Taekwondo Barking

As Taekwondo has quite high physical requirements, it is perhaps more suitable for the younger generation in Barking. That is not to say that the older generation cannot participate in this kind of activity, but simply that there might be other martial arts which are more appropriate for the less nimble among us. Tai Chi would be a perfect example.

Based largely around high-kicking manoeuvres like jumping/spinning kicks, fast kicking methods and head kicks, Taekwondo was created from the techniques of various diverse martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools called "Kwans" during the 1940's and 1950's. These "Kwans" were given the names Songmu Kwan, Changmu Kwan, Jido Kwan, Mooduk Kwan and Chungdo Kwan.

Taekwondo now has more than sixty million enthusiasts worldwide and has become extremely popular in Barking and throughout the UK. Signing up for your local Taekwondo club or class in Barking is a good way to get involved with this activity which is now an Olympic sport. While you might not aspire to Olympic competition, there's no reason why you can't be a master of this exhilarating martial art and have some fun along the way.

For many people in Barking, it is the self-defence element of Taekwondo which has the most appeal. And in these times of increasing violence, especially in city and town centres, it's little surprise that this aspect sits high on people's list of priorities. It is a key element of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your capacity to defend yourself while at the same time learning to respect those around you and learn self-restraint.

These self-defence techniques may at some point prove useful in your day to day life, though it's much more likely you'll solely be using them within a regulated class setting. However it's a reassuring feeling knowing the fact that you will always be able to defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Barking Taekwondo Class

If you have never done Taekwondo before, you may be somewhat concerned as to what to expect on your very first class. This can vary from school to school but will usually consist of all or some of the following. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen up muscles, a little practical training including learning some kicks, hand attacks, stances and blocks, studying some Poomse (forms), an introduction to sparring including the timing of attacks, movement and timing, and finally a warm down to relax and stretch weary muscles.

Any person wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Barking must also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the official regulating body of the sport in Great Britain. You will be able to get loads of details on first aid, coaching courses, safe practices, starting a new club, news, clubs and members, events, referees and coaching, safeguarding and equality, and more, by checking out British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo Kicks

There are numerous different Taekwondo kicking moves, here are just a selection of them: Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick, Push Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick, Axe Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Crescent Kick. Blocks: To defend against the numerous hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse range of "blocks" (Makgi). Using the hands and parts of the arm, they're held in various positions. Each block can be merged with a punch or kick to establish a counter-attack, and each one is meant for a particular attack. The key Taekwondo blocks (makgi) include: Low Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Nine Block, Single Forearm Block, Upper Block, Knife Hand Block, Palm Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Forms are a key element of Taekwondo and are essential if you are going to master this captivating activity. Several basic "forms" must be learned from the beginning and more advanced forms must be mastered so as to progress through the various belts. A Taekwondo form is characterised by a number of facets such as technique, direction and stance.

Taekwondo Belts

In relation to promotion, ranking and belts there's not actually any real uniformity in Taekwondo, because there are various styles of Taekwondo which each have their own unique system. There are however likenesses and they typically consist of 2 groups of belts "juniors" and "seniors" represented by coloured and black belts respectively. The senior ranks typically have nine tiers and the junior, 8 to 12 levels.

In the UK there are a set of ranks in Taekwondo that are referred to as "Kup". The lowest is Tenth Kup and the highest is First Kup. As with most of the martial arts, the Taekwondo belt order is indicated by a number of different colours, so the ranks are easily identified. These colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with transitional belts with stripes in-between, specifically - 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. Beginner students of Taekwondo in Barking will start out with the White Belt (Tenth Kup), and move up through the coloured belts until they reach the First Kup (Red Belt With Black Stripe)

After this training regime has been accomplished, Barking Taekwondo students advance to "black belt candidates", and they then have to earn an additional 9 ranks if they're to become a Taekwondo "Black Belt", which is the supreme accolade. Thus, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into three sections; Junior Belt, Senior Belt and Black Belt. The Taekwondo Belts in the Junior division are; 10th (White), 9th (White With Yellow Stripe), 8th (Yellow), and 7th (Yellow With Green Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Senior division comprise; 6th (Green), 5th (Green With Blue Stripe), 4th (Blue), 3rd ( Blue With Red Stripe), 2nd (Red), and 1st (Red With Black Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Black group range from 1st to 9th Dan, a qualification process which will take many years.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

Tournaments governed by British Taekwondo policies require various items of protective gear to be worn, these include: hand guards, forearm protectors, shin pads, a red/blue head protector, a mouth guard, a groin protector and a red or blue body guard (hogu). This is crucial due to the forceful kicking actions being practiced.

Summary

So, what do you want from Taekwondo? Well, that is a good question, and the answer to that will be different for individual people. Most participants will simply wish to improve their fitness, gain more confidence and meet new people. We are certainly not all going to scale the dizzy heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although maybe you will, who knows?