Taekwondo Birkenhead

Due to its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is maybe more suited to the younger generation in Birkenhead and is particularly appropriate for children as it's terrific for developing self-discipline and respect for others. Seniors trying Taekwondo for the very first time often find it too challenging, unless they've continually kept themselves active. Quite a lot of the older adults who do Taekwondo in Birkenhead, started when they were younger. If you consider yourself among the less nimble, you could always try something like Tai Chi which is much softer.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (1945). A group of Korean martial arts fanatics in Seoul established some new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. The emphasis of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known, is on kicking manoeuvres, especially fast kicking strategies, jumping/spinning kicks and head kicks.Today Birkenhead Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

With over 60 million people taking part in Taekwondo instruction all around the globe, this has definitely become an extremely popular and worthwhile pastime, and if you really master the sport you might even one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it has been a part ever since the Sydney Games in the year 2000.

The thing about Taekwondo that appears to most interest people in Birkenhead is the self-defence aspect of it. You should not be surprised by this, when you bear in mind the high incidence of violence seen in today's town and city centres. It is a key factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and exercise self-restraint.

While it will give you peace of mind knowing that you have those self-defence skills tucked away inside you, the likelihood is you will never have to test them outside the regulated setting of a dedicated Taekwondo class.

Your First Taekwondo Class

If you've never had a go at Taekwondo before, you could be a bit anxious as to what to expect on your first lesson. This will be different from club to club but will normally involve all or some of the following. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen muscles, some technical training involving learning some blocks, hand attacks, stances and kicks, learning a few forms, an introduction to sparring including the timing of attacks, timing and movement, and finally a warm down to relax and stretch tired muscles.

British Taekwondo is the regulating body of the sport within the UK, and membership of this organisation is mandatory should you wish to sign up with any Taekwondo class in Birkenhead or nearby. You'll be able to learn about establishing a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, equality and safeguarding, members and clubs, coaches and tournament referees, first aid, safe practices, events, news, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, or find the latest news stories on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

There are needless to say, many benefits to be had from taking part in Taekwondo, and here are just a few which may be appealing to you: Reduce anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Beef up confidence by pushing you to succeed and to take control of your life, Toughen up your body and mind via enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Increase concentration and self-esteem by elevating your mental and physical powers, Increase agility, flexibility and stamina through extreme cardiovascular effort, Teach self-defence by helping you to realize occasions where self-defence may be required, and empowering you to manipulate these kinds of circumstances to your advantage, Greater self-discipline by methodically educating your body and mind in the techniques and concepts of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Belts (Ranking)

In terms of ranking, promotion and belts there is not actually any real standardization in Taekwondo, because there are various styles of Taekwondo each of which has their own specific system. There are however analogies and they typically comprise 2 groupings of belts "seniors" and "juniors" symbolized by black and coloured belts respectively, . The senior ranks typically have 9 grades and the junior, between 8 and 12 ranks.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Competitions and tournaments are an important element of the overall Taekwondo legacy, and all the different styles across the world hold tournaments where Taekwondo masters come together to battle it out. Hard contact is hardly ever allowed in any of these tournaments which mainly incorporate patterns (forms), sparring and breaking. Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and World Taekwondo tournaments, whilst some hand attacks are tolerated in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.

Taekwondo for Beginners

It does not matter who you are or what you're capable of in Taekwondo, at one point you were a complete novice, knowing nothing and fearing failure. We've all started like this and can only develop and learn with practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Birkenhead are the place to begin that learning process and to pick up the basics so you can gain self-confidence and move forward in your exciting Taekwondo quest. Nearly all beginner classes are geared up to be fun and friendly, offering a slow introduction to the basic Taekwondo values and building a solid foundation for the future.