Consequently, it was

not long before schools began to spring up—first on the West
Coast and then in major cities across the nation. Even suburbia,
no longer immune to what can only be characterized as an explosive
growth curve, boasts an abundance of training halls located
in the ubiquitous strip malls and shopping centers.
In the distant past, many of the Asian martial arts were considered
secret weapons by the family, tribe, or nation by which
they were developed. Clearly, this is no longer the case. With
differing styles jockeying for legitimacy and the recognition of
taekwondo by the International Olympic Committee, what
began as a system of self-defense in the 1950’s has matured into
a $1.5 billion American industry.