Spirit TKD

Today I had the pleasure and honour of announcing and presenting my Instructor's grading result to 9th Degree, Grand Master (Saseong).

Grand Master Kim Anderson IX Degree, has been training and teaching for 52 years and has been my instructor for over 44 years. GM Anderson becomes England's fourth Grand Master.

GM Anderson's brief History
Commenced training in 1974 (UKTA)
Became Black belt in 1979
Black belt for 47 years
Master for 18 years

For further information about GM Anderson's promotion and history, please use the following links;

ITF England - https://www.facebook.com/share/1DgNdEvFhf/

TKD Live - https://www.facebook.com/share/18bmcTpkyu/

Master A Adolph
VII Degree

Radlett classes

4 May - Running as normal
25 May - No classes

Today, April 11, 2026, we celebrate the 71st anniversary of the naming of Taekwon-Do.

On 11 April 1955, the name Taekwon-Do was officially presented, marking the beginning of a journey that would grow into a global martial art practiced by millions. For 71 years, Taekwon-Do has represented discipline, respect, perseverance, and continuous self-development.

Our global community continues to honor this legacy through shared milestones. And just three weeks ago, we also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the International Taekwon-Do Federation, marking six decades of dedication to developing and preserving Taekwon-Do worldwide.

As we mark 71 years since the naming of our art, we celebrate our history and look forward to the future together.

What does Taekwon-Do mean to you? Write is in the comments.

What better way to celebrate the 71st anniversary of Taekwon-Do than a few hours of patterns, step-sparring & self-defence with Master Kim Anderson & Master Russell Dennis.

The Birth of Taekwon-Do: April 11, 1955
In the fall of 1954, General Choi Hong-hi, commander of the 29th Infantry „Fist Division” on Jeju Island, oversaw a martial arts demonstration for South Korea’s first president, Dr. Syngman Rhee. The performance, rooted in Japanese karate influences and called Tangsudo (Korean for „Tang hand way”), marked the division’s first anniversary and Rhee’s birthday. Rhee reportedly exclaimed, „This is Taekkyon!”—an ancient Korean kicking art—and urged its adoption across the military. This posed a challenge for Choi, who knew the demonstration wasn’t true Taekkyon (a softer, flowing style distinct from the linear, hand-heavy Tangsudo), and some accounts suggest he may not have been familiar with it.
To resolve this, Choi and his subordinate, Lt. Nam Tae-hi, sought a distinctly Korean name. Consulting a Chinese dictionary, they coined „Tae Kwon Do” (later standardized as Taekwon-Do), meaning „foot, fist, way.” To gain traction, they campaigned for support among Korean leaders and officials.
On April 11, 1955—now celebrated as Taekwon-Do’s official birthday—Choi gathered soldiers in a cleared room at the 29th Division headquarters. He first directed Lt. Nam through 29 movements in a pattern named „Hwarang,” honoring the legendary Silla Kingdom youth warriors (a mythologized history later fleshed out with input from an army colonel-historian under President Rhee’s direction). Next, Nam called Sgt. Han Cha-kyo (a Chung Do Kwan student) to perform 30 movements in the „Chung Mu” pattern, named after Admiral Yi Sun-sin, Korea’s naval hero.
This session formalized Taekwon-Do as a national art, blending karate forms with Korean nomenclature and cultural symbols. While Vitale’s detailed account emphasizes Choi’s on-site invention, broader history notes that the name „Taekwon-Do” gained formal traction later that year through Choi’s Oh Do Kwan and military programs, evolving into the ITF style by 1959. April 11, 1955, thus symbolizes the spark of national identity amid post-war Korean efforts to indigenize martial arts.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CELDgSCEL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Easter Weekend Classes Cancelled
Good Friday 3 April
Easter Sunday 5 April
Easter Monday 6 April

*** NEWS JUST IN ***
New coloured uniforms for all student's & instructor's
Limited stock available.
Once there gone, we're not sure when more stock will be available.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy & Successful New Year

Classes resume on Sunday 4 January