Weight loss plan for Elaine

Elaine Teo fought in the 57kg category during the Beijing Olympics last month. She will be competing in the 51kg category at the Vietnam Open next month. —Reuters


KUALA LUMPUR: Taekwondo exponent Elaine Teo has to lose weight to compete in the 51kg category competition at the Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh City from Oct 24-26.

Elaine was on a weight gain programme for the Olympics last month because she was mistakenly penned in for the 57kg competition instead of the below 49kg category in a qualifying event in Ho Chi Minh City last November.


But she beat the odds to qualify for the Beijing Games with a bronze medal-winning effort.

The 27-year-old Elaine, who reached the quarter-final stage at the Olympics, said that she only resumed training four days ago after the outing in Beijing.

“I am 53kg now and have to control my food intake to lose weight to compete in a lighter category. I should have no problem losing two kilogrammes in the next six weeks,” she said.

“For the Vietnam Open, I stand a better chance of winning a medal in the 51kg category. I won the silver medal in that division last year.”

Elaine, a gold medallist in the 51kg category at the 2007 Korat SEA Games, added that she felt much more confident now than before after having competed against heavier exponents in the Beijing Olympics.

“However, I have to work on my reach and also need to be more aggressive in my attacks. My mission in Vietnam is to win the gold,” said Elaine, who will be in the company of strong exponents from South Korea and China.

Elaine will also compete in the Asian University Games, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur in December. She was a bronze medallist at the last Games in Vietnam in 2006

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What is Taekwondo

Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional martial arts, that teaches more than physical fighting skills. It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and mind. Today, it has become a global sport that has gained an international reputation, and stands among the official games in the Olympics.

Let's take a closer look at the meaning of the word "Tae" "Kwon" "Do." It is composed of three parts as shown in the English spelling, though it is one word in Korean. "Tae" means "foot," "leg," or "to step on"; "Kwon" means "fist," or "fight"; and "Do" means the "way" or "discipline." If we put these three parts together, we can see two important concepts behind "Tae Kwon Do".

First, Taekwondo is the right way of using Tae and Kwon 'fists and feet,' or all the parts of the body that are represented by fists and feet. Second, it is a way to control or calm down fights and keep the peace. This concept comes from the meaning of Tae Kwon 'to put fists under control' [or 'to step on fists']. Thus Taekwondo means "the right way of using all parts of the body to stop fights and help to build a better and more peaceful world."

Taekwondo has been developing with the 5000-year long history of Korea, being called by several different names in the course. In Korea, Taekwondo began as a defense martial art called "Subak" or "Taekkyon," and developed as a way of training body and mind in the ancient kingdom of Koguryo, under the name of "Sunbae." In the Shilla period, it had become the backbone of Hwarangdo that aimed at producing leaders of the country.

Taekwondo today is similar to the martial arts in other Oriental countries and shares some features with them, because in the course of its evolution it has gained many different styles that existed in the martial arts of the countries surrounding Korea, like Japan and China.

But Taekwondo is very different from many such oriental martial arts. First, physically it is very dynamic with active movements that include a mirage of foot skills. Second, the principle physical movements are in simpatico with that of the mind and life as a whole. Third, it possesses dynamic poses from another perspective.

Taekwondo can be characterized by unity: the unity of body, mind, and life, and the unity of the pose ["poomsae"] and confrontation, and cracking down. When you do Taekwondo, you should make your mind peaceful and synchronize your mind with your movements, and extend this harmony to your life and society. This is how in Taekwondo the principle of physical movements, the principle of mind training, and the principle of life become one and the same. On the other hand, the right poomsae lead to the right confrontation, which will eventually produce great destructive power.

How come we reach such a unity in Taekwondo? Taekwondo is a way of life, much like having a job, raising a family, fighting for a cause, or any one of numerous raison d'etre. What makes Taekwondo different from these is that it is an activity for survival in extremely antagonistic situations. One must always overcome the enemy that is trying to cause harm. But simply winning a fight is not enough to guarantee one's safety, because the enemy may recuperate and attack again. Moreover, there may be many other enemies than the one that was just defeated. One cannot ever feel safe unless one gains permanent peace. To attain this permanent or lasting peace, one needs unity. This is what Taekwondo aim for. Otherwise Taekwondo would be no different from any other street-fighting skills.

Taekwondo pursues harmonious growth and improvements of life through its unique activities. This is why one could say Taekwondo is a way of life. To ultimately enable ourselves to lead more valuable lives, we would do well by finding the guiding principles deeply hidden in Taekwondo.

Competition rules of taekwondo

Gyorugi (sparring) has become a modern game sport earlier than any other part of Taekwondo. Nowadays, the number of Poomsae and Gyukpa (breaking) competitions is increasing. Gyorugi is the part of Taekwondo that became a sport game first. The latest amendment to the Competition Rules was made at the 17th General Assembly held in Madrid-Spain, on April 12, 2005. There are individual and team competitions. Individual competition is conducted by two contestants, Chung (blue) and Hong (red), on 10m x 10m contest area. Contestants are allowed to perform kicking and punching techniques on the trunk and kicking techniques on the face. All vulnerable parts of the body are covered with protectors. One match consists of three rounds of two minutes each for men and three rounds of two minutes each for women and juniors both with one-minute rest between rounds. Four referees - one Center Referee and three Corner Judges - are assigned for one match. Referee manages the matches and give penalties - two warning penalties or one Gam-jeom penalty makes deduction of one point - to the contestant who violates the rules. Judges score the games by pressing judge’s electronic scoring instrument - one point to a valid attack to the trunk, two points to that to the face and additional one point in case of knock down.     1. World Junior Taekwondo Championships (Aged 14 through 17): 10 weight classes for men and women respectively Weight category Man Women Fin - 45kg - 42kg Fly 45kg - 48kg 42kg - 44kg Bantam 48kg - 51kg 4kg - 46kg Feather 51kg - 55kg 46kg - 49kg Light 55kg - 59kg 49kg - 52kg Welter 59kg - 63kg 52kg - 55kg Light Middle 63kg - 68kg 55kg - 59kg Middle 68kg - 73kg 59kg - 63kg Light Heavy 73kg - 78kg 63kg - 68kg Heavy +78kg +68kg   2. World Taekwondo Championships/ Women’s World Taekwondo Championships/ World Cup Taekwondo (aged 15 or higher): 8 weight classes for men and women respectively Weight category Man Women Fin - 54kg - 47kg Fly 54kg - 58kg 47kg-51kg Bantam 58kg - 62kg 51kg - 55kg Feather 62kg - 67kg 55kg - 59kg Light 67kg - 72kg 59kg - 63kg Welter 72kg - 78kg 63kg - 67kg Middle 78kg - 84kg 67kg - 72kg Heavy +84kg +72kg   3. Olympic Games Taekwondo (beginning at Sydney 2000): respective four weight classes for men and women Man Women - 58kg (under 58kg) -49kg (under 49kg) - 68kg (under 68kg) - 57kg (under 57kg) - 80kg (under 80kg) - 67kg (under 67kg) + 80kg (over 80kg) + 67kg (over 67kg)   Contestants should wear protective equipment before entering into the competition area. Protective equipment used in Taekwondo competition includes head protector, trunk protector, forearm and shin guards, and groin guard.

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