# Seven principle's of TKD



## terryl965 (Dec 23, 2010)

Today I was ask the seven principle's of TKD, I did not understand the question and still do not. The elder instructor told me if I did not know the seven principle I really was not tought TKD. He said he will tell me next month if I was unable to find the answer myself, so once again I turn to the masses here for advice and before you ask I have no clue what he is talking about. I thought maybe the tenets but that would be wrong, so I figure it must be something in his linage and he is Oh Do Kwan and did not find anything there as well. If anybody could help it is appreciated.


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## rlobrecht (Dec 23, 2010)

This is the closest I can come up with:

*tenet* (_plural_ *tenets*)


An opinion, belief, or principle held to be true by someone or especially an organization.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tenet

Courtesy
Integrity
Perseverance
Self Control
Indomitable Spirit

Obviously I'm missing two.

Rick


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## Manny (Dec 23, 2010)

In Ji Do Kwan we had 8 principles, infact our patch have 8 petals that are the 8 principles, don't know if you are talking about this, so here you have them:

*The Spirit of the Eight Manners of Solemnity*
1. View Rightly
2. Feel Rightly
3. Think Rightly
4. Speak Rightly
5. Order Rightly
6. Contribute Rightly
7. Use Abilities
8. Conduct Rightly

*Credo of Taekwondo Jidokwan*
1. Taekwondo for myself.
2. Taekwondo for the Jidokwan.
3. Taekwondo for our country.

Manny


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## Earl Weiss (Dec 23, 2010)

terryl965 said:


> Today I was ask the seven principle's of TKD, I did not understand the question and still do not. The elder instructor told me if I did not know the seven principle I really was not tought TKD. He said he will tell me next month if I was unable to find the answer myself, so once again I turn to the masses here for advice and before you ask I have no clue what he is talking about. I thought maybe the tenets but that would be wrong, so I figure it must be something in his linage and he is Oh Do Kwan and did not find anything there as well. If anybody could help it is appreciated.


 
Well, first you have a semantics issue. Who can be certain of tha answer if we are not certain of the question. Now, given the lineage, originaly there were "7 parts of the training secrets of TKD."
1. To study the theory of power thoroughly
2. To understand the purpose and meaning of each movementy
3. Coordinate movement of eyes, hands, feet and breath into a single action
4. To choose the appropriate attacking tool for each vital spot
5. To be familiar with the correct angle and distance for attack and defense
6. Keep arms and legs bent slightly while the movement is in motion
7. All movements (with very few exceptions ) begin with rearword / opposite direction motion. 

Later #8 was added 
8. To create a sine wave using the knee spring properly. (Kind of adds to #6.)

report back please.


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## ATC (Dec 23, 2010)

Really these all seem to be dojang specific. Just about every dojang has some set of principles or requisites. The number varies from  6 to 10.

Some dojangs only live by and teach the original tenants as listed above. I have even seen some use the 5 original tenants and then add some of their own to them.

The Master that asked you that question then told you that if you did not know you have not been doing TKD is being arrogant if you ask me. He is saying that if you don't know what he considered to be the 7 principles of TKD, then you are not practicing TKD. Then to leave you hanging is just not cool.

The tenants cover just about everything there is to cover. You can create a dojang specific set of rules or guide lines to live by as well but they do not mean you are not doing TKD if someone does not know your dojang rule sets.

Now if he is talking about something altogether different then so be it, but even not knowing that different subject would not constitute someone not doing TKD. You are just not doing what they call TKD.


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## ralphmcpherson (Dec 23, 2010)

Manny said:


> In Ji Do Kwan we had 8 principles, infact our patch have 8 petals that are the 8 principles, don't know if you are talking about this, so here you have them:
> 
> *The Spirit of the Eight Manners of Solemnity*
> 1. View Rightly
> ...


I would have said the same as manny. We are expected to memorise the  -
*The Spirit of the Eight Manners of Solemnity*. although for number 7 we say "have ability".


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## Fisk (Dec 24, 2010)

Hello, I have been just observing the board for some time but wanted to start getting in on some of the dialog for the new year: 

I think he may have been talking about these:

The Seven Principles of Tae Kwon Do

1- Breath Control
2- Equilibrium
3- Mass
4- Accuracy
5- Reaction Force
6- Concentration
7- Speed


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## terryl965 (Dec 24, 2010)

Well he was talking about the seven principle of TKD

1- Breath Control
2- Equilibrium
3- Mass
4- Accuracy
5- Reaction Force
6- Concentration
7- Speed 
Fisk hit it right, I  know these but they did not register until I was talking to some other people this a.m.


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## IcemanSK (Dec 24, 2010)

terryl965 said:


> Well he was talking about the seven principle of TKD
> 
> 1- Breath Control
> 2- Equilibrium
> ...




I recognize that as being made famous by Gen. Choi. I think it's in his earliest of textbooks. I'll defer to Master Weiss for the real story.


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## Earl Weiss (Dec 24, 2010)

IcemanSK said:


> I recognize that as being made famous by Gen. Choi. I think it's in his earliest of textbooks. I'll defer to Master Weiss for the real story.


 
I don't know where Terry got his info. (Terry can you advise as to your source? 
It is likely from a source outside the General's text. 

General Choi lists 6 of the 7 terry lists under "The Six Factors of the theory of power." 

 Accuracy is not among them.

 As Glenn has pointed out what is often referred to as THE 5 Tenets (tenants rent apartments) Coutesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit, is a list compiled by General Choi. It is not adopted as "The Tenets of TKD" by all.  Some have added and / or subtracted stuff.

 I suspect that is the case with Terry's source vis a vis this list. 

anyway, do to the Oh Do Kwan connection of the OP and the fact that there were originaly "7 training secrets" the numbers match up. 

However, the question used the trms "Principles" I can not know iif the original person used that term, and if so accurately, or if the poster rephrased it. 

Perhaps we will all find out in a month's time.


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## puunui (Dec 24, 2010)

Earl Weiss said:


> what is often referred to as THE 5 Tenets (tenants rent apartments) Coutesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit, is a list compiled by General Choi. It is not adopted as "The Tenets of TKD" by all.  Some have added and / or subtracted stuff.




The tenets have also changed over the years as well. But, Taekwondo is all about change and growth, so the fact that they have changed in and of itself, is not a bad thing. I would be more interested in the reasons for the change.


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## terryl965 (Dec 24, 2010)

Earl Weiss said:


> I don't know where Terry got his info. (Terry can you advise as to your source?
> It is likely from a source outside the General's text.
> 
> General Choi lists 6 of the 7 terry lists under "The Six Factors of the theory of power."
> ...


 
Earl I was taking an educated guess, he has not told me yet because I have not seen him but will in January when we meet up again and I will ask and get to the bottom of whay he is talking about.


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## Devlin76 (Dec 25, 2010)

Interesting thread.  I have heard the five tenets of Taekwondo (Courtesy, Integrity, Self-Control, Perseverance, Indomitable Spirit) many times, but never this list of seven.  Its interesting the Eight Manners of Solemnity in Ji Do Kwan seem very similar to the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism.  
  Right View
  Right Intention
  Right Speech
  Right Action
  Right Livelihood
  Right Effort
  Right Mindfulness
  Right Concentration


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## KarateMomUSA (Dec 26, 2010)

Earl Weiss said:


> Well, first you have a semantics issue. Who can be certain of tha answer if we are not certain of the question. Now, given the lineage, originaly there were "7 parts of the training secrets of TKD."
> 1. To study the theory of power thoroughly
> 2. To understand the purpose and meaning of each movementy
> 3. Coordinate movement of eyes, hands, feet and breath into a single action
> ...


I thought that the training secret started at 8 secrets & is now 9, with the 9th being listed as each movement requires 1 breath with the exception of a connecting motion?
Also the tenets were 1st listed as only 4 by Gen Choi, with modesty being one of them


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## Tez3 (Dec 26, 2010)

Is this of any help?
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=252134&l=259e8d6b9d&id=100000928483076

I don't know the veracity of this.


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## Earl Weiss (Dec 26, 2010)

KarateMomUSA said:


> I thought that the training secret started at 8 secrets & is now 9, with the 9th being listed as each movement requires 1 breath with the exception of a connecting motion?
> Also the tenets were 1st listed as only 4 by Gen Choi, with modesty being one of them


 
You may be correct. I thought the 1972 book had seven with sine wave being added with the 1983 encyclopedia. A quick review of the 1972 book did not reveal this listing.


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## KarateMomUSA (Dec 26, 2010)

Earl Weiss said:


> You may be correct. I thought the 1972 book had seven with sine wave being added with the 1983 encyclopedia. A quick review of the 1972 book did not reveal this listing.


No the training secrets did not appear in the books of Gen Choi until the 80s. It was 1st limited to only 8, with the 9th added as indicated above.
His theory of power made its debut in the 1965 book & was limited to only 4 factors, with 2 additional added 1 at a time, till we have the present 6 factors.
As also stated the tenets 1st appeared in his 1965 book, the 1st English book ever written on TKD, with only 4, with modesty being 1 of the 4. The 1972 book of Gen Choi codified it as the current 5.


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