Choi Kwang Do

Choi Kwang Do was founded by Choi Kwang-jo on March 2, 1987. Choi Kwang-jo was born in South Korea before emigrating to United States in the early 1970s. Choi was a successful ITF Tae Kwon Do practitioner and trainer (serving as a chief instructor) before establishing his own style. So he left Malaysia (where he was demonstrating at the time) for North America, in the hope of finding orthopedic surgeons who would be able to help with his injuries. Determining that the injuries were caused by the way he was performing martial arts, Choi undertook rehabilitative exercises, attended various seminars and studied techniques for rehabilitation. Choi incorporated these techniques into his own fighting style, and from that he developed Choi Kwang Do. ==Style and training==

Choi Kwang Do emphasizes the use of biomechanics, The style also incorporates breathing and stretching exercises from yoga. Choi Kwang Do is a non-competitive martial art Therefore, the pacifist can also practice Choi Kwang Do, as the ideals focus on self development, be it physical health goals, self confidence or preparation for self defence situation. It does not rely on mass to create strength, making it accessible to women and children as well as men. == Health considerations ==

A 2018 injury survey found that the annual rate of injury is 11.73 for every 100 Choi Kwang Do practitioners meaning it is a "safe martial art that adults of all ages can participate in", ==Practitioners==

Notable practitioners of the Choi Kwang Do style include: • Choi Kwang-jo (founder) – inducted into the Taekwondo Times Magazine Hall of Fame, 2006. • Lynne Russell – Deputy Sheriff, Private Investigator and author of How to Win Friends, Kick Ass and Influence People. • Catriona Gray – Miss Universe 2018, and Filipino television host, singer, model, and stage actress. ==Grading system==

Choi Kwang Do uses a system of colored belts for ranking. Each color rank also has a corresponding "Senior" rank which is differentiated with a horizontal black stripe through the middle of the belt. For black belt ranks, a dan system is used from 1st through 9th dan. The rank of 9th dan is only held by Choi Kwang-jo. == Criticism ==

Choi Kwang Do has been criticised for claiming it is "proven" to be the most effective martial arts system in the world (as claimed on the CKD official website). Choi Kwang Do has never been able to substantiate this claim yet. Due to the claims that Choi Kwang Do is the most effective martial art, it has drawn criticism in online forums ==References==