Flexibility in the Martial Arts

All martial systems require flexibility to some degree although some put a great emphasis on it than others. Taekwondo requires an incredible amount of it. There is a large focus on using your legs. Kicking and kneeing are some of the Taekwondo practitioners most powerful weapons. For this you need extremely strong legs and a strong core (abs, back and obliques). There is about a 30/70 split on hands vs. leg techniques. Hands and arms are used for blocking and quick counter strikes, but the legs and knees are used for powerful damage causing attacks that are designed to inflict large amounts of pain and damage. These are some images depicting some of the Taekwondo foot techniques.