Taekwondo Borehamwood

It's got to be said that Taekwondo can be fairly physically demanding, which may discourage the less nimble and more elderly folks in Borehamwood from getting involved. To be fair, the most frequent participants of Taekwondo classes are children and the younger generation, but unquestionably older people who are in good physical condition can easily participate and get benefits from this sport.

The sport was first practiced in Korea in around 1945, though the name Taekwondo was not used until the 1950's. 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. The emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially head-height kicks, spinning/jumping kicks and fast kicking styles, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, meaning "the way of the foot and fist".Today Borehamwood Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

With more than sixty million fitness enthusiasts taking part in Taekwondo classes all over the world, this has certainly become an extremely popular activity, and if you become really expert at this martial art you may even one day qualify for the Olympic Games, of which it has been an integral part since the 2000 Sydney Games.

For the men, women and children of Borehamwood who are keen on the idea of learning a martial art, a big priority is the aspect of self-defence. Because this is an important concept of Taekwondo, it's not difficult to see the appeal of this particular sport. With the additional benefit of learning self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for other people, getting involved in a local Borehamwood Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

Such self-defence techniques may at some time prove to be useful in your everyday life, though it is far more likely you'll solely be testing them within a controlled class setting. However it is an amazing feeling knowing the fact that you will always be able to defend yourself if you have to.

Your First Lesson

If Taekwondo isn't an activity that you have ever tried before, you will probably be curious about what to expect from your first class should you make up your mind to join. Different Taekwondo schools in the Borehamwood area have varying ideas about this but in brief; you'll take part in a 15-20 minute warm-up, you will do a certain amount of technical training, you will learn some patterns (forms), you will practice sparring methods and last but not least you'll do a warm-down to help your body get back into a relaxed state once more.

Taekwondo also of course has its own official governing body, and in the British Isles it is British Taekwondo. Anyone wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Borehamwood must become a registered member of this organisation. You'll be able to find out about health and safety, safeguarding and equality, first aid, establishing a new club, clubs and members, coaching courses, news, referees and coaching, events, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, or find out the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

When registering for Taekwondo classes in Borehamwood you will be intending to get some benefits to make the whole thing worthwhile. Therefore let's investigate some of the positive benefits that you could get through doing and learning Taekwondo. Greater discipline and willpower by exhaustively educating your body and mind in the principles and techniques of Taekwondo, Strengthen your mind and body thru accelerated physical coordination and mental discipline, Increase your self-esteem by raising your mental and physical health, Build your confidence by encouraging you to take control of your life and succeed, Teach you self-defence techniques by helping you recognize occasions in which self-defence might be needed, and allowing you to control such situations to your advantage, Increase agility, stamina and flexibility through intensive cardiovascular exertion, Lessen stress using advanced breath control.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Perfecting Tae kwon do necessitates getting to grips with many techniques and disciplines and one of the pivotal elements of Taekwondo is its forms (also called patterns or Poomse). These are sequences of technique, direction and stance which have to be memorized in order for students to progress through the various dans (belts/grades).

Competitions and Tournaments

Contests are a significant part of the overall Taekwondo experience, and all the different styles all over the world stage competitions and tournaments where Taekwondo masters get together to compete. Hard contact is rarely permitted in any of these competitive events which primarily incorporate sparring, breaking and patterns (forms). Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and World Taekwondo tournaments, whilst specified hand attacks are tolerated in ITF events.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

Contests governed by British Taekwondo guidelines require various items of protective equipment to be worn, these include things like: hand guards, forearm protectors, a groin guard, a mouth guard, a red or blue head protector, shin guards and blue or red trunk armour. This is necessary due to the powerful kicking moves being practiced.