Taekwondo Abingdon

Taekwondo is quite physically demanding, which means it may be considered more suitable for the younger rather than the older generation in Abingdon. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it particularly good for children. It can sometimes be too taxing for older adults unless they are exceptionally fit and active. However those in Abingdon who take up Taekwondo at a young age, will find that carrying it on into older adulthood is not a problem. If you are less agile you could always try something a bit softer such as Tai Chi or Yoga.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (1945). Some new schools called "kwans" were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts fanatics, combining a number of various martial arts techniques. This eventually became known as Taekwondo and the main emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially head kicks, jumping/turning kicks and rapid kicking techniques.

Now an Olympic sport, Taekwondo has more than sixty million followers all over the world, and though you may not aspire to be an Olympic Games medalist, you can still register for a Taekwondo club or class to master what will undoubtedly prove to be a fascinating and advantageous activity.

Of all the many benefits of learning this sport, it's the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that the people of Abingdon consider most interesting. And in these days of ever increasing violence, particularly in city centres, it's not a surprise that this features high on people's list of priorities. It's a key factor of Taekwondo that you can be confident in your ability to defend yourself yet respect others and exercise self-restraint.

These self-defence techniques may at some point come in handy in the outside world, though it's far more likely that you'll solely be testing them within a regulated class setting. However it's an amazing feeling knowing the fact that you'll always be in a position to defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Taekwondo Lesson

If Taekwondo isn't something that you've ever tried before, you will most likely be wondering what to expect from your first lesson if you make up your mind to join. Different Taekwondo schools in Abingdon have varying ideas about this but in brief; you will participate in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you'll do a certain amount of technical training, you will learn some forms, you are going to practice sparring methods and finally you'll perform a warm-down to get your body back into a state of relaxation.

Taekwondo of course also has got its own official regulating body, and in the UK it is British Taekwondo. Everybody wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Abingdon must become registered members of this organisation. You can read about events, beginning a new Taekwondo club, first aid, safe practices, referees and coaching, news, coaching courses, equality and safeguarding, clubs and members, and more on British Taekwondo's website, or find out the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

Safety gear like a mouth guard, a groin protector, forearm protectors, a blue/red head protector, shin protectors, a blue/red body guard (hogu) and hand protectors are used in all competitions controlled by British Taekwondo. Protection from injuries is needed because of the powerful kicks that are part and parcel of this activity.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

In Tae kwon do there is not really any standardisation when it comes to belts and grades. It all hinges on what style you are reviewing, since there are such a lot of Taekwondo rules and styles. However, they're typically divided into 2 groupings "junior" or "colour" belts and "senior" or "black" belts. The junior/colour ranks consist of white to red, with anything from 8 to 12 ranks, while the black/senior belts generally have 9 ranks.

Ranks in Taekwondo in the UK are depicted by what generally known as "Kup". The top rank is 1st Kup and the lowest rank (beginners) is 10th Kup. If you are curious about the Taekwondo belt order, it's as follows, and is portrayed by a range of colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with "in-between" belts with stripes, specifically white with a yellow stripe, yellow with a green stripe, green with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe and red with a black stripe. Beginners in Abingdon starting out in Taekwondo will commence with the 10th Kup (White Belt), and advance through the coloured belts until they achieve the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (1st Kup).

After this has been completed, Taekwondo trainees in Abingdon are known as "black belt candidates" which involves them proceeding through another nine ranks (Dans) right up until they achieve the ultimate distinction of "Black Belt" status. Therefore, Junior Belts, Senior Belts and Black Belts are the three main groups in the Taekwondo belt order. The Taekwondo Belts in the Junior group are; 10th (White), 9th (White With Yellow Stripe), 8th (Yellow), and 7th (Yellow With Green Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Senior group are; 6th (Green), 5th (Green With Blue Stripe), 4th (Blue), 3rd ( Blue With Red Stripe), 2nd (Red), and 1st (Red With Black Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Black group go from 1st to 9th Dan, a qualification process which takes many years.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Folks just starting out Taekwondo don't need to worry excessively about forms (patterns, Poomse) initially, however they'll get to grips with some standard ones to begin with and move forward to more intricate forms as they move up the various belts (dans/grades). A "form" is indicated by certain aspects of Taekwondo including direction, technique and stance. Getting to grips with these techniques is an important part of perfecting Taekwondo.

Summary

So, what are you looking to get from Taekwondo? Well, that's an excellent question, and the answer will vary for different people. The majority of participants will simply wish to meet new people, gain more self-confidence and improve their levels of fitness. We're certainly not all going to reach the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though maybe you will, who knows? 👊