Taekwondo : The State of the Art

Rating:
Summary: As good a book as any
Review: Tae kwon do books are kind of dry by nature. This one is a bit more interesting than others, and is different since it is well written. Probably the best book to buy if you want a reference manual for the art.

Rating:
Summary: Best Yet
Review: Taekwondo The State of the Art

Authors: Masters Sung Chul Whang; Jun Chul Whang; Brandon Saltz; Foreword and contribution by Master is comprehensive and deals with History, Philosophy, Warm ups; Stances; Steps and Footwork; Blocks; Hand strikes; Kicks; Sparring; and Poomse. The authors have chosen to use illustrations rather than photographs and the results are quite good. Korean terms are used throughout as part of the titles. Headings for almost all sections in the book and all the stances, kicks, strikes, blocks, etc. are included. As always, since English sounds don't always match Korean, the spelling is a crap shoot. Of particular note is the use of G instead of K for a palatal consonant in such Korean words as (Gyoroogi) (sparring) here versus Kyorugi in some other books.

Of all the books I've read, I like this one the best-so far. There is more detail and supporting discussion. As I read the material, I felt like I was being coached by someone who was not only very competent, but also someone who understood the problems of junior belt level students such as myself.

This book will appeal to the serious Taekwondo students no matter what reasons they have for taking Taekwondo. It is only missing discussion of self defense. However, there is a frank discussion in the philosophy chapter that addresses the authors' feelings about the thought processes of people in the discipline about the merits of sportized Taekwondo versus martial art. This is an important discussion and should be read by young Taekwondoists as they determine why they are taking TKD. [For the dedicated student, The Martial Artist's Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi interpreted by Stephen F. Kaufman, Hanshi 10th Dan, has even more relevant discussion.]

The book deals with stances, hand strikes and kicks and stresses the rationale behind each. It is detailed in its discussion and maintains the importance of the proper stances and striking technique. The extensive section on steps and footwork is the most comprehensive I've see so far. They discuss transitions from position to position. With these sections the authors build you carefully towards the sections on sparring and poomse(forms) Because of the lengthy build up, only the Taeguk patterns are shown. The authors acknowledge other patterns such as the Palgwe, but focus on the current WTF authorized patterns. The discussion on the patterns is excellent. If read with the preceding material in their book, a student can greatly increase their understanding of why they are doing things and how they may improve. [Please understand that no-one should feel they can learn Taekwondo properly without the instruction of a Master such as Master Seung. No book replaces an experienced teacher, but it offers some insights and additional information that may not come up in the classes very often.]

What makes this book especially appealing to someone like me, is the information about the Taeguk series-the Taeguk is the circle containing the um/yang symbols within the 8 sets of 3 bars. For the first time as a Taekwondo student, I could start to understand the significance. The authors have given us a brief but important opening into the discipline.

In addition, they have advanced an image of the ultimate state to which patterns should aspire. It demonstrates the purpose of each motion.

As a beginning, but serious TKD student, if I could only buy one book on Taekwondo, I would buy this one.

Rating:
Summary: An in-depth look at modern Taekwondo.
Review: Taekwondo: The State of the Art is the first truly comprehensive book on modern Taekwondo to appear in years. In our book, we present the most current methods, tactics and strategies for everything from the required taegeuk forms to Olympic-style sparring. Beginners and experienced students can enhance their Taekwondo training and education with the help of sections on:

Kicking styles, taught by Olympic coaches and used by national champions and Olympic hopefuls;

The most common problems students encounter as they try to develop fluid technique, timing, speed and power;

Steps and footwork, from the most basic to complex sparring maneuvers;

Poomse technique, with tips and suggestions for excellent performance, and elaboration of difficult moves;

The three key sparring strategies, which will help students learn how to think in the ring;

Cross training for the serious competitor;

The philosophy of Taekwondo, based on the modern evolution of the ancient Hwarang code.

Clarified with hundreds of illustrations--and with a forward and substantial contributions from Master Dae Sung Lee--Taekwondo: The State of the Art is an invaluable learning and teaching resource.

The authors, Masters Sung Chul Whang and Jun Chul Whang, are lifelong practitioners of Taekwondo, have trained all over the world, have achieved recognition as competitive fighters and coaches, and are now part of the new generation of young leaders in the Takewondo community. They currently own and operate Manhattan's West Side Taekwondo, the largest Taekwondo school in New York City. Master Dae Sung Lee, ten-time U.S. National Team member and two-time Olympic coach, contributes unique insight he cultivated through years of experience. Brandon Saltz has taught Taekwondo for a number of years, both at West Side Taekwondo and through other affiliations, and is a national poomse champion.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent detail is presented in a very clear format.
Review: The book will surely become the foremost reference for training skilled and novice TKD martial artists. This is a reflection on the quality of teaching of Masters Whang, who are well known for their expertise. The detailed presentation of the forms is extremely helpful. These are surely the contributions of Mr. Saltz, a national poomse champion.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the best book on Tae Kwon Do ever written
Review: The most interesting, creative, and useful book on Tae Kwon Do that I have ever read. A practical guide that I will likely refer back for as long as I practice and teach martial arts. It will be my Christmas gift to all my of Tae Kwon Do friends. Thank you Masters Whang! Thank you Mr. Saltz!

Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: This book covered all the aspects of taekwondo as both a martial art and sport. The illustrations were great. The poomse section beautifully explained the WTF forms. My favorite part, though, was the footwork section. My prowess in the ring improved almost immediately after having read it. The authors scattered many helpful tips throughout the book, as well. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Taekwondo. Well done!

Rating:
Summary: Very Clear
Review: This book covered most of the basic steps, punches, kicks, and blocks for Tae kwon Do and explained the moves very clearly. However, for the more advanced Tae Kwon Do student, it would not be of much help. The best thing about this book was the Poomse explinations. Out of every Tae Kwon Do book I had looked at (and trust me, i've looked at a lot) this one had the clearest step by step instructions.

Rating:
Summary: The best marital arts book I have ever read
Review: This book is a must for Tae Kwon Do practitioners. It gives a comprehensive and very readable overview of the history and philosophy of Tae Kwon Do. The poomse (forms) illustrations and explanations are without par.

Rating:
Summary: A must for any tae kwon do practitioner!
Review: This book is perfect for anyone just starting tae kwon do, as well as anyone who has been practicing it for a while, and just needs to refresh their memory. The drawings are very detailed and the explanations are are very thorough. All the kicks, blocks, stances and hand movements are described perfectly, with illustrations more comprehensive than ordinary photos. Also it is a great guideline for forms! I have been practicing tae kwon do for just a little over 3 months, and this book is my companion whenever i practice on my own at home. It has really helped me get ahead in my poomse techniques. I have purchased some other books on tae kwon do, but this is by far the best, and i would highly recommend it! If you practice tae kwon do, this book is a must!

Rating:
Summary: A must have!
Review: This is a very good book for beginners or to keep as a reference for the regular Tae Kwon Do martial artist. Great explanations of the basic techniques, forms, and sparring. The illustrations are clear and the descriptions of the techniques easy to understand.