Martial Arts History

Tae Kwon Do is the Korean art of self-defense.  It is practiced widely throughout Korea.  Translated literally it means art of hand and foot fighting.  Tae means to kick jump or smash with the foot.  Kwon denotes a fist used to punch or destroy.  Do is the art, the way, the method.  The study of Tae Kwon Do not only improves one’s physical fitness and health (tae & kwon) but also employs at its highest goal inner peace and serenity (do).

Tae Kwon Do is one of the oldest martial arts with a history spanning over two thousand years.  It can be traced back to when Korea was divided into three kingdoms or provinces, Shilla, Koguryo and Baekche.  Shilla was founded on the Kyongju plain in 57 B.C. and Koguryo in 37 B.C. in the Yalu river valley.  Baekche was later founded on the southwestern area of Korean peninsula in 18 B.C.  Evidence of Tae Kwon Do can be found on murals painted on tomb walls dating back to the Koguryo period (37 B.C. – 66 B.C.).  The murals depict people clearly performing techniques very similar to those of Modern Tae Kwon Do practice.

Karate-Do History
It is generally believed that the art of Karate-Do can be traced back to sixth century China. There, in the Mt. Sung Hennan Province, Dharma, and the founder of Zen, a sect of Buddhism composed a sutra or collection of precepts to promote the physical development of the monks and missionaries to help protect them from the bandits and criminals.  

The sutra developed by Dharma was called "Ekkin-Kyo," and it is believed that it evolved into Shaolin Temple Kenpo, "the way of Fists".  Unfortunately, not much is know about this period of the history of Karate-Do and the relationship between Karate-Do and Shaolin Kenpo remains an ambiguous one.  

Pankration History
Pankration Athlima is an authentic Greek martial art and an athletic combat sport that was an integral part of the ancient Olympic games from 648 BC onwards for about another thousand years or so . The origins of the sport can be traced to the ancient mythical Greek demi God Herculeus and its current day propagation is attributed to Alexander the Great , who took the sport with him across his conquests over Europe and Asia.

The name Pankration is derived from the words PAN + KRATOS, which literally translates to mean " All + Strength " or " the one who has power" or "the one who wins with total strength and knowledge.

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Karate-Do