Asking if Taekwondo is the best martial art is a bit like asking “how long is a piece of string”? The answer to both is “it depends.” In terms of martial arts, it depends on what you are looking for in your training. The Korean fighting style, known as Taekwondo, is possibly the most popular martial art in the world. It is easily the most popular martial sport and is even part of the Olympic Games. But this sporting side hides its roots as a deadly form of combat.
The name literally means "the art of kicking and punching." Wherever you are in the world, you will find many places where you can take Taekwondo classes, even in Perth, Western Australia – the world’s most isolated city -at schools such as Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy.
There is a wide variety of different styles of martial art taught all over the world. Each painting emphasizes different techniques, approaches, and even philosophies. As a result, it’s not possible to say which ones are ‘better’ than others; instead, you should choose your martial art based on what you want to gain. Taekwondo places a great deal of emphasis on powerful kicking and punching techniques. These are coupled with blocking techniques and stances. Essentially, it is an influential martial art based on dynamic movements. As a result, it’s an inspiring style to learn and is one of the best martial arts if you want to improve your physical fitness.
Instead of asking “why Taekwondo is the best martial art,” here are three questions that might make more sense.
Is Taekwondo practical martial art?
How you train martial art will determine its effectiveness. If your goal is to be effective in sporting competition, then your training must be geared towards this. If you are training for practical self-defense, then you must focus your training on dealing with the most common attacks that occur on the street. When you first try a Taekwondo class, such as at Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness, see if you can work out what the emphasis of the course is. Afterward, discuss your thoughts with the instructor and see if that is the right school for you.How is Taekwondo different from other martial arts?
The different martial arts all originated in different countries thousands of years ago, as forms of self-defense. Kung Fu comes from China, and Judo comes from Japan. Taekwondo is native to Korea. In terms of techniques, Taekwondo is known as the kicking art and emphasizes kicks more than other martial arts. It is ideal for improving balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.Besides the physical benefits, many people practice Taekwondo to enhance self-confidence and gain valuable discipline. In addition, Taekwondo is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and is the only striking martial art that is also an Olympic sport. Currently, more people study the art of Taekwondo than all other forms of martial arts combined. Many Taekwondo classes in Perth are offered that specialize in this new form of competition, such as the Sports Taekwondo Program at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy.
Does Taekwondo teach you how do you fight?
Training in Taekwondo classes in Perth or elsewhere will give you a solid foundation of skills that are useful in both self-defense and combat sports. The powerful kicks and dynamic footwork taught at Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy can be applied in a range of different combat sports, from Olympic Taekwondo to Kickboxing to MMA. The physical training and fitness alone that you will get from regular training in Taekwondo classes at Perth’s Premier Academy may just give you the edge in any fight!- Many UFC fighters credit their training in Taekwondo by giving them the fast footwork and dynamic kicking that has made them successful. This is the reason that Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy bases its Freestyle MMA curriculum around the core Taekwondo in its Perth classes. Some well-known UFC fighters with Taekwondo backgrounds include:
- Daron Cruickshank is a lightweight featured on the Ultimate Fighter and is known as one of the division’s most dynamic strikers. He comes from a taekwondo family with his parents, both fourth dan black, Belts in martial arts. Cruickshank himself is a second dan Black Belt in Taekwondo.
- John Makdessi began his Taekwondo training at the age of six, and started his MMA career in 2008, reeling off eight straight wins before debuting in the UFC in 2010.
- Edson Barboza, currently ranked in the top five in the lightweight division, is also a Taekwondo Black Belt and might just be the division’s most feared striker. Barboza made his UFC debut in only his seventh professional fight!
- Anderson Silva is considered by many to be the best striker in the history of the UFC middleweight division, winning the title in 2006 and remaining undefeated as champion until 2013. Silva started training in Taekwondo at the age of thirteen.
Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis began training Taekwondo, and by the age of eighteen, he had attained a third dan black belt. Pettis the man responsible for the most famous kick ever thrown in MMA competition and has been a division champion in the WEC and UFC.
