Taekkyon

[disgruntled]

does anyone here know anything about Taekkyon? i know that it is a korean dancing martial art, but that is about it. is it similar to capoeria in technique?

[disgruntled]

i have since found a youtube clip of taekkyon, but still sadly no closer to learning it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8qDz05tE1Y

[eYoon]

it looks like they're dancing around and mock fighting.... but then they try to actually fight.... it's like a transvestite that doesn't know if he wants to get a sex change or not...

being korean myself, i've never seen this before in my life either... lol

[disgruntled]

i think it is neater than capoeria because i can understand how you can use it iin sparring. i think that capoeria has a bit too much movement and is further on the dance side than taekkyon

[eYoon]

i think it is neater than capoeria because i can understand how you can use it iin sparring. i think that capoeria has a bit too much movement and is further on the dance side than taekkyon

true, but to me it just looks like it's caught in between and is not sure of what it wants to become... a really cool dance martial art like capoeira or a real practical sparring martial art like muay thai. it fulfills neither purpose. one can criticize it a lot for being inferior in the way it implements its practical techniques, but then again, one could also say that it looks cool but not as cool as capoeira, wushu, etc.

that's what i get from watching the vid...

[disgruntled]

i would agree with you, but the problem with trying to judge the style from the video is that it is a demo. MA always have flashy cool looking impractical demos, so it is hard to say what it is actually like..... think of all the HKD demos you have done.... i don't really think they reflect the art.

[eYoon]

i would agree with you, but the problem with trying to judge the style from the video is that it is a demo. MA always have flashy cool looking impractical demos, so it is hard to say what it is actually like..... think of all the HKD demos you have done.... i don't really think they reflect the art.

a valid point. but it does give you somewhat of an idea...

[tkd4life]

Actually, there is a theory and what i've heard is that taekkyun is the original Taekwondo, if you youtube it, you can see that it's similar...let me find one for you.
YouTube - Taekkyun #12

Hope that helps you out

kind of looks like drunken taekwondo! haha

YouTube - Kickass Miracles - T'aekky?n

[Shinobi_Moondragon]

some Info on Taekkyon

reference material : Korea Taekkyon Association

Taekkyon is one of the original empty handed forms of combat from ancient Korea. it was primarily practiced by the ruling classes up till around the 6th century. between the 9th and 12th century is when Taekkyon became popular and more widely practiced by common people.

By quoting Koryusa (Korean history book written in 15th century) Taekkyon are widely encouraged and practiced from the king himself to farmers. This trend continued until the early stage of Chosun Dynasty.

around the 13th century, Korea made a number of cultural shifts as they progressed and advanced influened by art, music, literary works from the pen, and military sword arts. Taekkyon was more favoured as a folk game.

during the Japanese invasion and colonization. they tried to eradicate all Korean customs an culture and "Japanize" the people. Taekkyon was seen as a serious threat and it was quickly banned.....more on the reason for that later.

Taekkyon was still practiced in secret and people like Song Duk-Ki(1893∼1987) survived an was able to pass on his particular lineage.

after the Korean independence. arts like Karate, Judo, and the then infant Taekwondo came the popular arts practiced. Taekkyon was going through revival and the Korean government designated it as a Cultural Treasure and Intangible asset. 1985 brought the first revived Taekkyon game after 80 years at Kooduk stadium in Pusan.

[Shinobi_Moondragon]

Principles of Taekkyon Techniques:

sometimes there is confusion between Taekkyon and TKD. both utilize alot of kicking techniques. there are some kicks in TKD that were influenced an passed down from Taekkyon

but otherwise from that these 2 arts dont really have much in common and are very different from each other. the techniques and competitions are also significantly different.

another misconception people sometimes make about taekkyon is that its just kicking. kicks are emphasized but taekkyon also uses hand strikes, takedowns, and throwing techniques. hand strikes wont really be seen in competition

but in a street fight.....hand strikes from a taekkyon person specifically goes for vital target areas. taekkyon artists are also as skilled with thier legs as they are with thier hands in going for vital target areas which is also prohibited from competition


Taekkyon powers up its strenght from the rhthymical movement from the harmonical knee bends and waiste elasticity......kinda sorta the way a capoiera artist draws thier rhythym.

it then uses this power to thrust an opponents face and body or attack thier legs to bring them down. they will also push or pull the opponents legs to bring them down when attacked with kicks.


In Taekkyon matches, it makes it a rule the two fighters should step one of their feet near in front of the others. So a fighter should continue to change his two legs to avoid the leg attacks from the opponent and this makes a unique Taekkyon step. A slight change of Taekkyon could be enough dangerous to wound others and even take their lives. This kind of combatant Taekkyon is separately inherited.

thats part of why the Japanese banned Taekkyon. many Karate,Jujutsu, Judo people didnt know how to counter and deal with it so it was very threatning. as well as by this time in history , alot of Korean thugs and gangsters were also practicing Taekkyon

Taekkyon features no defense and active attack. When it is attacked, it does not defend but attacks the opponents in response of it

but it also considers the opponents' safety as well, as written above. This compatibility is accord with the characteristics of the Korean culture.