Taekwondo Brackley

It has to be said that Taekwondo can be very physically challenging, which may unnerve the less agile and more elderly people in Brackley from getting involved. To be truthful, the most common participants of Taekwondo classes are children and the younger generation, but obviously older people who are in excellent physical condition can easily take part and get benefits from this activity.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its origins in Korea in 1945. Some exciting new schools called "kwans", incorporating various martial arts techniques were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts fanatics. The main focus of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known, is on kicking manoeuvres, in particular rapid kicking styles, head kicks and jumping/spinning kicks. Now Brackley Taekwondo classes observe this tradition.

Popular all over the world Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners. Since the Sydney Games (2000) Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport and if you want to give it a go, joining a local Brackley Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved. While you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there is no reason why you cannot become a master of this exciting martial art and have some fun along the way.

A key element of Taekwondo is self-defence, and obviously this is one of the primary reasons that folks in Brackley join classes and take up the sport. There has been a disturbing escalation of violent behaviour in recent years and this is especially widespread in city and town centres around Northamptonshire and the country in general. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also encourages self-discipline and a deep respect for other people, not such widespread qualities in Brackley nowadays.

Your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will likely never have to be tested outside of an actual Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you've got them will give you peace of mind.

Your First Brackley Taekwondo Lesson

If Taekwondo is not a sport that you've ever had a go at previously, you'll likely be curious about what you should be expecting from your initial lesson if you decide to join. Different Taekwondo schools in Brackley have varying ideas about this but in brief; you'll participate in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you will do a certain amount of technical training, you'll learn some forms, you'll practice sparring tactics and lastly you will do a warm-down to get your body back into a relaxed state again.

Taekwondo of course also has its own regulating body, and in the UK it is British Taekwondo. Everybody wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Brackley must become registered members of this organisation. By exploring the British Taekwondo website you can find info on news, beginning a new Taekwondo club, equality and safeguarding, coaching courses, events, coaches and referees, first aid, members and clubs, health and safety, and many more Taekwondo related facts.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are of course, lots of benefits to be gained from practicing Taekwondo, and listed here are just a few that could be tempting for you: More self-discipline by extensively training your mind and body in the techniques and principles of Taekwondo, Teach self-defence by coaching you to recognize instances where self-defence may be required, and enabling you to control these situations in your favour, Toughen up your mind and body by means of improved physical coordination and mental discipline, Turbocharge stamina, flexibility and agility by way of intensive cardiovascular effort, Reduce stress with controlled breathing, Boost your confidence by motivating you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Enhance self-esteem by sharpening both mental and physical fitness.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is perhaps best known for its nimble-footed kicking, here are just a few of the standard kicks you will learn as a novice: Axe Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Side Kick, Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Crescent Kick. Blocks: To defend against the numerous kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse selection of "blocks". Using the hands and sections of the arm, they're held in specific positions. Each and every block can be combined with a kick or punch to establish a counter-attack, and each is suitable for a specific attack. The principal blocks include: Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block, Rising Block, Upper Block, Single Forearm Block, Low Block, Palm Block and Nine Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

The ranking and belt structure can get somewhat confusing in Taekwondo because there's no recognised arrangement across the various Taekwondo disciplines. Similarities can be found however, and typically there are 2 distinct belt groups, denoted as "seniors" (black dans) and "juniors" (colours). The number of grades in the junior section varies across the disciplines but is generally between eight and twelve belts, whilst the senior group normally has 9 dans or belts.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

In all matches, events and tournaments being held under the control of British Taekwondo, safety equipment like shin pads, a gum shield, a groin protector, a blue/red head protector, red or blue body armour (hogu), forearm guards and hand protectors is compulsory. The kicking manoeuvres used in Taekwondo can easily cause harm and these precautions help to make this sport less dangerous for its competitors.

In Conclusion

So, what do you want from Taekwondo? Well, that is a great question, and the answer will be different for individual people. The majority of participants will purely look to meet new people, gain more confidence and improve their fitness levels. We're definitely not all going to scale the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though perhaps you will, who knows? 👊