Taekwondo Nelson

On account of its more physical attributes, Taekwondo is maybe more suitable for the younger generation in Nelson and is especially suited to children because it is wonderful for developing self-discipline and respect for others. More elderly people could find it a bit too strenuous unless they're particularly active and fit. However, those who persue Taekwondo in Nelson at a young age will discover they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less nimble of you could think about something gentler like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently introduced of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea in 1945. A number of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul established some new schools known as "kwans", combining a number of martial arts practices. Taekwondo, which was eventually called, mostly consists of high-kicking manoeuvres, especially head-height kicks, jumping/turning kicks and rapid kicking strategies.

Taekwondo has grown to be very popular in Nelson and all over the world, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. Registering with a local Nelson Taekwondo club or class is a great way to get involved in this sport which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. Though you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there is certainly no reason why you shouldn't become an expert at this challenging martial art and have a bit of fun in the process.

For the people of Nelson who would like to learn a martial art, a major priority is the element of self-defence. Because this is an important concept of Taekwondo, it isn't difficult to appreciate the attraction of this unique sport. With the extra reward of developing self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for those around you, getting involved in a local Nelson Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

There is a very good likelihood that your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will never see the light of day in the outside world, but it will unquestionably give you self-confidence knowing that they are sitting in the background should you need them.

Your First Taekwondo Class

If you have just booked your very first Taekwondo lesson, you will be wondering what to expect. This may vary depending on which Nelson school you go to, but will usually involve the following. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to loosen your muscles and increase your heart rate, a bit of technical training such as learning some kicks, blocking techniques, hand attacks and stances, learning some Poomse (or forms), a look at sparring including movement, timing and attack targeting, and lastly a warm down to prevent muscle spasms and cramping.

Anybody who joins a Taekwondo club in Nelson must also register with British Taekwondo which is the regulating body of the sport in Britain. You can get lots of info on first aid, events, coaching courses, news, safe practices, safeguarding and equality, establishing a new club, clubs and members, coaches and referees, and more, by going to the official British Taekwondo website.

The Many Benefits of Taekwondo

You will no doubt be interested to understand precisely what type of benefits might be achieved by attending Nelson Taekwondo training and engaging fully in its activities. You could expect to: Greater discipline and willpower by methodically schooling your mind and body in the doctrines and techniques of Taekwondo, Reduces stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Teach self-defence tactics by showing you how to identify occasions in which self-defence may be required, and enabling you to turn such situations in your favour, Boost confidence by pushing you to succeed and to take control of your life, Toughen up your mind and body by enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Turbocharge agility, flexibility and stamina by way of intensive cardiovascular effort, Improve concentration and self-esteem by heightening both physical and mental health.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is probably most recognized for its acrobatic kicks, here are some of the standard kicks that you will learn as a novice: Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi). Blocks: To divert and stop an inbound attack, "blocks" (known as Makgi) are employed. Employing the hand and areas of the arm, they're held in specific positions. Specific attacks necessitate specified blocks, but blocks can also be turned into counter-attacking moves by linking retaliatory kicks or punches. The key "blocks" include: Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Upper Block, Low Block, Palm Block and Single Forearm Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Forms are a key element of Taekwondo and are vital if you are to master this thrilling sport. Several basic forms have to be grasped at the beginning and more advanced forms will have to be mastered in order to progress through the various belts. A Taekwondo form is distinguished by various factors such as direction, technique and stance.

Taekwondo Belts (Ranking)

With there being many different types of Taekwondo there's never really been any standardized system for assigning belts (ranks). What exists however is fairly similar and consists of a couple of belt groups "junior" and "senior" ("colour" and "black"), each of these groupings is split into levels, eight to twelve colours in the case of juniors and nine "blacks" for seniors.

Taekwondo Tournaments

A standard Taekwondo competition features breaking, sparring and patterns (forms), in the Olympics only sparring is involved. That being said there may also be a few unique events in certain tournaments such as self-defence and team demonstrations. WT tournaments are solely soft-contact affairs, whilst ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) contests allow some hand attacks to the head. There are also a number of multi-discipline tournaments.

Summary

We can more or less guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you are going to gain more confidence, make more friends and improve your wellbeing. If that is all you take away from it, then all well and good, and you can call it an achievement! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, have to begin with the very first step. Good luck with your journey!