Taekwondo is a martial art for sport and fitness. But many people also seek out Taekwondo for its self defense capabilities. Because Taekwondo techniques focus on kicks, hand movements, grappling techniques, and overall improved control of your body, it can also be valuable for self defense and help protect you if you are in a fight or are being attacked.

These are some of the basic taekwondo moves that can serve you well in self defense situations and ones that are often the fundamental building blocks of Taekwondo.

Learning Basic Taekwondo Moves for Self Defense

The word Taekwondo translates to “the way of the hand and the foot.” Accordingly, this martial art relies on controlled kicks, punches, and other moves that can be powerful for self defense.

Legs, which are key in many Taekwondo movements, are typically stronger than arms, and will work well against opponents. Depending on your training, Taekwondo can also include some grappling techniques and, like almost all martial arts, Taekwondo will help improve your stamina, physical strength, balance, and reaction time, all of which are invaluable if you find yourself in a dangerous situation and need to protect yourself.

Many people who practice taekwondo also gain confidence, which can be beneficial in deterring others from starting a fight with you.

Although the goal of Taekwondo is never to initiate fighting off the mat, these foundational moves will translate well into self defensive maneuvers:

• Front Kick – A front kick uses the full power and length of your legs as a defensive maneuver that can be extremely helpful in pushing someone away and creating distance between you and an attacker.
• Round Kick – The round kick can add additional power and speed to an already impactful kick when you have the balance and space to execute it safely in a self defense situation.
• Sidekick – A sidekick can have the same defensive value as the push kick in keeping people away from you and can also do extensive damage depending on where you strike your attacker.
• Front Punch – In many self defense situations, your attacker will not be defending against a front punch. If you have the strength and training, this punch can help subdue your attacker.
• Elbow or Knee Strike – Elbows and knees are valuable in self defense because they are strong, difficult to injure, and easy to use. Taekwondo incorporates both elbow and knee strikes that you can also use when in danger.
• Palm Heel Strike – striking with the heel of your palm in self defense is an alternative to a punch that can do approximately the same amount of damage without risking breaking your hand.

Taekwondo covers how to use these different moves effectively on the mat, and can also provide guidelines on how to tailor them to moments where you might be threatened.

If you are interested in learning Taekwondo for self defense in West Chester, Master P’s World Class Tae Kwon Do can instruct you on these basic moves and more advanced techniques whether you want to be able to fend off an attacker or build skills in a new sport.

But we also never simply teach fighting moves at Master P’s World Class Tae Kwon Do. Instead, our Taekwondo self defense is about building a full range of the valuable skills that will help keep you safe, including strength and confidence, to make people of all ages feel more empowered and safe.

Start Taekwondo self defense training in Westchester with a week of free trial classes at Master P’s World Class Tae Kwon Do where you will start building your skills and strength from the beginning and cultivate your self defense skills.