Taekwondo Craigavon

Because of its rather more physical attributes, Taekwondo is perhaps more suitable for the younger person in Craigavon and is especially suitable for kids as it is fantastic for developing self-discipline and respect for others. More elderly individuals might find it a bit too strenuous unless they're particularly fit and active. However, those folks who take up Taekwondo in Craigavon at a young age will find they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less agile of you might think about something gentler like Tai Chi.

The name Taekwondo has only been used since the 1950's, although the discipline started life in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial artists in Seoul established some new schools known as "kwans", combining various martial arts techniques. In Taekwondo the emphasis is on kicking, especially rapid kicking methods, spinning/jumping kicks and head-height kicks.

With over 60 million practitioners worldwide and quite a few in Craigavon, Taekwondo has become very popular. If you want to get involved in this activity, which is now an Olympic sport, joining a Taekwondo club or class in Craigavon is a good place to start. There is no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this thrilling sport, even if you have no desire to compete in the Olympics.

It seems that the most appealing aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence. And when you consider the high levels of violence in town and city centres these days, this is hardly surprising. However, exercising self-restraint and a respect for others goes hand in hand with the self-defence principles of Taekwondo.

These self-defence techniques may sooner or later prove useful in your everyday life, though it is more likely you will solely be using them within a controlled class environment. Nevertheless it's a nice feeling knowing the fact that you can always successfully defend yourself when you have to.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you've just booked your very first Taekwondo class, you will be wondering what to expect. The following will give you an illustration, but this can vary depending on which Craigavon school you attend. An initial warm up lasting 15-20 minutes, a little technical training including learning some stances, kicks, blocking techniques and hand attacks, some work on forms or patterns (Poomse in Korean), a look at sparring including good movement, timing and attack targeting, and to round off a warm down with muscle stretching and loosening up to prevent cramping and spasms.

If you want to join a Taekwondo club in Craigavon, you'll also have to register with the sport's official regulating body, namely British Taekwondo. You'll be able to find out about safeguarding and equality, events, safe practices, coaches and competition referees, coaching courses, clubs and members, news, first aid, establishing a new Taekwondo club, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and find the latest news reports on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

The benefits which may be achieved by taking part in Taekwondo lessons in Craigavon are numerous, among the most significant are: Reduce stress and anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Build your confidence by encouraging you to seize control of your life and succeed, Increase self-esteem and concentration by sharpening your physical and mental fitness, Augment stamina, agility and flexibility by means of intense cardiovascular exertion, Strengthen your mind and body thru enhanced mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Teach self-defence by showing you how to understand situations where self-defence could be necessary, and enabling you to control these kinds of circumstances to your advantage, More discipline and willpower by thoroughly training your mind and body in the concepts and strategies of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Forms

Beginners in Taekwondo do not have to worry too much about forms (Poomse, patterns) initially, but they will have to learn some basic ones to start with and progress to more difficult forms as they progress up the belts (dans/grades). A form is indicated by specified aspects of Taekwondo including direction, stance and technique. Getting to grips with these techniques is a key part of mastering Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Belts

In Tae kwon do there is really no form of standardization with regards to grades and belts. It all depends on which style you are looking at, since there are such a lot of Taekwondo styles and rules. However, they're usually separated into a couple of groups "junior" or "colour" belts and "senior" or "black" belts. The junior/colour rankings consist of white to red, with anything from eight to twelve levels, whilst the black/senior belts usually have 9 levels.

In Summary

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I guess we don't all want to be. Taekwondo isn't solely about National Championships and Olympic medals. The majority of of us are content to meet different people, improve our levels of fitness and make new friends, and that is exactly how it should be. However, as with many matters in life, what you get from it will depend on what you invest in it. Good luck!