Taekwondo, like karate and judo, is a martial art, or fighting sport. Taekwondo is famous for its high, spinning kicks.
Taekwondo comes from three Korean words, tae, "kick," kwon, "fist or punch," and do, "the art of." That's a pretty good description of this dynamic martial art, which involves acrobatic kicks and graceful punches. Like all martial arts, taekwondo isn't just combat — it's also an art and a discipline. Becoming a taekwondo black belt involves hours of practice and skills like breaking boards and sparring, as well as a knowledge of the history of the sport.