The Guiding Principles of The Art of Taekwondo

Religions, organizations, and all of the martial arts teachings have tenets or a doctrine which governs the follower's actions in any situation so he'll know exactly what to do. The Boy Scouts' Creed is exactly this kind of doctrine (A scout is honest, trustworthy, kind, loyal...you get the idea). In Taekwondo, these are formally called Tenets.

Tenets are the foundation on which the study of taekwondo is based, and students in a training program are required to learn these as part of their training. During Skills Demonstration testing for Advancement in the art, students are quizzed on these tenets and asked what they are, what they mean, and how it applies to a student's life. Tenets are considered essential to taekwondo because they set the "rules" a student uses when faced with a situation that may require him to defend himself.

The First Five Tenets, in order, are: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit. Not only are they required teachings of taekwondo, they are good moral practices that everyone should live by. And that's their purpose. Never provoke, be true to yourself and your beliefs, never give up, never react to a situation on a purely emotional basis, and regardless of what happens, remain true to your spiritual knowledge and teachings, and everything else will be as it is to be; never give in to the will or beliefs of others. All of us, whether students of the art or not, would be wise to learn these and make them a part of our lives. It's just good, honest living and morals.

Knowing that kids like to get involved in the study of taekwondo because they get to kick and punch and are willing to learn new methods to do this, their minds are open at the same time to the teachings of the Tenets and how they may affect their lives. Whether continuing on with the program or moving on to other things, the Tenets, once engrained into their psyche, will never leave them, and they will ultimately end up as better and mentally stronger adults as a result.

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