What is the most important muscle you will learn to use in tae kwon do?

Answer 1

This is a difficult question to answer definitively for two main reasons. First, answering what is "most important" can run more into personal opinion, than fact. Second, the skill of Taekwondo that ultimately result in success for self defense is a mutual combination of many muscle groups throughout the entire body working simultaneously.

The initial response might be to say that the most important is the "brain," however the brain is anatomically not a muscle. However, it could be viewed as the most important organ since this is the command center for controlling the muscles and other organs, as well as being responsible for learning, memory, and decision making.

Organs such as the heart and lungs should not be overlooked, since the lack of cardiovascular conditioning can cause the best fighter to lose steam, become fatigued, and fail to perform to maximum potential. In fact, the overall health of all organs, muscles, and tissue of the body is often viewed as the most important aspect of training. Be healthy - be strong - be prepared.

As for the anatomy of the body, one of the primary muscle groups responsible for generating power is the abdominal region. However, all the muscles of the body are used in unison to maximize the force delivered to a target, so none can be singled out as the most important. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link.