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As I do Taekwondo I'm gona post some info about that:

History of Korean Arts:
The Korean combat skills originally began over 5,000 years ago with the formation of the Kochosun kingdom. In order to protect the people and their territory this kingdom began the development of a strong combative system. Later, over 2,000 years ago, the kingdom of Silla (BC 57) was formed and they began the development of their own warrior system. This system was called Hwarangdo.
Modern Hwarangdo

Hwarang (s) - (Hwarangdo ) - The term used to refer to the ancient Hwarang warriors. The Hwarang and Rangdo together were called the "Flower knights." In reference to these individuals as a group of people, the Hwarang (leaders) and Rangdo (fellows), two terms are used. Most references simply say Hwarang (s), but there are some later references that also use Hwarangdo . The "DO" suffix used here means a group of people. So the term pronounced Hwarangdo means a "group of flower men."
Hwarang - "Flower man" The title given to the leaders of the youth group from the ancient kingdom of Silla. This title was only received by the youth of royal family members, and not civilians.
Rangdo -"Fellows" The title of the Hwarang's fellows. These people were the students disciples, and soldiers of the Hwarang, and all came from the civilian class.

This Hwarangdo system eventually spread to Japan and was very influential in the development of the Japanese Samurai system and Bushido (Korean-Musado, this is the moral mentality of the Hwarang and samurai). During this time much of the Japanese culture originated from the Korean kingdoms of Silla, Koguryo and Packche. Along with social customs, martial aspects were passed across the sea to Japan. So the counterpart of the Silla Hwarang was the Japanese Shogun, and the counterpart of the Silla Rangdo was the Japanese shogun's soldiers (their samurai). It is also thought that the family of the founder of Jujitsu was also connected to the Hwarang warriors. The name of this "Jujitsu " founder is "Shinna Sabro ", and the Korean pronunciation of his name is "Silla Samrang." There were many Koreans who moved to other countries, and because they still felt strong ties to their homeland they used this kingdom's name as their maiden name. The meaning of this founder's name is "Silla third man," so it is thought that this founder's ancestors came from the kingdom of "Silla ".
Japanese soft styles such as Judo (mostly a sport version of throwing and chocking), Daitoryu Yawara (same as Aiki Jujitsu - mostly throwing, joint manipulation, and grappling), and Aikido (mostly the use of an opponent's strength, and joint manipulation) were the same skills that evolved from Jujitsu. But, in Japan the Daitoryu yawara (Aiki Jujitsu) and Jujitsu name has been disbanded, and presently these branch schools are called Judo and Aikido schools. However, the Jujitsu that has become poular in present times is called Brazilian Jujitsu and is mostly focused on grappling and ground locks. All of these Japanese soft style skills share many similarities with the soft style "Yusool" skills of the ancient secret combat skills of the Hwarang which are called "Um Yang Kwon " (Yusool -soft skills and Kangsool -hard skills). Because of these many similarities and the meaning of the founder's name, it is thought that Jujitsu's roots lie in the Hwarang tradition of Korea.
This Hwarang system was passed through the Koryo dynasty (936 AD - 1392 AD), however during the Yi Dynasty (Chosun) (1393 AD - 1910 AD) the hwarang faded from public service, typically becoming monks or retreating into a mountain life of contemplation.

From 1910-1945 Korea was occupied by Japan. The japanese government tried to quash all forms of korean identity, including martial arts so the only arts allowed were japaneese ones. After the liberation many various martial arts sprang up including YEON MU KWAN KONG SOO DO, MU DUK KWAN TANG SOO DO, CHANG MU KWAN KONG SOO DO, SONG MU KWAN KONG SOO DO, CHUNG DO KWAN KONG SOO DO, JI DO KWAN KONG SOO DO and DAITO RYU YAWARA. And many more.
In 1955 General Choi Hong Hi officially named the art he had developed from an ancient korean art named Taekyon and Japanese Karate -Taekwondo

History of General Choi and Taekwondo
Taekwondo (also written as "tae kwon do", "taekwon-do") is a modern martial art from Korea that is characterised by its fast, high and spinning kicks.
Taekwondo was originally founded by General Choi Hong Hi, General Choi was born on November 9th, 1918, in the Hwa Dae Myong Chun District of Korea.
At the age of twelve he started to study Taek Kyon, an ancient Korean method of fighting with the feet. Later, when he was studying in Japan, he met a Karate teacher who helped him earn his first degree Black Belt in less than two years. He then intensified his training, striving to earn his second degree. Around the same time, he started teaching.
Conscripted into the Japanese army during World War II, he was posted to Pyongyang where he was imprisoned. Wanting to maintain his good physical and mental health during his imprisonment, he practiced karate, alone at first, then by teaching it to the staff of the prison and the other prisoners.
Becoming an officer in the new Korean Army after the end of the war, he continued to teach his martial art to his soldiers as well as to American soldiers serving in Korea.
His beliefs and his vision of a different approach to teaching martial arts led General Choi to combine elements of Taek Kyon and Karate techniques to develop a modern martial art. He called it Tae Kwon Do, which means "the way of the feet and the hands", and this name was officially adopted on April 11th, 1955.
In 1959, General Choi was named President of the Korean Taekwon-Do Association. Seven years later, on March 22nd,1966, he created the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF). As the Founder of Taekwon-Do and President of the ITF, he had the ability to share his art with students everywhere. Today, Taekwon-Do training is available around the world.
After a life dedicated to the development of Taekwon-Do, a modern martial art based on traditional values, philosophy, and training, General Choi, Founder of Taekwon-Do and President of the International Taekwon-Do Federation, died of cancer on June 15th, 2002, in the country of his birth.

There is one main and important division within Taekwondo. General Choi founded the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), due to its popularity and being taught to the army of southern Korea it was named the national sport of South Korea. General Choi seeking to expand the reach of Taekwondo went and taught the North Koreans his art. The South korean government angered by this created a new Taekwondo association named the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). After this split General Choi spent most of the remainder of his life in Canada. These two federations whilst similar now have important differences. The ITF style has always been a martial art, designed to train soldiers in effective hand to hand combat. The WTF in order to be included in the Olympic games has had many of the dangerous techniques removed to have the classification of a sport.

Useful links:

ITF Patterns
WTF poomse
TKD Philosophies (site detailing many books outlining the various philosophies of TKD, extremely obtuse...)

Any martial art resource is cool, so if you know of any good websites, post a link, be it any martial art, equiptment or general martial arty cool stuff

Shaolin Kempo? Sounds an interesting mix, whats that about?

hello!!

i decided to post some info on the martial art that i love and practice CAPOEIRA!! xd a lot of you may be familiar with it, especially if you know the characters eddie and chisty from tekken.

im a green and yellow corda (duas voltas) and im with the Grupo Capoeira Biriba Brasil.

ill be dividing the whole thing into sections..
What is capoeira?
History
Music and Instruments
What usually happens in class?
Basic Moves
Ranking System

History

"Capoeira" (pronounced "ka-po-eh-ra") is an Afro-Brazilian martial art, combining fighting techniques, acrobatics and dance techniques. It originated in Brazil, some 300-500 years ago, but was introduced to Brazil by the African slaves from the African country of "Angola". The Angolan slaves were brought from their country on slave prison ships, across the southern Atlantic Ocean, to Brazil, to work as slaves in Brazil. It was in Brazil that the Angolan slaves created the art from the drive to escape from slavery. The Native Brazilian slaves, however, did contribute some to the creation of the art. Because they were not allowed to practice fighting in captivity, the slaves disguised their art as a peaceful, non-contact "Dance-Fight-Game" (as Mestre Nestor Capoeira calls it in his book "Capoeira: Roots of The Dance-Fight-Game"). Because the art looked like a harmless dance, the slave keepers thought nothing of it, and simply watched them practice this "dance" for entertainment. Capoeira, at this time, was practiced slow, low-to-the-ground, and with no (or very little) acrobatics. "Capoeira" actually had no name, at this time. The name came a little later.

Later, the slaves used the art to attempt to escape from slavery. When doing this, they used Capoeira in its true, agressive form. Fast, powerful, full contact, etc.. Some escaped, some didn't. Some escaped, but were caught again, later. The slaves that did escape fled to the jungles of Brazil. Hunters were hired to track them down and recapture them. The word "Capoeira" is said to mean "brushwood", referring to the area the refugee slaves would hide preparing to attack the hunters. This is believed to be when and where Capoeira got its name. Now, Capoeira was called, in full, "Capoeira de Angola".

Some refugee slaves later formed small, backland villages, consisting of refugee slaves. These villages were called "Quilombos". Hunters continued to try to capture refugee slaves. But the people of the Quilombos were usually too skilled for them. Although some did fall to the hunters.
There was one Quilombo called "Palmares". Their King, named "Zumbi", was considered the strongest. But one day, Palmares fell to the hunters, and Zumbi was captured - although not easily. Zumbi was executed, but even to this day, Capoeiristas consider Zumbi a hero!
Eventually, a law was passed, called The "Freedom of The Womb" law, stating that all new children born in the Quilombos were born free from slavery.

Eventually, hunting for Quilombos and Capoeiristas became too dangerous and costly for the Brazilian Government. The Brazilian Government then finally called off the hunts, and slavery was completely abolished!

However, the elders of the Quilombos, although now free, had not the resources to establish good trade to support themselves.

The younger refugees fled to the cities, now that they were free, and formed gangs of "Capoeiristas" to assault and rob people as a way of living and survival.
Political voting time came, one year, and the politicians decided to take advantage of the gangs. They would hire and pay gangs of Capoeiristas to be their bodyguards, and assault those voting for the opposing parties, unless they changed their vote for the person they were working for.
This got quickly out of hand, and the Brazilian Government then decided to completely outlaw Capoeira and its practice. All those caught using or practicing Capoeira were sent to exile on "Fernando de Noronha" island, off the NE coast of Brazil. Police made huge efforts to stamp out the art.
But the Capoeiristas did not give up. They continued to practice their art, but take measures against police. They played Capoeira in areas where there were many quick exits, and even invented a rhythm called "Cavalaria" ("Cavalry") to herald the approach of police. They also gave eachother nicknames, and often changed them, making it hard for police to track them down.

In 1932, Manoel dos Reis Machado (Mestre Bimba) founded a much more agressive, athletic and martial form of Capoeira, which came to be known as "Capoeira Regional", and opened the first school of his modality of Capoeira, in Bahia State, Brazil. In addition, in 1937, Mestre Bimba demonstrated his art in front of the Brazilian President, who then decided to declare Mestre Bimba's school the first official school of Capoeira, and declare Capoeira as an official Brazilian martial art.

In 1942, Vincente Ferreira Pastinha (A.K.A.: Mestre Pastinha) founded the first school of Capoeira de Angola, also in Bahia State, Brazil.

(Both Mestre Pastinha and Mestre Bimba are now passed away).

There are now thousands of Capoeira schools, in over 70 countries across the globe. Some teach only Regional, some teach only Angola, and some teach both.

What usually happens in class?

Well a usual day in Capoeira training starts off with the all important STRETCHING. We need to warm up our bodies to get them limber and to avoid (most of) the aches and pains that usually follow a gruelling 3 hours practice!

The next part we start singing songs. As mentioned in the last post singing is very important and we all sing the songs to be used for that day. It also provides good time for newbies to learn the songs. Our mestre (our teacher/guru/sensei) expects all of us to have learned the songs after just two tries sweatdrop impossible since its in portugese. hehe But everyone is required to sing! No exceptions even if it leaves you just humming the tune wink

After we decide wether we will be practicing for a maculele or training moves. A Maculele is a series of steps (this is very much like a dance) and involves the use of two short bamboo sticks. Its a series of foot steps and hand motions using the sticks. After individuals learn the basics we start "dancing" or sparring in pairs.

If were training moves we practice in groups and the mestre moves around. I will be discussing the basic moves in the next post ^^

Lastly we usually close up with a roda. (My fave part!) When "practiced", together with fellow Capoeiristas, they practice in a circle, called a "Roda" (pronounced "haw-da") formed by other Capoeiristas, and an assembly of musical instruments at the opening to the Roda. All the movements are done to the rhythms of these instruments. Here its basically free style. You and your opponent dodge and attack to the beat of the music. It is here that Capoeira can be seen as a "game" since the only blows made are slight taps to show their opponent that their defenses are down! xd

Of course the friendly nature of the game can't hid the power behind all the kicks and acrobatic moves! When sparring injuries can be quite painful. An example would be me failing to evade in time and getting slammed with a kick to the face. Plus I can't tell you how many times I have crashed into my oponnents when we both do Au`s (cartwheels) at the same time!

After all this we slow down and just fool around. Our mestre believes that to have a good school we must know our members and develop friendships. It's not a competition, we are comrades who help each other reach our goals! blaugh

Ranking System

We don't have belts but Cordas or Cords.

Beginners - Orange Cord or None
1st Stage - Green Cord - Initiation
2rd Stage - Green Cord - (duas voltas)
3rd Stage - Green/Yellow Cord - Intermediate
4th Stage - Green/Yellow Cord - (duas voltas)
5th Stage - Yellow Cord - 1st level of Instructor
6th Stage - Yellow/blue Cord - Instructor
7th Stage - Blue/Green - Professor Estagiario
8th Stage - Blue Cord - Professor
9th Stage - Green/Yellow/Blue Cord - Contra Mestre
10th Stage - White/Green Cord - 1st level of Mestre
11th Stage - White/Yellow Cord - 2nd level of Mestre
12th Stage - White/Blue Cord - 3rd level of Mestre
13th Stage - White Cord - Grand Mestre