Taekwondo Amersham

Because of its more physical attributes, Taekwondo is maybe more appropriate for the younger person in Amersham and is particularly suitable for children because it's fantastic for developing respect for others and self-discipline. More elderly people might find it somewhat too challenging unless they are particularly active and fit. Even so, those folks who persue Taekwondo in Amersham at a young age will find they can easily continue with it when they're older. The less nimble of you could consider something gentler like Tai Chi.

The sport was first practiced in Korea in around 1945, though the name Taekwondo was not coined until the 1950's. This mixture of various martial arts techniques were practiced in some innovative new schools in Seoul called "kwans", established by a group of Korean martial artists. Taekwondo, which it later became known as, mostly entails kicking movements, especially spinning/jumping kicks, fast kicking strategies and head-height kicks. Nowadays Amersham Taekwondo classes adhere to this tradition.

Popular all over the world Taekwondo now has more than 60 million students. Now an Olympic sport, Taekwondo is accessible to anyone, and joining your local Amersham Taekwondo class or club is the easiest way to get yourself involved. Whilst you might not aspire to Olympic competition, there isn't any reason why you cannot become a master of this fascinating martial art and have an amazing time in the process.

The thing about Taekwondo that seems to most appeal to people in Amersham is the self-defence aspect of it. You should not be surprised by this, when you take into account the high incidence of violence seen in today's town and city centres. Learning to defend yourself while at the same time applying self-restraint and a respect for others is a key benefit of Taekwondo.

Your eagerly learned Taekwondo skills will likely never have to be put to the test outside the controlled atmosphere of an organized Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will instill you with confidence.

Your First Class

If you have never done Taekwondo before you may be a little concerned as to what to expect on your first class. Most Taekwondo schools in Amersham follow a similar pattern, but there may be variations to the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen muscles and increase heart rate, some technical training comprising some stances, hand attacks, blocking techniques and kicks, learning some Poomse (or forms), some tips on sparring including good timing, precise movement and the accurate targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down to stretch muscles and relax.

Anyone who joins a Taekwondo class in Amersham must also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in the British Isles. You can learn about first aid, launching a new club, referees and coaching, coaching courses, members and clubs, equality and safeguarding, health and safety, events, news, and more on British Taekwondo's website, or find out the latest news reports on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

There are needless to say, many benefits to be gained from practicing Taekwondo, and listed here are just an idea of the ones which could be tempting for you: Increase self-esteem and concentration by raising your mental and physical fitness, Toughen up your mind and body by means of enhanced mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Help with self-defence strategies by helping you to recognize occasions in which self-defence could be necessary, and empowering you to manipulate such scenarios to your advantage, Develop discipline and willpower by exhaustively training your body and mind in the principles and tactics of Taekwondo, Boost your confidence by inspiring you to seize control of your life and succeed, Lower stress and anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Increase flexibility, stamina and agility through extreme cardiovascular effort.

The Main Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is well known for its wide range of kicking manoeuvres, over and above any other recognized martial art. Listed here are just a few: Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick, Push Kick, Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick. Blocks: To fend off the numerous hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse array of blocks (Makgi). Engaging the hands and sections of the arm, they're held in diverse positions. Each form of attack calls for a particular style of block, counter-attacks can be produced by integrating a block with a retaliatory punch or kick. The most used blocks (makgi) include: Upper Block, Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Rising Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Forms are a pivotal part of Taekwondo and are essential if you're to master this fascinating activity. Several basic forms must be grasped at the start and more complex forms will have to be perfected in order to move through the various belts. A Taekwondo form is distinguished by various aspects such as stance, technique and direction.

Tournaments and Competitions

Taekwondo tournaments and competitions are held across the globe in all of the different styles. There is generally not a whole lot of hard contact but breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring. Olympic and WT competitions only consist of sparring, in International Taekwon-Do Federation competitions specific hand attacks are permitted to the head. Various other organizations stage multi-discipline competitions.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo contests call for certain safety equipment to be worn to safeguard contenders from being injured due to the powerful kicks that are used. This safety equipment includes: a gum shield, shin guards, a blue or red head protector, a groin guard, a blue or red trunk guard (hogu), forearm guards and hand guards.

Summary

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