The importance of knowledge of bio-mechanics to an instructor depends on the extent of taekwon-do he is teaching and the level which the instructor is working on. A taekwon-do instructor generally works with beginnners or near beginners and so he is concerned with the fundamentals and broad bio-mechanical principles underlying taekwon-do techniques only.

At a higher level he works at increasingly more advanced level and is concerned not only with broad fundamentals but also with precise details. As the level of performance increases, so does the instructor's need for a more thorough knowledge of bio-mechanics. At the highest level of taekwon-do, techniques play a major role and improvements come from careful attention to detail.

In general all taekwon-do moves could be classified as TRANSLATION MOVEMENTS or ROTATION MOVEMENTS and often as a combination of both.

TRANSLATION is a linear motion and the BODY moves so that it travels exactly the same distance and in the same direction at the same time.

ROTATION is an angular motion and the BODY moves along a circular path.

BODY could be referred to as the human body in its entirety or to be taken as a system comprising separate bodies e.g. the fist, the elbow, the footsword or the leg.

This is a case where two bodies collide with each other directly. Both bodies either moving along the same straight line prior to impact or one of them is at rest and the other is moving along a line at RIGHT ANGLE to the surface when contacts occurs. For example when a side kick is delivered and it strikes the target, the force executed by the kicker on the target at RIGHT ANGLE B is equal and directly opposite to that exerted by the body on the kicker. The time during which these forces act is exactly the same time each will exert force on the other. Therefore the impulse each body receives is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. (Newton's Third Law).

Therefore it is logical to assume that for a technique to be at its optimum the body should connect with the target at right angle bearing in mind other factors such as IMPULSE-MOMENTUM RELATIONSHIP that shall be discussed at a later stage.

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