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Reintroducing ITF Taekwon-Do

Taekwon-Do is a Korean martial art, founded by General Choi Hong Hi on 11 April 1955. The governing international federation, the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), was founded on 22 March 1966.

 

Taekwon-Do combines the beauty and footwork of Taekkyon with the application and power of Karate-Do, whilst inspiring practitioners to realise and achieve the five tenets of

 

 

 

 

 

 

Courtesy,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Integrity,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perseverance,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Self-control, and

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indomitable Spirit,

 

through disciplined training.

 

After the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) Taekwon-Do was established on 28 May 1973, by which a different martial sport resulted, the former Taekwon-Do then became known as ITF Taekwon-Do and the latter, WTF Taekwondo.

 

Although Singapore was one of the founding countries of ITF Taekwon-Do, knowledge of ITF Taekwon-Do in Singapore has dwindled over the years. This information booklet seeks to reacquaint its readers with ITF Taekwon-Do, its structure, syllabus and form.

 

ITF Taekwon-Do comprises of 5 elements:-

 

  1. Fundamental movements

  2. Dallyon, or physical training

  3. Patterns

  4. Sparring

  5. Self-Defence

 

Each element of training complements and improves on the others, and ITF practitioners consider it crucial that all elements are properly trained to enable a holistic education towards, fitness, self-defence, and character. 

 

It is extremely important to note, that whilst ITF Taekwon-Do is different from WTF Taekwon-Do, neither bodies profess nor represent that one is superior over the other. On the 21st of August 2014, ITF and WTF had signed an accord affirming their mutual recognition and respect of each other as international organisations and would allow competitors and practitioners to participate reciprocally in championships and events to be hosted by the respective federations, subject to each federation's rules and regulations.  

 

The ITFS Alliance would like to uphold this spirit of mutual understanding and learning, rather than that of exclusion and hate. It is with this context, along with our remembered guidance from the late founder of ITF Taekwon-Do Singapore, that the ITFS Alliance was set up. 

 

Recognise us!

The uniforms of ITF Practitioners differ from that of WTF Practitioners. WTF Practitioners don a dobok, Korean for uniform, that is that of a long sleeved T-shirt, whereas ITF Practioners don a dobok that is akin to a wrap. 

Aside from the different federation logo, ITF practitioners will also have the evergreen tree logo on back of the dobok shirt. 

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