Taekwondo Invents Full Contact Sparring with the Invention of the Hogu . . .

. . . or did they? Many people believe that that Hogu (chest protector) was developed by the World Taekwondo Federation, and it part of what distinguishes Taekwondo sparring from Tangsoodo, Karate, Kungfu and other striking arts. It definitely is the chest guard that allows the Taekwondo kicking specialist to throw full contact kicks without deadly results. But when and how did Taekwondo develop the chest guard?

Surprise. . . the history of the Taekwondo chest protector goes back to Japan, Toyama Kanken the Zen Nihon Karatedo Renmei and three Koreans. The three Korean grandmasters: Yun Kwai-byung, who became the leader of Jidokwan after the death of Chun Sung-sup; Yun Byung-in who was the founder of YMCA Kwanbup Bu who’s students developed Kangdukkwan and Changmookwan and Grandmaster Kim Ki-whang who did not start his own kwan.

Click here to read the entire article about how the Japanese Bogu, Kendo body protector becomes part of Karatedo and makes its way to Korea.

Yours in the Sprit of Wisdom

Childan Sam Naples
Grandmaster Chun Taekwondo Jidokwan
www.taekwondo-4self-mastey.com