BBC SportOlympics

Taekwondo means the art of hand and foot fighting and its popularity is growing fast.

There is a semi-contact version and a full contact version. Full contact is the version used in the Olympics.

So what's this sport all about?

Taekwondo is a number of ancient martial arts unified into one sport.

TAE means kick or smash with the feet, KWON means fist or to punch, and DO means art or way.

It is one of the main sports in countries such as China, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, with 184 nations currently in the world governing body (WTF).

The aim of the sport is to land as many kicks and blows on your opponent as possible.

The duration of the contest shall be three rounds of three minutes with one minute of rest between rounds in the male division.

For the female division and the World Junior Championships, it is three rounds of two minutes with one minute of rest.

All the action takes place on a mat called the Contest area measuring 12m x 12m.

Getting started

For all the information you need to get fighting, contact the British Taekwondo Control Board.

British Taekwondo Control Board
3 Riverside Way
Mansfield
Woodhouse
MANSFIELD
NG19 8JB
UK
Tel/Fax: 01623-656025