Taekwondo Armthorpe

Because of its more physical aspects, Taekwondo is maybe more suited to the younger person in Armthorpe and is especially suited to children as it is wonderful for developing respect for others and self-discipline. More elderly individuals could find it a bit too demanding unless they are particularly fit and active. Even so, those who take up Taekwondo in Armthorpe at a young age will discover that they can easily continue with it when they are older. The less nimble of you could think about something gentler like Tai Chi.

Based largely around kicking manoeuvres and moves like turning/jumping kicks, head-height kicks and rapid kicking strategies, Taekwondo was formulated from the practices of different martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools known as "Kwans" in the 1940's and 1950's. These "Kwans" were given the names Songmu Kwan, Jido Kwan, Changmu Kwan, Chungdo Kwan and Mooduk Kwan.

Taekwondo has grown to be extremely popular in Armthorpe and around the globe, with more than 60 million participants worldwide. Getting started with a local Armthorpe Taekwondo club or class is a great way to get involved with this activity which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games in 2000. Although you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there's certainly no reason why you should not become a master of this thrilling martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

Of all the numerous benefits of learning this sport, it's the self-defence element of Taekwondo that the people of Armthorpe consider most interesting. And in these days of ever increasing violence, especially in city and town centres, it's no great surprise that this sits high on people's list of priorities. The ability to defend yourself and at the same time respecting others and exercising self-restraint is one of the primary benefits of Taekwondo.

There is a very good chance that your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will never need to be tested in your everyday life, but it will undoubtedly give you reassurance knowing that they are sitting in the background should you need them.

Your First Taekwondo Lesson

If you elect to register for Taekwondo training in Armthorpe, the very first thing you will be thinking about is what is going to occur on the first class and what exactly will the tutor expect to see from you. Different Taekwondo masters in the Armthorpe area will formulate diverse routines for this initial lesson but you can expect to do a 20 minute warm-up to loosen your muscles and get the blood coursing, learn a couple of Poomse (forms, go through some practical training (kicks, hand attacks, blocks and stances), do some sparring, and last but not least, a warm-down.

If you would like to sign up to a Taekwondo class in Armthorpe, you'll also have to become a member of the sport's governing body, namely British Taekwondo. By viewing the British Taekwondo website you can read facts about safeguarding and equality, events, health and safety, clubs and members, coaching courses, beginning a new club, news, referees and coaching, first aid, and many more Taekwondo related issues.

Armthorpe Taekwondo for Beginners

Learners setting out on their Taekwondo adventure in Armthorpe will initially register for a beginners class. Beginners classes are fabulous, since there are no stringent demands and things are done at a slow, casual pace. Learning and having fun are the main aims initially and students who are having fun are inclined to learn much faster and absorb more of what they're being told. Even Taekwondo masters started off as clueless newbies, so take that first step and who knows where you'll end up!

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

The belt and ranking structure can get somewhat confusing in Taekwondo since there's no uniform system throughout the different Taekwondo styles. Parallels can be found however, and typically there are 2 distinct belt groups, signified as "seniors" (black dans) and "juniors" (coloured belts). The number of rankings in the junior section varies over the styles but is usually between 8 and 12 belts, while the senior section normally has nine dans or belts.

In the UK there are a series of ranks (belts) in Taekwondo that are called "Kup". The lowest rank is 10th Kup and the highest is 1st Kup. If you are eager to know the Taekwondo belt order, it is as follows, and is denoted by a range of colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediate belts with stripes, namely white with a yellow stripe, yellow with a green stripe, green with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe and red with a black stripe. The White Belt (10th Kup) is what Taekwondo rookies in Armthorpe will begin with, they can then advance through the different colours, eventually achieving the Red With Black Stripe Belt (1st Kup), which can take approximately 3-4 years of lessons and training.

After succeeding with this challenge, Taekwondo students in Armthorpe are considered to be "black belt candidates" which entails them moving through yet another 9 ranks (Dans) right up until they eventually achieve the distinction of "Black Belt". Therefore, to put it simply, there are three main groupings in the Taekwondo belt order, that is Junior Belts, Senior Belts and Black Belts. The Junior Taekwondo Belts are; White (10th), White With Yellow Stripe (9th), Yellow (8th), and Yellow With Green Stripe (7th). The Senior Taekwondo Belts are; Green (6th), Green With Blue Stripe (5th), Blue (4th), Blue With Red Stripe (3rd), Red (2nd) and Red With Black Stripe (1st). The Black Taekwondo Belts go from 1st to 9th Dan which will take many years to progress through.

Competitions

Contests are a significant part of the Taekwondo experience, and all the various styles all over the world stage tournaments where Taekwondo masters gather together to battle it out. Hard contact is rarely allowed in any of these competitions which primarily comprise patterns, sparring and breaking. Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and WT tournaments, whilst some hand attacks are tolerated in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.

In Conclusion

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I guess we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo is not purely about National Championships and Olympic titles. Most of us are content to meet different people, improve our levels of fitness and make new friends, and that is exactly how it should be. Yet, as with most things in life, what you get from it will depend on what you put into it. Enjoy! 👊