Taekwondo Bingley

Taekwondo is typically a lot more physically demanding than for example Tai Chi, so unless you are pretty nimble and fit you might prefer to find something a little gentler to boost your fitness in Bingley. Children and younger people are clearly an ideal participants for Taekwondo classes in Bingley, with lots of fast paced movements taking place and a great deal of high kicking.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently created of the martial arts, with its early beginnings in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial artists in Seoul founded some schools which they called "kwans", incorporating many different martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which was eventually called, largely involves kicking manoeuvres, especially head kicks, rapid kicking methods and spinning/jumping kicks.

The number of Taekwondo enthusiasts worldwide, now exceeds 60 million. Signing up for your local Bingley Taekwondo class or club is the best way to get involved in this sport which has even been included in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. While the chances of you reaching Olympic standard are quite slim, there is no reason at all why you can't master this fascinating martial art.

For many people in Bingley, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that is the most interesting. And when you consider the high levels of violence in town centres these days, this is hardly surprising. It's a key factor of Taekwondo that you can be confidently able to defend yourself yet exercise self-restraint and respect others.

Your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will more than likely never need to be tested outside the monitored setting of an organised Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will instill you with confidence.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you've never done Taekwondo previously, you could be a little apprehensive as to what you can expect on your very first class. This may vary from club to club but will generally comprise some or all of the following. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen muscles, some practical training involving learning some stances, kicks, blocks and hand attacks, discovering some Poomse (forms), an introduction to sparring which will include timing, the timing of attacks and movement, and lastly a warm down to stretch and relax tired muscles.

Anybody wanting to join a Taekwondo class in Bingley has to also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the regulating body of the sport in the British Isles. You can get lots of details on first aid, coaching courses, starting a new club, clubs and members, coaches and tournament referees, safeguarding and equality, health and safety, news, events, and more, by exploring British Taekwondo's official website.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are needless to say, lots of benefits to be had from practicing Taekwondo, and here are just a few that may be tempting for you: Turbocharge flexibility, stamina and agility through intense cardiovascular exertion, Grow in confidence by motivating you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Learn self-defence by training you to recognize scenarios in which self-defence may be required, and allowing you to control these circumstances to your advantage, Enhance feelings of self-esteem by sharpening your mental and physical fitness, Develop self-discipline by exhaustively schooling your mind and body in the doctrines and techniques of Taekwondo, Lessen anxiety with controlled breathing, Toughen up your body and mind through accelerated physical coordination and mental discipline.

The Taekwondo Kicks

Some of the basic Taekwondo kicks you will learn to begin with include: Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi). Blocks: To stop and deflect an incoming Taekwondo attack, blocks (known as Makgi) are employed. Employing the hands and parts of the arm, they are held in diverse positions. Certain attacks necessitate specified "blocks", but "blocks" can also be changed into counter-attacks by the combination of retaliatory punches or kicks. The primary blocks used in Taekwondo include: Palm Block, Low Block, Upper Block, Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Rising Block and Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Ranking)

In the art of taekwondo there's not really any standardization with regards to belts and grades. It is all depending on which style you happen to be considering, as there are such a lot of Taekwondo styles and rules. However, they're generally separated into two groups "junior (colour) belts and "senior" (black) belts. The colour/junior ranks range from white to red, with from 8 to 12 ranks, while the black/senior belts typically have 9 rankings.

Taekwondo Tournaments

Tournaments and competitions are a significant part of the Taekwondo experience, and all of the various styles all over the world stage tournaments where Taekwondo exponents band together to compete. Hard contact is hardly ever allowed in any of these contests which mostly comprise sparring, breaking and patterns (forms). Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and World Taekwondo tournaments, whilst specified hand attacks are tolerated in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.