RPED149-01                           Tae Kwon Do                             Fall 2008

 

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P. Greim, Thompson 329, Tel. 953­5035, E­mail: peter.greim@citadel.edu
http://macs.citadel.edu/~greimp

Office hours in TH 329  are posted at my door and at my class schedule  web page. You can read it as long as you are using a Citadel terminal. The class schedule will give you an idea which times might be available if you need to make an appointment.
In addition, I'm available for TKD-related questions during the weekly workouts for students, faculty and staff::
Mo, Th         18:00-19:30        Deas Hall, Basketball court D

 

Text:   Korean Karate - The Art of Tae Kwon Do
            by Duk Sung Son and Robert J. Clark. Prentice-Hall, 1968, hardcover

 

Uniform:                                                                                                                                                                            

Tae Kwon Do uniform pants with white belt (cadet store $20), blue Citadel PT shirt. I'll estimate your uniform size on the first day of classes.  On that day, wear your regular uniform. From the second day on, you should come to class in your TKD uniform. There are locker rooms next to the pool.

 

When and where?

The very first class meeting is in the multimedia room Thompson Hall 303  on 2 September.

From  the second class day on, classes are in the basketball court B,  Deas Hall, Tuesday 2:30-3:20 p.m.
50 minutes is very short for a TKD workout, so please be on time, in TKD uniform, and warmed up.

 

Description

"Tae Kwon Do" means literally the "study of kicks and punches". It is the modern form of older Korean martial arts, sometimes called "Korean Karate". Hands and feet are used as the only weapons, with emphasis on the feet. The main purpose of this course is an introduction to the philosophy and skills of Tae Kwon Do, but reference to other martial arts will be made. Taught in the traditional way, Tae Kwon Do promotes physical fitness, self-discipline, self-confidence, positive social attitude, and self-defense skills. It is also an excellent stress reliever. The development of powerful physical skills is paired with an orientation of non-violence.

As a beginner in this course you are considered a white belt. You will learn the basic Tae Kwon Do movements, formal combinations of those, called "forms", some applications in self-defense, and basic techniques in preparation for free-style sparring. If, by the end of the course I determine that you may have the skills necessary for promotion to yellow belt, you have the option of taking an official yellow belt test of the World Tae Kwon Do Association. (The test is not part of the course and will be at your expense. See separate information for details.)  There is one mandatory excursion for all students on a Saturday morning to an Isle of Palms class workout. You will be guests in an upper-belt class, with a variety of belt ranks from brown to sixth degree black. You will observe and participate (on a white belt level).

Goals

You will be able to participate actively in each of the components of a complete Tae Kwon Do workout, except free-style sparring.
You should come close to the proficiency necessary for promotion to yellow belt.
You will understand the need for self-discipline and social responsibility and begin to balance these attitudes with the development of powerful physical skills.
You will be able to place Tae Kwon Do in the context of other martial arts.

 

 Objectives

You will be able to execute

-  the 15 basic Tae Kwon Do techniques
-  the two white belt forms
-  three three-step sparring techniques
-  three self-defense techniques using Tae Kwon Do principles
-  basic techniques necessary for free-style sparring
-  Makiwara board exercises: hammer fist, reverse punch, knife hand attack, roundhouse kick
-  bag exercises: side kick, double arm block, knife hand block
-  breaking 2 inches of wood with a side kick and one hand technique

You will also be able to

-  name and explain the five basic elements of Tae Kwon Do
-  explain how to use your martial arts training to resolve situations that have a potential of physical violence

At the end of the semester you will have demonstrated

-  consistency and intensity of your efforts,
-  the ability to focus -- physically and mentally
-  cooperative spirit and mutual respect

Attendance

is more important than it would be in a theoretical course: most of what you are learning in this course is by doing, with constant feedback from your instructor. You can not learn Tae Kwon Do from a book. You won't pass if you miss more than three class meetings.

 

Grades (Pass/Fail)

are based on
-  the physical performance: achievement of the five basic elements of Tae Kwon Do, observed during weekly practice and at a final test during the last two class meetings,
-  a judgment of affective skills, observed during weekly practice, and
-  the knowledge of facts about the martial art Tae Kwon Do, to be shown in four homework assignments, including one questionnaire about martial arts history (with information contained in a one-hour video).
In order to pass, you need to turn in all homework and participate in the Isle of Palms excursion (or complete a substitute project if you're not allowed to leave the campus).

 

Can I really learn Tae Kwon Do?

This course is just an introduction. There is, however, ample opportunity for additional practice and for advancement through higher skill and belt levels in The Citadel's chapter of the World Tae Kwon Do Association. Details at my web page http://macs.citadel.edu/~greimp/wta/wtkd.htm or just ask me.

 

How much will I get out of this course?

As much as you put in. Be active, give your best. Practice, practice, practice! It will pay off.