and then the WT
Taekwondo did not split over a technical whim. Behind the ITF vs WT history lie exiles, Cold War geopolitics, and two opposing visions of what this martial art should be. Here is how the rupture happened and what it means today for anyone who trains.
ITF vs WT: the difference explained in 5 minutes, no jargon
ITF and WT are the two major branches of modern Taekwondo. This is the short, honest version of what separates them: combat, forms, gear, grades, and the Olympics. One table, five minutes, no agenda.
Why Taegeuk Il Jang Is the Most Taught Form on the Planet
Before any spinning kick, before the first sparring match, there is Taegeuk Il Jang. The form that millions of practitioners repeat in their first month of training hides more symbolism than meets the eye.
What is the Kukkiwon: the cathedral of WT Taekwondo in Seoul
The Kukkiwon is the world headquarters of WT Taekwondo in Seoul since 1972. It certifies Dan grades recognized at the Olympic level, defines the 17 official forms, and trains instructors worldwide. It is not a federation: it is a standardization body.
Choi Hong Hi: the general who named Taekwondo in 1955
The story of Choi Hong Hi blends military discipline, political exile, and an obsession with systematizing combat. This biography revisits his contributions and his gray areas.
Hadipour, Lopez and Stevens: three dynasties that rewrote gyeorugi
From Hadi Saei's explosive cadence to the Lopez pragmatism and Jade Jones's tactical elegance, three national lineages explain how Gyeorugi changed face between Sydney and Tokyo.
Before Taekwondo: Subak, Taekkyeon and the 1500 Years Nobody Talks About
Long before the name Taekwondo was coined in 1955, the Korean peninsula cultivated combat systems whose imprint still lives in every kick. This is the story rarely told.
The five tenets of Taekwondo explained without clichés
An honest reading of the five tenets of Taekwondo formulated by Choi Hong Hi: what they mean in Korean, where they come from, and how they apply today inside and outside the dojang.
Ap Chagi: the kick you teach on day one and never stop polishing
The ap chagi technique looks simple in the first training sessions, but it hides a mechanic that advanced practitioners keep refining years later. Here we break down why.