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Jerry Tavolacci, a 55-year-old avid surfer and occasional runner, was diagnosed with high blood pressure in December.

He suffered from heart palpitations and anxiety attacks before his doctor put him on medication.

That was Tavolacci's wake-up call.

"I knew I needed to exercise and get back into shape," he said.

Tavolacci remembered sitting in a taekwondo class at the Action International Martial Arts Association center in Koko Marina Shopping Center, near his Hawai'i Kai home, and being blown away by the class.

Two months later, he donned a gi and took his first taekwondo class. Since then he's lost almost 15 pounds, earned a yellow belt and managed to get his blood pressure back to normal.

"It's such an incredible workout. I come home and my gi is so soaked and wet," said Tavolacci, who takes classes at least three times a week and practices at home. "I understand the benefit of this, that it was something I needed to do. No matter what size or what age you are, you're exercising. And it works."

Tavolacci is part of a growing number of adults in Hawai'i who are turning to taekwondo — and martial arts in general — as a form of exercise.

With its emphasis on kicking and punching, taekwondo targets large muscle groups while promoting flexibility, concentration and cardiovascular health.

"It's tremendous conditioning," said Brian McCutcheon, owner and coach of the Oahu Taekwondo Center, which has turned out four U.S. National Team members in the past three years. "But there are other benefits, too, such as (boosting) self-confidence and self-control."

Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art that teaches more than just fighting and self-defense skills. Like other martial art forms, taekwondo emphasizes the unity of the mind, body and spirit.

Over the past 30 years, taekwondo has become a well-respected and highly competitive international sport.

It was accepted as an official sport by the U.S. Amateur Athletic Union in 1975 and admitted to the General Association of International Sports Federations. In 1980 it was recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Eight years later it was a demonstration event at the Summer Games in Seoul. It wasn't until the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney that taekwondo became one of only two Asian martial arts — the other is judo — to be an official medal event.Still, despite its worldwide recognition, there are still some misconceptions surrounding the sport.

"The way martial arts are portrayed in movies is violent, and people think that's not for them," said Grandmaster Hee Il Cho, a 9th degree taekwondo black belt with more than 40 years of teaching and owner of the Action International Martial Arts Association in Hawai'i Kai. "But it's a very delicate sport and, in many ways, can relieve stress and feel just like a meditation. It's physical, but there's a spiritual (component), too."

Like other martial arts, taekwondo offers the chance for participants to compete in tournaments and move up the ranks. It's that competition that drives some people, like Tavolacci, to set goals and push themselves in the sport.

But, instructors are quick to point out, you don't have to.

"We try to create a friendly, supportive environment," McCutcheon said. "It's really about the individual. Some people come here to lose weight. Others have self-confidence issues. Some want to learn self-defense. Everybody's a little different."