Book Description

Customer Reviews (14)

Great book, great man, I love my dad...
Tae Kwon Do Basics, Techniques and Forms: The Indomitable Martial Art of Korea

This book was a long time coming and I'm proud that our father's technique is being shared in this book. The hope is that many would be able to learn from this book and instill confidence, self-discipline and self-respect in those that choose to practice it.

Congratulations and Happy New Year!

Book for any TaeKwonDo student
I really enjoyed learning from this book.There are so many Martial Arts books out these days, it's hard to find one that is really good.After looking at many books, I found that the author is the most qualified teacher in the TaeKwonDo world.Grandmaster Park is the best by far!Great Book!!!

Best Martial Art Book Ever
I bought this book for my Grandson and he just loves it!He said it was the best Christmas Gift ever!He loved all the color photos and the description was so easy to understand I could follow it too!Can't wait until GrandMaster Park's next book comes out!!!

This Book is A Gold Medal Winner!
This book co-authored by Taekwondo Hall of Famer GM Dong Keun Park
offers much for both the beginning and advanced student. The photos and
explanation of techniques are clear and crisp. Highly recommended!

Gerard Robbins,
3 Times National Taekwondo Champion
Competitor / 2nd World Taekwondo Championships

Basic introduction
This book is great if you want a basic reference for kicking and punching techniques, forms, sparring, etc.I was hoping for more of the theory and reasoning behind the art.In my opinion, it is best to clarify any questions of physical technique with a good teacher, rather than a book, so I try not to rely too heavily on the technical suggestions. ... Read more

Book Description
Written by Tae Kwon Do masters Yeon Hee Park and Yeon Hwan Park with American black-belt Jon Gerrard, Tae Kwon Do is the definitive and only international reference to the sport. A highly effective tool to assist students and aspirants build and maintain skills, this volume is illustrated with photographic "walkthroughs" of every posture and contains: a concise history of the art; warm-up exercises; clear instructions for learning the basic techniques; important tips and strategies for sparring; a glossary ofEnglish to Korean terms; 700 photographs throughout the text (25 new to this edition) to clearly illustrate each move. Endorsed by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

The TKD Bible !
A fantastic read and reference point.
Indispensible parent's handbook in providing extra coaching for youngsters.
An invaluable tool in supplementing formal training.

A must....
....for those of us who need to refer to our poomsae quickly. Tedeshci's texts (taekwondo and hapkido) would be a lot better, but they're big and are rather expensive.
Park and Park gives you a lot of bang for your buck, and the book can easily be stored in your briefcase, gymbag, etc.

Great reference for beginner and intermediate TKDers
Overall great reference guide to starting and intermediate tae kwon do students. Lists the applications and effectiveness of all most aspects of TKD with slideshow pictures to demonstrate correctly. Of course, don't think you can learn the whole martial art from a book; you will need to accommodate by training with an instructor.

The Best Reference Guide to Tae kwon do I have seen to date
This book is above par.I am a soldier deployed in Iraq and I purchased this book to continue my study while on deployment.It has accurate information and pictures to explain everything from the basics, to advanced level forms, and top notch sparring techniques.A great purchase.

Good reference
It is a good starting reference for those beginning about the sport.The pictures of the poomse are helpful but nothing takes the place of good instruction.I found it hard to rely on the pictures to do the forms.
... Read more

Book Description
Designed to meet the needs of students who have mastered the basics and come up through the ranks of the lower-level belts, Black Belt Tae Kwon Do offers everything readers need to complete their training, from advanced sparring to breaking techniques. Following the format of its predecessor (Tae Kwon Do: The Ultimate Reference Guide to the World's Most Popular Martial Art, Updated Edition, 1999. ISBN 0-8160-3839-2), it combines a complete explanation of the physical aspects of the martial art with a full description of the philosophical elements of its training. Among the topics covered are: practice, warm-up, and advanced techniques and forms; self-defense techniques; and sparring strategies and techniques. Extensive appendixes include a special section on opening a successful Tae Kwon Do school; official rules of competition; and weight classes, governing bodies, and international organizations and associations. Two glossaries translate terms from English to Korean and Korean to English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Awesome Reference Guide
Note: I wouldn't suggest that anyone try using this book (or its companion for the first eight forms) without an instructor. Learn your forms at the Do Jang. I find, though, that my Master shows me a form, but when I get home I find myself stuck on a detail. These books are excellent for refreshing my memory.

When I got the books I took them to show my 7th dan WTF Master. Not only did he say they were great books, but he was friends with two of the authors. That reassured me that the books must be accurate. He wouldn't recommend one if he thought I'd learn something incorrectly!

Helps Out
Mr. Park has created a great set of books for any Tae Kwon Do student. It has really helped me when learning or reviewing forms.

good reference book for WTF forms
This is a good reference book to have on one's shelf. It offers good advice in the matters of teaching others and operating a quality school.It clearly illustrates (with photos and text) all the currently approved WTF black belt forms and some advanced sparring techniques.In my opinion however, most of the sparring techniques discussed do not utilise the tighter, more streamlined kicks available to the taekwondoist.

Excellent book on TKD
First, you should know this book is for the WTF style and forms, not the ITF, which is different. But whatever style you practice, all told, about 40 million people in 167 countries do TKD, making it probably the world's most popular martial art.

I am mainly a karate, kung fu, and escrima practitioner and teacher these days, but I also have a black belt in TKD, and learned many of my most important lessons and basics from first studying TKD. My teacher was the great Ju Hwarn Kwark, who very few people know of, but he was possibly the greatest kicker and puncher I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot.

The book starts with a brief history of TKD, the presents two brief chapters on basic techniques, prearranged sparring, and advanced techniques. The author discusses its popularity as a sport and much of the book seems aimed at helping a prospective instructor become competent enough to open his own school.

Most of the book, however, is devoted to the forms. In fact, 142 pages of the book is just on that. So if you're looking for a book mainly on sparring and practical techniques this might not be for you, although there's a good chapter on that after the forms.

There is also a section on self-defense, and several useful appendices, including rules of competition, weight divisions, referee signs, and a glossary of terms.

One little piece of trivia. You may notice that the stepping pattern of the last form, Il Yo, follows a Swast_ka pattern--except the Oriental version of this is the reverse of the N_zi one. In fact, this symbol on maps in Japan denotes a Buddhist temple, and is a common Buddhist symbol.

Not a black belt yet ?...
...come back later, then. This books seems aimed at the black belt athlete who is considering teaching Tae Kwon Do and maybe opening his own dojan. It covers all the aspects of TKD training, from warm up to philosophy to sparring techniques. Its forms session is very thorough and clear. Every TKD instructor should have a copy inside his do bok. ... Read more

Book Description
We’re off to Tae Kwon Do class, where we’ll learn to kick, spin, box, jump, and even break a board! We’ll also have fun in this simple Step 1 book. Perfect for kids who are both learning to read and learning Tae Kwon Do or another martial art. ... Read more

Book Description

Thirty million people worldwide are performing tae kwon do-the Korean equivalent of karate-and thousands of centers have sprung up in America.Kids, adults, and even seniors are joining in the explosive fun.With easy-to-understand text and 75 clear line drawings and photographs scattered throughout, this layperson's book explains in simple terms the concepts of tae kwon do-how to limber up for practices, how to defend oneself, how to practice on one's own or with a partner, where to find classes, how to rate teachers, and much more.

Customer Reviews (16)

It is the IDIOT's guide...
So I would disregard the reviews of the experienced Tae Kwon Do readers, this book is not intended for them. It is for those new to the sport, thus the term IDIOT Guide. It doesn't really mean for dumb people. LOL. So it is for people like me looking to learn more about the sport

guide for Mcdojangs.
This book is helpful for beginners in Tae Kwon Do, It gives you a brief base on Tae Kwon Do in a way. It is not a book I recommend for Advance Tae Kwon Do Practitioners, people who have been doing TKD for a long time will find this book useless, I almost found this book offensive in a way that it portrayed TKD, and the fact that this books seems to base its validity on the accomplishments of Keith Yates who is a "10th Degree" black belt, regardless of the fact that no respectable TKD organization has a higher degree than 9th (and has very few ninth degrees at that). In my Honest opinion its just another person trying to profit off of the American Mcdojang.

For someone who isn't sure whether they want to take TKD
I was a little disappointed in this book.I have been practicing Taekwondo for the past 3 weeks.I was hoping to get some information on forms and some more technical aspects, in order to advance in the class.Instead this book sounded like it was for someone who never took a class before in their life, and was not sure if they wanted to start.Although I am no expert, the book seemed to focus on just explaining how wonderful Taekwondo is, and some other basic information.Also, I found it focused too much on Taekwondo as a sport instead of an artform.As the title suggests, it really did seem a like the perfect guide for an idiot.

great beginner's guide!
Keith D. Yates -- 10th degree black belt, an inaugural member of the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and one of the most respected martial arts leaders in America -- and co-author Eden have written a superb beginner's guide and introduction to Tae Kwon Do.There's a lot of good material in this book, including basics on blocks, hand-techniques, kicks, one-steps, free-sparring, self-defense, and beginning forms for several styles.I highly recommend this book to anyone exploring the martial arts, especially new martial artists, and parents interested in enrolling their kids in martial arts.For an in-depth book on forms (kata), also get Mr. Yates' excellent "The Complete Book of Tae Kwon Do Forms."

Not very happy
You will realize why the title of this book is correct if you buy it. There is very very little information in it; just a lot of rambling. I have picked it up at least ten times in hopes of finding some information but I just get the urge to trash it. If you are looking for a book to direct you in any way regarding forms, techniques,or basics; this isn't it. ... Read more

Book Description
All eight of the taegeuk forms approved by the Korean government for advancement to black belt, plus three advanced black belt forms, are included in this definitive volume. Gwon is internationally acclaimed and recognized as a leading authority of taekwondo. Fully illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

a little vague
As an Instructor of children's martial arts, I have already learned the Taeguek forms, I find it extremely difficult on reviewing some of the forms by myself. There are also debates on which book is more accurate. after having purchased this book, I have decided to buy another book that has a better description on stance and direction.

Good Taegeuk forms
Don't let Liggins review confuse you.I can use the names.This book does not contain the Palgwe forms (which is what he was refering to - I THINK - as the more common form).If your school uses Taegeuk forms (which MOST do today) - then this is a reference book you will want in your library.Kat Lakey, Black Belt, Korea Taekwando Acadamy

Don't Let it Confuse You
This book is only for the uncommon kind of Tae Kwon Do. It doesn't have the more popular version (sorry about the names being missing). If you want to know about Chun Ji, Tan Gun, Toe San, Won Wyo, Yul Kuk, Chung Gun, Ti Gye, and the others I recomend finding another book because you won't find them here.

A book for Tae Kwon Do practitionersto own
The best way to learn forms is to train under a master's supervision in the dojang as often as possible.However, if one is looking for a text to support their formal training in the new forms, here it is.Enough said.

Excellent for learning
Excellent book.This book really helped me along with preparing for my Green belt.Now I am preparing for my blue belt, and hopefully will get it!With this book, you can really master your forms with the easy step by step instructions ... Read more

Book Description
Forms are the central curriculum of Tae Kwon Do. Developing a repertoire of effective techniques to battle multiple opponents is essential to becoming a true martial artist.

Inside these covers are detailed descriptions for 21 classic Tae Kwon Do forms--fully illustrated, move by move. The author analyzes various actions, reactions, and combinations for their purpose and intention. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A Must Have Reference
Learning new forms can often be difficult and remembering them can be equally challenging.This book is an awesome resource to have around.Its unique format allows you to quickly find that spot in the form where you are "stuck" and gets you back training in a matter of minutes.Once you have learned the "navigational lingo" (one reviewer saw this as a weakness in the book) you will have no trouble working through the forms.Short of having Grandmaster Hillson standing by your side, this book is the best thing you can do for your forms development.As a 4th degree black belt, I have opened this book many times as I have progressed through nearly every form presented in its pages.

Indispensible Study Aid
I have turned to this book virtually every week since first obtaining a copy from Grandmaster Hillson about four years ago.It has been of immeasurable value in reviewing previously learned forms and aiding dojang study of newly taught forms.The text for each form is concise with every move sequentially depicted by a clear drawing.Numerous applications are explained furthering the reader's bunkai study.In many cases, variations of movements are provided.Even if your school teaches these forms with slight differences, noting these alone is a great learning tool.The short, enjoyable, narrative preceding the forms section on balance, mind, importance of forms and history can't help but cause reader introspection.This book is an absolute must for practitioners studying the included forms and also for those of us wishing to expand our horizons.Brad Bransky, Flagstaff, Arizona.

Sorry to dissapoint you
I don't know if I got the same book than the other reviewers but our impressions about it are quite different. In my opinion drawings are not very clear and instructions get confusing with all this counterclock, reverse 90?, etc.

It is not that drawings are a bad thing, I have seen other books with illustrations that are actually easier to follow than photos but that is not the case of this book. Could be used in order to remind movements that you already know but forget about learning a new form from this book.

Good book.
I like this book. It has helped me work on forms for competition that are outside the traditional TKD forms that I do.I wish there was a compliment book for ITF forms. The drawings are surprisingly easy to follow.

Gift
This book was given as a gift.The person that received the book is taking a class on Tae Kwon Do and this book should help him to do well in the class. ... Read more

Book Description
Presenting a clear and authentic introduction to the Korean national sport, this book explores both the physical and the intellectual essence of Tae Kwon Do. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

THE Best Reference for Tae Kwon Do
I bought this book in 1985, and here in 2006, I still consider it to be THE best reference for Korean Martial Arts. While many martial arts books have come and gone, this book is one of a handful worth keeping.

Chen has taken on the challenge of explaining the movements required for each form in the sequence of belt level by first describing how the basic movements are made then putting together for the individual forms.

The burden for success in this approach is on the photography - and that is where this book excels.

Quality Book Containing Quality Information
In an age where low quality has become the rule, Richard Chun's Book "Tae Kwon Do: The Korean Martial Art" is an exception.This was the first of the widely available large taekwondo books covering World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) style.

Author Richard Chun himself is originally of the Moo Duk Kwan, and was part of the contingent which split from Grandmaster Hwang Kee to remain with the Korea Taekwondo Federation (later the World Taekwondo Federation).In observing and considering the techniques in this book, those who have experienced other martial arts will be able to see the "old" style of Taekwondo, with the wider stances and solidity reminiscent of Japanese karate.

This volume contains the information required for the rank of Cho-Dan (first degree black belt) in most Taekwondo schools.Chapters cover history, stretching, strength exercises, stances, walking and moving, striking, vital points, hand, arm and head techniques, blocking, kicking techniques (including wheel kicks, jumping, and a technique I've never seen anywhere else--the handstand double foot kick!), advanced stances and combinations, sparring, self defense, breaking and special techniques, equipment in training, sport taekwondo (WTF style), and 9 forms: ki-cho 1, and the 8 Pal-Gwe.

The volume is hardcover, with cloth-covered boards and dust jacket.The photographs are crisp and clear, the paper is quality acid resistant, and the binding is (gasp) sewn.This book really is a work of art and a fine tribute to the practice of Taekwondo as a martial art.

Tae Kwon Do The Korean Martial Art
I used this book years ago when taking the sport myself and now my children are referencing it with great success.Excellent illustrations of basic stances, kicks, punches, etc.Outstanding section detailing Pal-Gwe forms.The down side is, Taegeuk forms are not included.

The Best D*** TKD book, ever!
Well, it's one of the bext out there, judging by the reviews posted so far.I have a personal conncetion to this book, as my "Tio Jimmy" was featured throughout the book along with several of his students.My "Tio Jimmy" was James Rene Diaz, a 4th Level Master who as a young adult, started to study as one of Master Chun's original students in New York.He eventually came to Miami and started a school on South Beach in the 70's.While there, he taught over 20 black belts, until his untimely death from cancer in April 1983.Many of the outdoor photos were taken at the Japanese Gardens and Tea Houses on Watson Island, just between downtown MIami and South Beach.

The Essential Book of TKD
Mr. Chun has done a marvelous job. Tae Kwon Do explains everything that a White Belt to Black Belt should know. For the beginner , it has a complete discussion and illustrations of stances, techniques, and forms. For the Black Belt, a complete review of all techniques (except the Koryo forms 1 and 2)I was hoping for an informative section on breaking but it was obvious that the iron hand techniques were too advanced for a non All Black Belt Book (1st dan up)The breakdown of the forms in short and long depictions is excellent, especially when you don't remember all of the steps in a form,or when you are first learning a form. He omits the compleat Kicho forms ( but includes them is his other two books)The self defense section however,is for the beginner only. Black belts should be able to invent better additions for self defense applications. This book is used as an "informative bible"and review primer in my dojo. A MUST BUY. ... Read more

Book Description
Taekwondo Kyorugi is the authority on taekwondo sparring. Written by Korean Olympic Gold Medalist Kuk Hyun Chung, WTF Deputy-Secretary General Kyung Myung Lee and Renowned Martial Arts Author Sang H. Kim, it is a direct translation of the original Korean text. Learn the skills, drills, strategies and methods used by Korean coaches and competitors for years. Footwork, kicks, hand target drills, heavy bag workouts, coaching, combinations, strategy, professional training, opponent analysis, conditioning, weight control, competition tips, official Olympic rules, scientific analysis of scoring, & more! 120 photos ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Instructing Book for TKD Players
I am a Japanese student. In Japan, there are few Japanese books of WTF taekwondo, so people uses English TKD books to learn taekwondo. And this book is one of the most popular TKD books in Japan. This fact would represent value of the book.
As for me, this book is felt to be very useful,too. It helped me constructing training menus and sparring strategies. It contains lots of helpful instructions.

Good for the serious competitor
I've never been a fan of point sparring, but I have to admit this is a pretty good book.It's definetly not for the beginner, though.The technique section is very basic, giving only the briefest of discriptions on the kicks, but also providing suggestions on how the moves are best utilized.The book then goes into stratagies for TKD style sparring, though most of the drills and principles can be used by karateka as well.What does show a lot of depth is that the authors include chapters on sports medicine, nutrition, mental preparation, and conditioning.A lot of that information is useful to any serious martial artist who participates in point sparring, and I'd recoment the conditioning excersises be applied to any program.The book ends with a chapter on Olympic TKD rules, including weight classes and a list of fouls.A glossary follows.As this book was designed to prepare competitors and coaches for Olympic-level competition, I'd call it an essential publication to anyone who is competing at the national levels in any martial art point sparring.

A lot more than it looks
I think this is a great book. If you ar looking for a big book with a lot of pictures in it, then this is not the book for you since wery few of the combinations are shown. But if you already know how to kick and how to punch, then that should not be a problem for you. Everyone involved in sparring as a practicioner or as a coach could learn a lot from this book. I certainly did, even thaug i practice ITF Taekwon-Do, since a lot of the bodywork and qualities you need are similar.

Didnt like it
I didnt like this book and it was very boring. Its said the same things many times and the only thing I found useful were the moves that it showed. If this is the best book of TKD sparring I wonder what kind of books the others are.

An Outstanding Taekwondo Book
It's a very well written about Taekwondo Kyorugi. One of the best. It tells you almost eveything about Olympic Style sparring. From the Skill, Strategies to the aspect of Sport Medicine.
Also, this book is very useful for all WTF style competitor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Tae Kwon Do Book Worth Obtaining, Reading, and Pondering
Duk-sung Son is one of the original students of Chung Do Kwan founder Won-kuk Lee, who studied karate in Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea.Originally published in 1968, this is the "old school" tae kwon do Chung Do Kwan pretty much as Son learned it from Lee in Korea, prior to the changes made to the art directed at making it much different from Japanese karate and more sport oriented.

The level of detail in this volume makes it worth obtaining.It was clearly written for university level students (I believe Son taught at a New York University for many years).Eschewing simple explanations and redundancy, Son presents detailed descriptions of techniques, skills, and common mistakes.Son himself posed as the model for all of the photographs, and indeed one can see from various photos his incredible physique.This text is a complete beginning through intermediate course for Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do, covering all materials up to black belt level.The chapters are as follows:

1.Introductory

2.What is Tae Kwon Do?

3.The Fundamentals of Tae Kwon Do

4.Warming Up Exercises

5.Basic Blows, Kicks, and Blocks

6.Forms

7.Three-Step Sparring

8.Practical Applications

9.Free-Style Fighting

10. Other Exercises and Breaking

11. Conclusion

~Index

The chapters "what is tae kwon do?" and those on sparring illustrate the influence of Korean culture as well as similarities to Japanese style karate.The chapter on forms (hyung) includes the two basic forms Son devised himself (Kuk Mu 1 & Kuk Mu 2), the five Pyung Ahn Hyung, Chul Gi 1 (Naihanchi Chodan), and Pal Sek (Bassai).

Son offers no easy solutions, and does not cloak his advice in the mists of myth.This is martial arts for martial art's sake, devoid of salesmanship and window dressing, before the days of 4-year-old black belts, when martial artists were known as people who pushed and worked.Son tells us:

"Although Tae Kwon Do does not have a philosophy per se, its philosophy, if it has onem is most closely akin to that of zen if, in fact it is not the same thing." (302)

Also recommended is Son's sequel, "Black Belt Korean Karate".

Important TKD book
This book surprised me. I was not expecting much from it and bought it only because I found if for a great price.Other reviewers have talked about the pictures and how good they are, but they fail to mention the text. This is well written with very precise explanations of how moves are done. Explanations of how strikes and kicks are performed with the reasoning why.The book also explains the common mistakes made and the outcome of those.All and all a good addition to anyone's TaeKwonDo library or a good general martial arts library.I only wished they had explained the more traditional forms.

Very clear and complete
This is an excellent book on Chung Do Kwon Style TKD ! The pictures are clear and very well planned - each movement is shown from start to end, stage by stage and the pictures were taken with foot-placing lines drawn on the floor, so it is easy to see where you have to step. Clearly, the author knew what he wanted: to teach you each aspect of the art.
Even for a WTF TKD student like me, this book is most invaluable, although the names of the stances, attacks and defenses are a little different from what I'm used to.

Great Reference for Chung Do Kwon Style TKD
Having studied Chung Do Kwon for twenty years (receiving my Black Belt from Grandmaster Son himself), I find this book invaluable!Now an instructor myself, it is a wonderful tool to aid in the instruction of Basics & Hyungs, showing excellent breakdown of each move.The history section could be have a bit more meat to it, but for someone interested in the technical aspects of this style it is a MUST HAVE!

Master work.
This is a masterpiece of a book, showing the forms necessary to grasp Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do. Photos at different angles, foot diagrams and text explanation will be a great supplement to instruction. ... Read more

Book Description
Directed toward gold belt, this fully illustrated volume addresses these two taekwondo forms, along with combination attack techniques and basic street-defense moves for the beginner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

American TKD Giant's hyung series
These are the second two forms that one learns in traditional TKD.I bought the book when I was still on Chon-Ji and it helped prepare me for wht I needed to know.This is a great series of book for students of traditional TKD.

top-notch
This book is second of a 5-part series, and covers two of the nine major forms of Tae Kwon Do: Tan Gun and To San.It not only provides an overview of the entire form, but breaks down each form into each individual move, complete with a written description, 5 views of the move, and a photo showing the application of the move against an assailant.(The photos are dated, but since retro fashion is in, it looks kind of hip.)It also shows combination attacks and self-defense techniques.The pictorial glossary (English and Korean) is very handy, as well.Jhoon Rhee himself is the demonstrator in the photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

if you study itf, you must have this book
Grandmaster CHO gives not only clear and concise directions on perfroming the hyungs, he gives historical and very useful information to the tkd student. There is also very helpful sections on how perform the basic blocks kicks and foot placement in the hyungs. For the beginner to advanced, especially a person thats on the road and trains alone alot, this book is superb!!!

Well done Forms Reference
The strength of this book is the abundance of photos for each form.The photos are also numbered according to the corresponding step in the form.Several of the more complex steps have multiple photos (6a, 6b, etc.) showing intermediate positions moving from one step to the next.The story behind the form and notes which precede each form are far superior to the "one liners" that usually accompany the forms.

Parts of the book are a little cheesy, however.A section showing Master Cho on various martial arts magazine covers does nothing to add to content.The biography was a little melodramitic.

Fortunately, the heart of the book is very useful, making this book valuable to those practicing the ITF Hyungs.

Contemporary Tae Kwon Do
this book is what i was trained on. step by step instruction on forms, TKD background and very nicely wrote. again the forms are the traditional and not "westernized" i train my students with it as guidelines forforms. and revert to it often. it is underpriced and a steal for thequality.Reed Sensei, Contemporary TKD, 3rd degree Reiki.

Universal TKD Pattern Book
This book is very helpful for me when learning the basics of my patterns.

The patterns in this book are ITF patterns, which most Taekwon Do patterns are based upon.In other words, its a very universal patternbook.

What I find most helpful about the book is that it gives you thediagram, interpretation, and number of moves in each pattern, plus clearphotographs of the preparation, chamber, and execution of each move.

An Excellent Supplement
Although this book is sometimes lacking in clarity and explanation, it more than makes up for it by being a great supplement to your normal training and study.I've found myself refering to Master Cho's TKD HyungVolumes dozens of times after something just didn't click in class.Thepictures are well done and logical, and have given me new perspectives ontechniques.I have found no equal to these volumes as far as amove-by-move pictoral analysis of the ITF patterns.However, the writtencontent of the volumes is sometimes unclear and lacks thorough explanation. These minor flaws are easily overlooked though when you can see thededication to Taekwon-Do that Master Cho has.One of the overlookedtreasures of these books are the inspirational sayings that Master Cho hasaccompanied with fantastic pictures of him breaking, doing flying kicks,etc.After a hard night at class when I'm frustrated I come home and readsome of these and I realize that it's all worth it.Scott Tingley, I DanBlack Belt, Yom Chi Taekwon-Do Association ... Read more

Book Description
Revised edition provides intermediate to advanced techniques including hand, foot, sparring, self-defense, breaking as well as Eight Taegeuk forms that are from the traditional side of Taekwondo. The most popular part of this book is the Nine black belt forms which are required by the World Taekwondo Federation for promotion in ranking. Additional sections include the history, philosophy, and science of Taekwondo, along with an updated schedule of the official competition rules. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A core addition to any and all personal or professional martial arts instructional reference collections.
Richard Chun is a 9th Dan, making him one of the highest ranked masters of Taekwondo anywhere in the world. With "Advancing In Tae Kwon Do", Chun draws upon his more than fifty years of experience and expertise to introduce martial arts students to the history, philosophy, and meditation underpinnings of Taw Kwon Do, then goes on to provide profusely illustrated instructions on Tae Kwon Do hand and foot techniques, sparring techniques, self-defense techniques, breaking techniques, the nine Black Belt forms required for promotion by the World Taekwondo Federation and internationally sanctioned Taekwondo competitions, as well as the rules and regulations of the World Taekwondo Federation - including sparring and Poomsae (form) competitions. Authoritative, comprehensive, superbly organized, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Advancing In Tae Kwon Do" is a core addition to any and all personal or professional martial arts instructional reference collections. ... Read more

Book Description
In 1938, Tae Kwon Do began at the end of a wicked poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea. Today, the martial art is likely the most popular on the planet, an Olympic sport practised by an estimated 50 million students and known for its spectacular kicks. Few people, however, know about its secret and violent past; there are good reasons for the screams. . .

The Art of Killing: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do is a nonfiction novel that takes readers into the lurid dynasties of two men and their disciples: Choi Hong-Hi, who began the martial art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became one of the most powerful, corrupt men in sports. The story follows Choi from the 1938 poker game (where he fights for his life), through high-class geisha houses (where the art is named) and into the Vietnam War (where the martial art evolves into a killing art). Tae Kwon Do became a martial art for the twenty-first century, an art of merciless techniques, indomitable men and justice pumped on steroids.

This book is part biography, part thriller and part memoir; the author, a martial artist and investigative journalist, made the mistake of entering the high-stakes world of Choi and Kim. The work is based on obscure documents, Korean-language books and in-depth interviews with Tae Kwon Do’s pioneers. It is steeped in Confucian values and confused men, high ideals entwined with tragedy – with tips, along the way, on how to kill with your bare hands. The Art of Killing is a wild ride to enlightenment. ... Read more

Product Description
Tai Kwon-Do World - Philosophy, History and Technique - Basics, Poomse, Palgwe, One Step Sparring, Self Defense, Breaking technique, Free Sparring, Bag Training, Against Weapons. Large 12 1/4 x 9 1/4" - 1 3/4" thick. Black hardboards with gold lettering. Printed in Seoul, Korea for World Martial Arts Research. Institute, Inc. Just about every page has b/w photos instructing every move. Some colored photos, photos of Master Kim's T.V. Demonstrations, newspaper clippings. Rules and Regulations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A solidunderstanding of basic TKD
I bought this book when I was a whitebelt.There is great explanation on the different aspects to what is required for white and yellow belts in any traditional TKD program.I will admit that the forms are lacking with visualrepresentation but the text is fairly clear.If you are looking for a forms book then look elsewhere (the Jhoo Rhee books for example) but if you are looking for an overview of beginning TKD then you can find nothing better.

Solid Help for Learning Techniques
I used this book to help me learn the forms given, and found it very useful. I have since lent it to other students, who were similarly helped. The pictures demonstrate the techniques very clearly. The one lack is that the patterns are somewhat difficult to follow as far as direction - this requires careful reading of the text, but diagrams would have helped. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Tae Kwon-Do Book for Kids
I got this book for my 8 year old when she started TaeKwon-do last year. The only good thing about the book was it told you what order the belts went and what the meaning of them were. The kicks were hard to follow and there was not any basic kicks in it.

Don't you mean "The Incomplete Tae Kwon Do for Kids"
There are minimal photos in this book and except for the cover, they were all photos of black-belt-looking adults doing kicks that only an expert kid could do.I'd recommend the other "Tae Kwon Do For Kids."There are excellent demonstration photos and the book is cheaper to boot.Much better for beginning kids.

A Great TKD Book for Kids
I'm 10 years old and a brown belt. I really liked reading this book. I met Mr. Perez at the National Championships last summer. He's a really good teacher in person and he's a reaaly good author too. He doesn't teach youthe "super secret flying whirly kick" but how to win with thebasics instead. My dad likes it too.

A Well Written Guide to Taekwondo for Kids and Parents
As a parent of of a budding martial artist I found this book to be very complete and demystifying. Taekwondo is a complicated and demanding sport and Mr. Perez goes through the basics thoroughly but without resorting tokarate jargon. I bought the book for my son for Christmas. In addition tobeing a world class athelete Mr. Perez is an accomplished writer. I canhighly recommend this book.

A great comprehensive guide for beginner Taekwondo students.
A wonderful book in a crowded category of muddy manuals and poorly written translations. It's everything a kid (or parent) who aspires to pursue Taekwondo needs to know and what to expect. Herb Perez is not only anOlympic Gold Medallist and a terrific role model but also an articulateauthor spokesman for the martial art. ... Read more

Product Description
Contents include: History of Tae Kwon Do, What is Poomse, The Ten Commandments of Poomse Training, Tae Kwon Do Terminology, Comprehensive View of the Oriental Martial Arts, Tae Geuk Forms (Taegeuk 1-8), Pal Gwe Forms (Palgwe 1-8), Weight Training for Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do Safety, Personal Safety and Defense, Martial Arts in Physical Education Programs, Sun (Zen) and the Tae Kwon Doist, Tae Kwon Do: Philosophical Considerations, Tae Kwon Do and the American Way of Life. ... Read more