What is Tang Soo Do?

Tang Soo Do, is not a sport and its primary goal is not a competitive one. However, it does lend itself well to combative situations. Being a well-balanced style, Tang Soo Do offers a wide array of kicks, hand strikes, and stances representative of hard styles as well as softer stances and more fluid motions that are indicative of the softer styles. It derives it's hardness from Soo Bahk Do and its soft flowing movements from the Northern Chinese systems. Its kicking techniques , for which Tang Soo Do is unsurpassed, are based on Soo Bahk Do. Both of which can easily be recognized in the forms that are practiced within the style.

  Free sparring is an extremely important part of Tang Soo Do training. There are two major types suitable for Tang Soo Do schools: Dojang sparring and competition; or sport, sparring. Although the techniques used in these types of sparring could be potentially dangerous and could result in a knockout or serious injury if not properly controlled, full contact sparring (kick boxing), traditionally is not included in the Tang Soo Do.

  Tang Soo Do competitions do not allow contact to face or groin, or the back while allowing light moderate contact to the sides and front of the body. When one looks at injuries occurring in other contact sports it becomes clear that sport Tang Soo Do is actually a very safe activity. Qualities like sportsmanship, mutual respect for each other and personal discipline insures that practitioners compete in the healthiest environment possible. After all, the purpose of Tang Soo Do training is not for fighting, but to perfect techniques that will enhance one's total self. If the occasion arises when one must defend oneself, of equal importance is the development of the proper spirit to supplement the physical skills that are attained.

- The Staff of Alabama Karate Academy