Basic movements provide for the beginner an introduction to the physical dynamics of Tae Kwon Do and an introduction to discipline. It is a time when those movements which are not part of the goal are suppressed.
Forms provide both the transitional link from basic movements to free fighting and the link from the martial/goal-oriented aspects of Tae Kwon Do to the artistic and philosophical elements. For the beginner, forms reinforce the earlier discipline of basic movements and the natural progression from simple to complex movements while achieving a goal.
To the senior student, forms illustrate that a man is responsible for his actions as he confronts multiple conflicts in life; this responsibility lies in simple and decisive actions with the purity of purpose and without undue energy expended in retaliation or emotional outbursts.
Tae Kwon Do survives because setting higher standards of conduct for it's memebers results in more responsible and more disciplined students of Tae Kwon Do , as well as better functioning individuals.
Tae Kwon Do brings individual paricipants into what could best be described as a family - a family that competes within itself, while at the same time providing a support system for interactions within society at large.
