Taekwondo America Curriculum

The Taekwondo America junior program teaches self-confidence, focus, self-discipline, courtesy and teamwork in a fun environment. During a typical class students may participate in a variety of activities such as:

Working with an instructor to learn or improve their Form, Practicing sparring or One-Step skills, Working with a partner on target drills to learn to punch and kick more effectively.  Participating in a relay race
Learning about bullies or Stranger Danger, Jumping rope, Practicing kick combination using the rail for support, and other fun cardio, strength and agility drills

Adult and Teen classes provide an excellent strength training and aerobic workout for wide range of ages and abilities. Activities are designed to allow you to work out at your pace and level as strength, flexibility and endurance improve. In addition to learning your current belt level Form, practicing sparring or One-Steps and learning how to defend yourself, you might use targets, slammers, pushups, sit ups and the rail in a variety of fun and challenging activities to increase flexibility and improve muscle strength.  

FORMS

You may also hear Forms referred to as Hyungs or Katas. Forms are patterns of moves designed to teach students increasingly complex marital arts skills and techniques. Each belt level has its own Form that a student will learn when he or she passes testing and receives that new belt level.

The expectation for how the techniques in each Form are performed increases also. A new student, performing their white belt form, will not be expected to have the same precision of stances and sharpness of technique that a black belt student should demonstrate when they do their black belt form. The goal is for students to show gradual improvement over time as they progress through the belt levels.

SPARRING

Sparring as a Taekwondo America student involves using controlled defense and attack techniques with light contact in short bouts with a partner in a safe environment. It helps prepare students to defend themselves in a real life situation. Sparring is introduced into a student’s training gradaully starting with One-Steps for white, yellow and orange belt students. The One-Steps are short combinations of moves a student uses as a defense against an attack.

Some orange belts, and all green belts and up participate in free sparring. Free sparring allows students to practice defensive and counter-attack techniques in a safe and controlled environment. For safety, all sparring level students are required to purchase and wear approved TA & Macho co-branded gear.

BOARD BREAKING

At brown belt (after nearly a year of training in taekwondo) board breaking becomes part of a student’s testing and allows students to demonstrate their speed and power. The size of the boards students are required to break vary based on the student’s age.

OTHER TRAINING

Individual schools may offer additional training opportunities such as weapons, non-sparring self-defense techniques, women’s self-defense classes, etc.