Taekwondo Bebington

As Taekwondo has quite high physical demands, it is possibly more suitable for the younger people of Bebington. That is not to say that elderly people can't participate in this activity, but merely that there could be other martial arts that are more appropriate for the less nimble of us. Tai Chi would be the perfect illustration.

Based mostly around high-kicking moves and manoeuvres like head-height kicks, rapid kicking methods and spinning/jumping kicks, Taekwondo was developed from the techniques of different martial arts, by a number of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools known as "Kwans" during the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" were given the names Mooduk Kwan, Songmu Kwan, Jido Kwan, Chungdo Kwan and Changmu Kwan.

With more than 60 million fitness enthusiasts participating in Taekwondo sessions all over the world, this has definitely become a popular activity, and if you become really expert at this martial art you may possibly one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it has been a part ever since the Sydney Games in the year 2000.

For many people in Bebington, it is the self-defence element of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. And in these times of increased violence, particularly in town and city centres, it's not surprising that this sits at the top of 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 key principles of Taekwondo.

Whilst it will give you peace of mind being aware that you have those self-defence skills tucked away inside you, the odds are you will never need to test them outside of a dedicated Taekwondo class.

Your First Lesson

If you've made up your mind to learn Taekwondo and are preparing for your first class, you'll be curious about what will happen. This may vary depending on which Bebington school you go to, but will usually involve the following. A 15 to 20 minute warm up to increase your heart rate and loosen your muscles, a bit of technical training covering some hand attacks, stances, kicks and blocks, some work on patterns or forms (Poomse in Korean), some tips on sparring including timing, movement and the targeting of attacks, and to round off a warm down to prevent cramping and muscle spasms.

The UK official governing body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you would like to join a Taekwondo class in Bebington, you will also be required to become a member of this organization. You can read about coaching courses, news, members and clubs, safe practices, first aid, equality and safeguarding, events, establishing a new Taekwondo club, coaches and referees, and more on the official British Taekwondo website, and find the latest news reports on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Taekwondo Kicks

There are lots of different Taekwondo kicking moves, here are just a few of them: Push Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Side Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To defend against and stop an incoming attack, "blocks" (known as Makgi) are employed. Using the hands and areas of the arm, they're held in particular positions. Certain attacks necessitate particular blocks, but "blocks" can also be transformed into counter-attacks by combining retaliatory kicks or punches. The main Taekwondo "blocks" (makgi) include: Single Forearm Block, Low Block, Nine Block, Upper Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Rising Block, Palm Block and Double Forearm Block.

Competitions

A standard Taekwondo tournament incorporates sparring, patterns and breaking, where the Olympics is concerned only sparring is involved. That being said there can also be some extraordinary events in certain competitions such as team demonstrations and self-defence. World Taekwondo competitions are solely soft-contact events, while ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) tournaments permit some hand attacks to the head. There are in addition several multi-discipline tournaments.

Beginners Classes

It matters not what you're capable of or who you are in Taekwondo, at one time you were a complete novice, fearing failure and knowing absolutely nothing. We have all started out like this and are only able to improve and learn through practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Bebington are the right place to begin that learning process and to pick up the necessary basics so that you can gain confidence and proceed with your exciting Taekwondo quest. Most beginner classes are geared up to be friendly and fun, providing a slow introduction to the fundamental Taekwondo values and developing a solid foundation moving forward.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo matches call for specific safety equipment to be worn to safeguard contenders from being injured due to the powerful kicks that occur. This safety equipment includes: forearm guards, red or blue trunk armour, a groin guard, a blue or red head guard, a mouth guard, shin guards and hand guards.