Taekwondo Newry

Taekwondo is generally far more demanding physically than for instance Tai Chi, so unless you are pretty fit and nimble you might prefer to find something a little gentler to boost your fitness in Newry. Children are clearly the perfect participants for Taekwondo classes in Newry, with lots of fast paced movements taking place and a great deal of high kicking.

Taekwondo is a martial art that mainly comprises kicking manoeuvres and moves, in particular spinning/jumping kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking strategies. It began in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a number of martial arts specialists established schools called "kwans", which merged various martial arts techniques.

Since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport. This has added to its popularity throughout the world with some 60 million people routinely participating in classes. And it's by joining a Taekwondo club or class that you can start your quest of learning this remarkable activity.

In these days of escalating violence, it's little surprise that individuals in places like Newry are signing up for self-defence techniques such as Taekwondo to help them feel safer and more secure in their local environment. The self-defence aspect is one of the key benefits of Taekwondo but it also encourages self-restraint and a deep respect for those around us, which are characteristics that are largely absent in modern day life.

Your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will most likely never have to be proven outside of an organized Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will give you peace of mind.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If you've never tried Taekwondo previously, you may be a little concerned as to what should be expected on your very first class. This may vary from school to school but will usually involve some or all of these. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen muscles and increase heart rate, a little practical training involving learning some kicks, blocking techniques, hand attacks and stances, learning some forms, an overview of sparring including the timing of attacks, timing and movement, and finally a warm down to stretch and relax weary muscles.

British Taekwondo is the governing body of the sport within Great Britain, and membership of this organization is mandatory if you want to sign up with any Taekwondo class in Newry or nearby. By checking out the official British Taekwondo website you can discover details on events, launching a new Taekwondo club, safeguarding and equality, first aid, members and clubs, news, health and safety, coaching courses, coaches and referees, and many more Taekwondo related issues.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

When you are enrolling in Taekwondo classes in Newry you will be wanting to get some benefits to make the entire enterprise worth the effort. Therefore let's look at a few of the many positive benefits that you might gain from learning and practicing Taekwondo. Greater discipline by methodically schooling your body and mind in the concepts and tactics of Taekwondo, Build confidence by inspiring you to seize control of your life and succeed, Reduced stress using advanced breath control, Supercharge flexibility, agility and stamina by means of intensive cardiovascular effort, Help with self-defence by showing you how to identify scenarios in which self-defence might be required, and empowering you to manipulate these types of circumstances in your favour, Toughen up your body and mind through increased mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Enhance your self-esteem by raising your physical and mental health.

Competitions

There are an array of competitions and tournaments in Taekwondo associated with all the different styles. They mostly involve breaking, sparring and patterns with hardly any "hard contact". ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) contests don't permit substantial contact but sometimes allow hand attacks to the head. World Taekwondo and Olympic contests allow only sparring. Multi-style competitions are also held.

Taekwondo for Beginners

With any sport or activity we need to start somewhere, and Taekwondo's just the same. Even the best Newry Taekwondo exponents were total novices at one time. So, what should you be expecting as a total novice at Taekwondo? Beginner classes should give their enrollees sufficient training to teach them the fundamentals and enable them to build self-confidence as they progress. An ideal beginners class ought to be enjoyable as well as educational, when students are having fun they are far more invested and are going to learn much faster.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

In all matches, events and tournaments being held under the patronage of British Taekwondo, safety gear like a mouth protector, hand protectors, shin protectors, a blue or red head guard, forearm protectors, a blue/red body protector (hogu) and a groin protector is mandatory. The fast kicking techniques used in Taekwondo may cause injury and this helps to make this sport safer for its competitors.