1) Adidas SM-II Shoes

Adidas SM-IIs

The Adidas SM-IIs are the classic Adidas Taekwondo Shoe design with their 3 stripes cleanly displayed on either a black and white shoe or a red and black shoe.

2) Adidas Adi-Luxe Shoes

Adidas Adi-Luxe Shoes

(or in black/white)

Adidas Adilux shoe in black and white

The Adi-Luxe Training shoe has been specifically designed for demanding, high impact martial arts training, refereeing or any indoor sport. This is also well-suited for kung fu, karate, and taekwondo cross training.

3) Mooto Wings

Mooto Wings Shoes

Mooto, The Pride of Martial Artists, presents their Wings Shoes. This is one of their best selling shoes because of the sleek design, contour fit, and lightness. It feels like your feet have wings but it also provides the comfort and safety of a solidly designed taekwondo shoe.

4) Adidas Adi-Storm (White Black Red)

Adidas Adi Storm Shoes

These are the New adidas adi STORM - Features 3 black stripes on the side which are outlined in red to give it a subtle yet strong look. The Adi Storm offers a unique speed lacing system delivering a secure fit while providing better ankle support and ankle strengthening help when doing high, quick, explosive kicks. Adi Storm Taekwondo Martial Arts Training Shoes.

5) Adidas Ultra 3

Adidas Ultra 3

Equal parts stability and style, this is an excellent lightweight choice for the athlete looking to participate in multiple indoor activities. The unique speed lacing system delivers a secure fit, while torsion™‚ provides flexible midfoot support. White with black stripes and gold logos

There you have it. Taekwondoshoes.net’s top 5 taekwondo shoes of the year for 2010.

13 Martial Arts will be featured in the 2010 Sport Accord Combat Games.

Here is some information from the Combat Games website.
http://www.sportcentric.com/vsite/vnavsite/page/directory/0,10853,5148-197860-215083-nav-list,00.html

In March 2009, SportAccord signed an agreement with the city of Beijing, P. R. China, to organise the first SportAccord Combat Games. Scheduled from 28 August to 4 September 2010, the competition will showcase 13 Martial Arts and Combat sports, both Olympic and non-Olympic. The event will also include a Cultural Program that will reflect the social and cultural values of these sports and Combat Games as a whole.

Each sport will have 80 top athletes competing in the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games. These athletes will go through the qualification system set up by their respective International Federation. It is expected that the world best martial arts and combat sports athletes will qualify for the Combat Games. Both male and female athletes will take part. For those sports requiring weigh-in, different weight categories will be included.

During the eight days of competition, the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games will also include a cultural programme. Indeed, martial arts and combat sports have rich cultural heritages and convey social and educational values. The Combat Games will then serve as a great opportunity to enable deeper understanding of the sports by the public.

13 Sports will be showcased in the Combat Games. All 13 sports are officially recognised by SportAccord. They enjoy a long history, established competition rules, approved safety measures, wide practice and large fan base.

Taekwondo - World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art. Taekwondo is loosely translated as ‘the way of the foot and fist’ but some translate it as, ‘the art of kicking and punching,’ Taekwondo’s popularity is a result of evolution of martial arts. It combines combat techniques, self-defence, sport, exercise, meditation and philosophy. Modern Taekwondo tends to emphasize control and self-defence. The art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, employing the leg’s greater reach and power (compared to the arm). Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks.

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The eighth annual SportAccord Convention will take place in Dubai from April 25-30, 2010 at the Atlantis Palm Resort. It is the first edition of the SportAccord Convention to be held in the Middle East.

“The SportAccord Convention in Dubai is taking place at a time when the Middle East is emerging as an important destination for international events and reaching out as an important influence in sport elsewhere in the world,” said Anna Hellman, Executive Director of the SportAccord Convention. “The Convention will bring the rightsholders of literally hundreds of international sporting events to Dubai, some of them coming to the region for the first time. Our conference programme aims to help them and all of our delegates better understand and appreciate the importance of sport and its growth in this fast-changing part of the world.”

During the sessions, business trends and developments on this issue will be analysed by experts in the region such as:
• Romy Gai, CEO of the UAE Football League
• Peter Hutton, COO of Ten Sports
• Salah Tahlak, Tournament Director, Barclays ATP Dubai Tennis Championships.
These speakers (and others who will be announced shortly) will share their viewpoint on the rise of the Middle East as one of the main actors of world sport.

Upswing in Middle East sport events
Indeed, SportAccord Convention’s 2010 edition coincides with a big increase in major sporting events in the region, notably in the Gulf states, which will be hosting world championship events in athletics and swimming for the first time in 2010:
• The IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha (Qatar) in March
• The FINA World Swimming Championships (25 metres) in December
• The FINA World Swimming Championships in 2013.

Last year marked a new high point in international events in the region with two football championships in the UAE, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai and the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, and the first Formula One race in Abu Dhabi in 2009. F1 moved into the Middle East in 2004 with the Bahrain Grand Prix and the region now has two events on the circuit.

Dubai and Doha both host multiple tennis events every year on the ATP/WTA calendars well as annual European Tour and Ladies Tour golf events. The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is a showcase event on the International Rugby Board’s annual calendar.  Dubai is also now the home of the International Cricket Council.

Since 2005 states in the Gulf region have hosted or are scheduled to host events in a wide range of their sports, including motorcycling, table tennis, volleyball, squash, taekwondo, judo, archery and fencing. The Gulf is the number one location on the international powerboating calendar. The AFC Asian Football Championship will be in Qatar in 2011.

Every year SportAccord Week features a dynamic exhibition, numerous networking receptions and top-level conference sessions, including the City Forum, as well as the annual general meetings of the Sports Governing Bodies. The Convention attracts over 1,500 leading representatives of international sport.

About the SportAccord Convention

The SportAccord Convention annually brings representatives from the 100 international sports federations and organisations affiliated to SportAccord/GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), as well as the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, together with sponsors, bidding and host cities, architects, sports lawyers, broadcasters, games organising committees, rights holders and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry.

Owned by SportAccord/GAISF, ASOIF and AIOWF, the SportAccord Convention encompasses the annual Congress and General Assembly of each association, while offering the sports community a powerful opportunity to come together in an exclusive and authoritative networking environment to build relationships, exchange knowledge and develop ideas.

Follow the link below for the 2010 Junior Olympics & Senior Nationals Detailed Schedule
http://assets.usoc.org/assets/documents/attached_file/filename/23063/2010_SNJO_Schedule3.16.10.pdf

• Home: Baldwin Park, California
• Birthday: August 4, 1981

Justin Wang, 28, of Baldwin Park, Calif., won the 1st senior male division at the 2009 U.S. National Poomsae Team Trials in Austin, Texas, and will represent the U.S. at the 2009 WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 30-Dec. 2. He trains at Chin Woo Quan Taekwondo Academy under Master Alex Wang.

Justin answered the following 10 questions for this month’s USAT Athlete Profile…

Q1: What TV show would you like to appear on and what role would you play?

JUSTIN WANG: MacGyver is the person I would like to be. The show (MacGyver) first appeared on the TV when I was really young.  He is smart and agile.  When he encounters problems or crisis, he did not panic, instead, he uses his brain to get him out of danger.  Practicing Taekwondo gives me an edge on physical condition, but at the same time, brains can not be underestimated as well.

Justin (l) at the 2009 U.S. National Poomsae Team Trials

Q2: What’s one value your parents instilled in you?

JUSTIN WANG: My parents taught me ever since I was little is to always give one hundred percent and do my best regardless what the challenge is I am facing. They also told me to always stay honest, live with dignity and believe in myself.

Q3: What do you enjoy doing most in your spare time?

JUSTIN WANG: I like to read all kinds of books.  Books regarding psychology and child education interest me the most.  I see myself not only an instructor of Taekwondo but also an educator.  I want to give my students not just the knowledge regarding Taekwondo but also positive attitudes towards life.  I also likes to read books regarding injury prevention and rehabilitation.  Since Taekwondo is a contact sport and injuries do happen, with that kind of knowledge, I can help my students better.

Justin (center) with his friends Patrick and Kai

Q4: If you’re going out for a big dinner, what would you order?

JUSTIN WANG: Porterhouse steak will be my one and only choice and I finish them at once most of the time.

Justin training at National Taiwan Sport University

Q5: Are you looking forward to traveling to Egypt for the World Poomsae Championships?

JUSTIN WANG: I will absolutely worship this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which makes all my hardcore training and sacrifice worth it. Especially, I get to represent United States of America; this is a tremendous honor I will remember for the rest of my life.

Justin (l) and students participate in a drama performance

Q6: What are your plans after your competitive career is over?

JUSTIN WANG: I would like to become a Taekwondo instructor mainly coaching younger kids. And the reason is this way I get to teach them to be respective towards life and other people. At the same time, they get to train hard and grow tall and strong both physically and mentally.

Justin at the Kukkiwon Foreign Instructor Course

Q7: What made you decide to attend Citrus College?

JUSTIN WANG: Citrus College was the logical choice I made due to its close distance to my home.  I always knew that I wanted to be a Taekwondo Instructor, so I spent most of my time at the studio practicing my techniques.  Citrus College offered a flexible schedule and the overall academy was good and that is why I chose Citrus College over other schools.

Justin (back row, 3rd from right) with Master Alex Wang

Q8: You’ve completed a sushi preparation course. What is involved in that?

JUSTIN WANG: Through this particular learning course I get to develop better patience and deeper mental focus though the food preparation stages. And something else worth mentioning is you have to always cook with your heart, which will make some of the biggest difference in terms of meal flavor and all the other end results.

Justin (third from right) at the 2009 U.S. National Poomsae Team Trials

Q9: What television commercial did you appear in displaying your taekwondo skills?

JUSTIN WANG: I appeared in all major Asian TV channels nationwide for a credit card service-related company. Please check the link shown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBAYlBThgjI.

Justin appearing in a television commercial

Q10: What was the pressure of the Poomsae Team Trials like for you?

JUSTIN WANG: It was very much like where I have been put under an extreme emergency situation. Which, if I got over panic, my thoughts will be all over the place. But if I stay calm then I would likely save myself. So the pressure was there without a doubt but I’m glad I was able to stay calm and focus, and eventually make it through.

Great compilation of kicks from olympic level taekwondo martial artists.

Here is that 2008 olympic taekwondo kick knockout again with slow motion.

Here is a little background on current US Taekwondo Team member Steven Lin.

steven lin taekwondo national team member

Home: Chatham, New Jersey

Birthday: June 8, 1987

Height: 5-10
Weight: 136 pounds
Birthplace: New York, N.Y.
High School: Chatham H.S. (Chatham, N.J.) ‘06
College: Rutgers University
Major: Exercise Science/Sports Medicine
Coach: Peter Bardatsos
Dojang: Bardatsos Taekwondo

World Ranking on 9/1/09: 19th (featherweight)

Hobbies include basketball, soccer, spending time with friends and family and working out…enjoys Italian and Mexican food…eats salad and pasta with chicken before a competition…favorite athletes are Muhammed Ali and Michael Jordan…favorite movies are “Rocky IV” and “Fight Club”…enjoys listening to rap, rock and alternative rock…lists the Netherlands as his favorite country visited for competition.

Competition Record:

2009 Korea Open (Feather): BRONZE
2009  U.S. National Team Member (Feather)
2009 U.S. National Team Trials (Feather): 1st
2009 National Collegiate Championships (Light): GOLD
2009 U.S. Open (Feather): SILVER
2009 National Team Qualifier (Feather): 1st

2008 Pan Am Championships Team Member (Feather)
2008 U.S. Senior Nationals (Feather): GOLD
2008 Collegiate World Trials (Feather): 3rd
2008 Collegiate Nationals (Feather): BRONZE
2008 York National Qualifier (Feather): SILVER

2007 Toronto Open: SILVER
2007 National Collegiate Championships (Fly): BRONZE

2006 U.S. Senior Nationals (Fly): GOLD
2006 Buffalo National Qualifier (Fly): GOLD
2006 U.S. Cup Team Member (Sr. Fly)

2005 Providence National Qualifier: SILVER
2005 NYSTC President’s Cup Male Athlete of the Year
2005 East Coast Open Male Athlete of the Year
2005 U.S. Cup Team Member (Jr. Light)
2005 U.S. Cup Jr. Male Athlete of the Year

2004 Gold Cup Male Athlete of the Year
2004 Junior Olympics: SILVER

steven lin taekwondo national team member

Taekwondo sparked the interest of Dallas Wagemann several years ago, when he watched his younger brother practice and compete at tournaments.

By: Heath Hotzler, INFORUM

Taekwondo sparked the interest of Dallas Wagemann several years ago, when he watched his younger brother practice and compete at tournaments.

But Wagemann says it was a movie and martial arts star from the 1970s that nudged him to give it a try.

“It was probably because of all the martial arts movies I was watching,” said Wagemann, now a 16-year-old Fargo North junior. “There had been a few of them. But it was mostly Bruce Lee. Mainly, ‘Enter the Dragon.’ ”

Wagemann, an offensive and defensive lineman on the Spartans’ football team, is the first North Dakotan to earn a spot on the AAU United States National Taekwondo Team. He will represent the U.S. in international competition this spring.

Wagemann’s tournament schedule has not been finalized, but he will likely travel to Germany or The Netherlands, Northwest Martial Arts Academy instructor Roy Gilbertson said.

“It’s huge,” said Gilbertson, who has instructed Wagemann for the last eight years. “He’s a really modest kid and very laid back. But he has progressed immensely. He’s big and he’s super fast for his size. That’s his biggest asset. This is just a stepping stone for him.”

Wagemann has come a long way from a chubby kid who picked up the sport because of the movies.

He’s now 6-foot-1, 200 pounds with unlimited taekwondo potential.

Wagemann insists he’s just having fun.

However, Gilbertson sees big things in Wagemann’s future.

“If he wants it, he’ll make it (to the Olympics),” he said.

Wagemann said he earned his black belt in three years.

Next year will be his final year competing at the junior level. After that, he’ll have an opportunity to work his way onto the senior team. Gilbertson said the senior team is a feeder system for the U.S. Olympic Team.

Wagemann would be eligible for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

“Dallas is a hard worker,” North football teammate Dan Aberle said. “Whenever he sets his mind to something he seems to achieve it. He’s one of the toughest kids I know.”

Wagemann said taekwondo helps keep him in shape during the football offseason and helps his footwork.

He missed seven practices and the Spartans’ first two games this season when he was competing at the AAU Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

But he’s getting back into the swing of things on the gridiron. Wagemann is starting to see significant time on North’s offensive line.

“He’s learning discipline, he’s learning how to be an athlete and he’s learning how to control his body (in taekwondo),” said North football coach Kelly Kalina, whose team travels to Jamestown on Friday. “And he’s probably bettering himself as a football player, too.”

Taekwondo Shoes

Here we have a review on the adidas adi storms. Brand new designed martial arts taekwondo shoes to help improve your training and kicks.

We really like the face that it specifically states TAEKWONDO on the side. It gives it a stylish feel and the feel that it is specific to the art of taekwondo. It is true that anyone can wear these shoes and they are good for all around martial arts, but of course the point is that they are designed for martial arts kicks – which is the focus of competitive tae kwon do.

More reviews to come…

For the classic martial arts taekwondo shoe check out the Adidas SM-IIs.