Mission Statement

To represent Taekwondo as an art through the Moo Do philosophy, as a modern sport under the World Taekwondo style, and to represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at the inter-collegiate level. Our vision is to cultivate a welcoming, student-led community that is inclusive and equitable for all.

Taekwondo as an Art (through Moo Do Philosophy)

Illini World Taekwondo (IWT) practices Taekwondo as an Art through Moo Do philosophy. To understand Moo Do philosophy it is imperative to etymologically understand the Chinese characters Moo and Do. 

The Chinese character /Moo/ consists of /Guh/ and /Ji/. /Guh/ means “spear, attack, disturbance, and aggression” and /Ji/ means “to stop”.  Thus, /Moo/ together means “to stop the attack, disturbance, and aggression.” 
The Chinese character /Do/ encompasses /Ji/ and /Su/. /Ji/ means walking, behaving, and bodily practice. /Su/ means face, head, mind, thoughts, and ideas. Thus, /Do/ together means “the way to live a life within a harmonious unity of body and mind”.

In the context of modern life, we encounter disturbances in our daily lives, these disturbances can be internal, external, or a combination of both. By incorporating the practice of Moo into our everyday lives we are cultivating our capacity to deal with any disturbances that may arise. By incorporating the path of Do we are becoming the ideal self in relation to the entire dimension of living, including our relationships with nature, others, and society as a whole.

Taekwondo as a Sport

The Illini World Taekwondo club instructs its members through the World Taekwondo Style. This student-led organization seeks to provide an avenue and common language in order to engage with the greater Taekwondo community. Welcoming individuals of all levels of Taekwondo experience to join us.

Taekwondo at UIUC

Illini World Taekwondo is the Oldest martial arts club established in 1970 at UIUC. The Illini World Taekwondo Club is part of the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA). IWT has also been actively contributing to the revival of the Midwestern Collegiate Taekwondo Conference.

Inclusive and Equitable Student-Led Organization(/Community)

Our vision is to cultivate an inclusive and equitable community for everyone to reap the multifaceted benefits of Taekwondo. Individuals with all levels of experience are encouraged to join our community, where they will get the chance to learn, have fun, and become student leaders.