Taekwondo Bulkington

As a result of its more physical attributes, Taekwondo is perhaps more suited to the younger generation in Bulkington and is especially suitable for kids as it is wonderful for developing self-discipline and respect for other people. More elderly individuals may find it somewhat too strenuous unless they are especially active and fit. Even so, those folks who persue Taekwondo in Bulkington at a young age will discover they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less agile of you could consider participating in something softer like Tai Chi.

With its origins in 1940's Korea, South-East Asia, Taekwondo is certainly one of the more recently established of the martial arts and involves mostly kicking movements such as head kicks, jumping/turning kicks and rapid kicking methods. It began when schools called "kwans" were set up by a bunch of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul, South Korea.

Taekwondo has grown to be extremely popular in Bulkington and all across the globe, with more than 60 million practitioners worldwide. Registering with a local Bulkington Taekwondo club or class is a great way to become involved in this sporting activity which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games of 2000. While you might not have any aspirations to get involved in Olympic competition, there is no reason why you shouldn't become a master of this challenging martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and of course this is one of the main reasons that individuals in Bulkington sign up to classes and engage with the sport. There has been a disturbing escalation of violent practices in recent times and this is especially widespread in city and town centres around Warwickshire and Great Britain in general. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also promotes self-discipline and a deep respect for other people, not such common qualities in Bulkington these days.

While it is great to practice and master these self-defence skills in the protected environment of your local Bulkington Taekwondo club, hopefully you will not ever need to use them in the outside world.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If you elect to register for a Taekwondo club in Bulkington, the very first thing you'll be thinking about is what is going to happen on the first class and what exactly will the teacher be expecting of you. Different Taekwondo masters in the Bulkington area will compile diverse routines for this initial introductory lesson but you can anticipate performing a 20 minute warm-up to get the blood coursing and loosen your muscles, learn several forms (Poomse), go through some practical training (blocking techniques, stances, kicks and hand attacks), do a small amount of sparring, and finally, warm-down.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own official regulating body, and in Great Britain it is British Taekwondo. Everyone wishing enroll with a Taekwondo club in Bulkington have to become registered members of this organisation. You will be able to learn about events, members and clubs, first aid, safeguarding and equality, referees and coaching, starting a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, health and safety, news, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and find out the latest news reports on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Belts

The belt and ranking structure can get quite confusing in Taekwondo because there is no uniform structure across the various Taekwondo disciplines. Similarities do exist however, and typically there are 2 separate belt groups, denoted as "seniors" (black dans) and "juniors" (coloured belts). The number of grades in the junior section varies over the styles but is usually between 8 and 12 belts, while the senior group commonly has nine dans or belts.

Ranks (belts) in Taekwondo in the UK are symbolized by what are called "Kup". The highest rank is First Kup and the lowest rank is Tenth Kup. The Taekwondo belt order, similar to the vast majority of the martial arts is denoted by a number of different colours, these colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediary 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. Beginners in Bulkington getting started in Taekwondo will begin with the White Belt (10th Kup), and move up through the coloured belts until they earn the 1st Kup (Red Belt With a Black Stripe).

After succeeding with this challenge, Taekwondo students in Bulkington are considered to be "black belt candidates" which sees them progressing through yet another nine ranks (Dans) right up until they achieve the ultimate accolade of "Black Belt". Hence, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into three sections; Junior Belts, Senior Belts and Black Belts. The Taekwondo Belts in the Junior division comprise; 10th (White), 9th (White With Yellow Stripe), 8th (Yellow), and 7th (Yellow With Green Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Senior group 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 process which takes a considerable number of years.

Taekwondo Forms

Beginners in Taekwondo do not have to stress too much about forms (Poomse, patterns) initially, however they'll learn some standard ones for starters and advance to more elaborate forms as they move through the various belts (dans/grades). A form is denoted by specific aspects of Taekwondo including stance, direction and technique. Learning these techniques is a crucial part of perfecting Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Kicks

Among the basic Taekwondo kicks that you will learn initially include: Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi). Blocks: To repulse the numerous kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse assortment of blocks. Employing the hand and areas of the arm, they're held in particular positions. Every block can be coupled with a punch or kick to establish a counter-attacking movement, and each one is suitable for a specific attack. The main blocks in Taekwondo include: Upper Block, Knife Hand Block, Rising Block, Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Low Block.

Safety Equipment

In all events, matches and tournaments being held under the patronage of British Taekwondo, safety equipment such as a blue/red head guard, hand protectors, a groin guard, shin guards, a gum shield, forearm protectors and a red or blue body guard (hogu) is mandatory. The kicking manoeuvres used in Taekwondo can easily cause harm and this all helps make this activity much safer for its competitors.

Final Thoughts

What you get from Taekwondo will be directly related to what you invest in it (as is the case with life on the whole). Most of you will only want to improve your fitness, meet different people and make new friends, some may want to progress to competitions or tournaments or maybe even the Olympic Games. But remember, we can't all end up being a Jade Jones or a Lutalo Muhammad. 👊