Tang Soo Do means "the art of the knife hand" or "the way of the Chinese hand." It contains characteristics of Chinese internal methods and Japanese striking styles. Tang Soo Do is a modern martial art and it's purpose is to develop every aspect of the 'self' in order to produce a mature person who can totally integrate his intellect, emotions, body and spirit.

Tang Soo Do, is not a sport and its primary goal is not a competitive one. However, it does lend itself well to combative situations. Being a well-balanced style, Tang Soo Do offers a wide array of kicks, hand strikes, and stances representative of hard styles as well as softer stances and more fluid motions that are indicative of the softer styles. It derives it's hardness from Soo Bahk Do and its soft flowing movements from the Northern Chinese systems. Its kicking techniques , for which Tang Soo Do is unsurpassed, are based on Soo Bahk Do. Both of which can easily be recognized in the forms that are practiced within the style.