Читать книгу Taekwondo Basics. Everything You Need to Get Started in Taekwondo - from Basic Kicks to Training and Competition онлайн

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Ultimately, there are more similarities than differences between these two primary branches of taekwondo. The techniques they teach are based upon the same fundamental understanding of self-defense, and the martial philosophy is very much the same.

Although the WTF and ITF are the two largest branches of taekwondo, there are an untold number of smaller organizations that exist to promote the art of taekwondo throughout the world. Of these, perhaps the most noteworthy are the original kwans.

The Kwans

It was the hope of the Korea Taekwondo Association that all of the original Korean kwans would merge, drop their names, and move taekwondo forward under the guidance of one overseer organization. To some degree, this did occur. Most notably, the name "taekwondo" was accepted by all of the original kwans, and most kwans practice the same set of WTF preset training forms—now most commonly known by the Korean word poomse. What also occurred, however, was that virtually all of the original kwans held onto their names and continued to promote their own unique interpretation of taekwondo. They never wholly dissolved. In some cases, the original founder of the kwan is still alive. In other cases, the kwan is run by an elected president. Thus, the kwans are still very much in existence and continue to issue rank and instructor certification.