Taekwondo Waterlooville

Because Taekwondo has pretty high physical demands, it's perhaps more suitable for the younger generation in Waterlooville. That is not to say that the older generation can't get involved in this particular activity, but just that there could be alternative martial arts that are more suited to the less nimble among us. Tai Chi would be the perfect example.

Based mainly around kicking manoeuvres like jumping/spinning kicks, head-height kicks and rapid kicking styles, Taekwondo was formulated from the practices of various martial arts, by a number of Seoul martial arts specialists in new schools called "Kwans" during the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" were given the names Mooduk Kwan, Jido Kwan, Songmu Kwan, Chungdo Kwan and Changmu Kwan.

With over sixty million fitness enthusiasts taking part in Taekwondo classes all around the globe, this has unquestionably become an extremely popular activity, and if you become really good at the martial art you may possibly one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it has been an integral part since the Sydney Games in the year 2000.

For a lot of people in Waterlooville, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. And in these days of ever increasing violence, particularly in city and town centres, it really is no surprise that this aspect sits high on people's list of priorities. It is a primary factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your capability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect those around you and learn self-restraint.

While it is good to practice and master these self-defence techniques in the controlled environment of your local Waterlooville Taekwondo club, with a bit of luck you won't ever have the need to use them in the world outside.

Your First Waterlooville Taekwondo Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in and around Waterlooville will have different thoughts on what enrollees should be covering on their very first class, but to give you a concept of what you can expect most initial Taekwondo classes will include a warm-up, some sparring, learning basic Poomse (forms), an introduction to hand attacks, blocking techniques, kicks and stances (technical training) and a warm-down to relax tired muscles and get the body back to a state of equilibrium.

Everyone who is a member of a Taekwondo club in Waterlooville or anywhere else in Britain, is also required to join British Taekwondo, which is the regulating body of the sport. You can read about equality and safeguarding, referees and coaching, news, clubs and members, events, beginning a new Taekwondo club, health and safety, first aid, coaching courses, and more on the British Taekwondo website, or find the latest news on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Forms are a pivotal element of Taekwondo and are crucial if you're to master this exciting martial art. Some basic Taekwondo forms need to be grasped from the beginning and more complex forms will have to be mastered in order to move through the various ranks. A Taekwondo form is categorized by a number of aspects such as direction, technique and stance.

Taekwondo Tournaments

Competitions are an important aspect of the Taekwondo experience, and all of the different styles across the globe stage tournaments where Taekwondo exponents band together to battle it out. Hard contact is rarely permitted in any of these competitions which primarily incorporate breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring. Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and World Taekwondo (WT) tournaments, whilst certain hand attacks are permitted in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.

Final Thoughts

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo is not just about National Championships and Olympic medals. Most of us are happy to meet different people, improve our fitness and make new friends, and that is how it ought to be. However, as with most matters in life, what you get from it will hinge on what you put into it. Good luck and enjoy!