Taekwondo Hanley

It's got to be asserted that Taekwondo can be fairly demanding physically, which might unnerve the less agile and more elderly folks in Hanley from becoming involved. To be truthful, the most frequent participants of Taekwondo classes are children and younger people, but unquestionably older individuals who are in good physical health can easily participate and benefit considerably from this activity.

Based mostly around high-kicking moves and manoeuvres like fast kicking styles, spinning/jumping kicks and head kicks, Taekwondo was devised from the techniques of various martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools known as "Kwans" during the 1940's and 1950's. These "Kwans" were given the names Mooduk Kwan, Chungdo Kwan, Jido Kwan, Songmu Kwan and Changmu Kwan.

With over sixty million people engaged in Taekwondo instruction all around the globe, this has certainly become a popular pastime, and if you become really expert at this sport you may even one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it has been an integral part ever since the 2000 Sydney Games.

For many people in Hanley, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. This is not surprising when you consider the rising levels of violence seen in town and city centres these days. In fact one of the key principles of Taekwondo is learning to defend yourself whilst exercising self-restraint and a respect for others.

There's a very good likelihood that your newly learned Taekwondo skills will never have to be proven in your day to day life, but it will unquestionably give you self-confidence knowing that they're there should you ever need them.

Your First Class

If you have booked your first class but have never done Taekwondo before, you may be wondering what to expect. This may vary depending on which Hanley school you go to, but will usually involve the following. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to increase heart rate and loosen your muscles, a bit of technical training involving learning some stances, kicks, blocking techniques and hand attacks, an introduction to some forms (Poomse), a look at sparring including movement, timing and the targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down with muscle stretching and relaxing to prevent spasms and cramping.

The United Kingdom governing body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you would like to sign up with a Taekwondo class in Hanley, you will also be required to become a member of this respected organization. You'll be able to read about first aid, safeguarding and equality, referees and coaching, members and clubs, news, safe practices, launching a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, events, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and get the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Tournaments are a significant element of the Taekwondo legacy, and all the diverse styles all over the world hold contests where Taekwondo masters gather together to battle it out. Hard contact is hardly ever allowed in any of these tournaments which primarily incorporate sparring, patterns and breaking. Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments, while certain hand attacks are permitted in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.

Taekwondo Beginners Classes

Trainees setting out on their Taekwondo adventure in Hanley will first of all sign up for a beginners class. Beginners classes are fantastic, because there is not any pressure and everything is done at a slow, casual pace. Learning and having fun are the primary aims in the beginning and trainees who are enjoying themselves tend to learn a lot quicker and digest more of what they're being shown. Even Taekwondo masters started out as naive novices, so take that first step and who knows where you will end up!

Safety Equipment

British Taekwondo matches call for specific safety gear to be worn to safeguard contenders from getting injured due to the powerful kicks that occur. This safety gear includes: forearm guards, shin pads, a blue or red head guard, a groin protector, hand protectors, a gum shield and a blue/red trunk guard (hogu).

In Conclusion

So, what do you want from doing Taekwondo? Well, that's an excellent question, and the answer will vary for different people. Most participants will simply wish to gain more confidence, meet new people and improve their fitness. We are definitely not all going to scale the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though perhaps you will, you never know? 👊