Taekwondo Chatham

Because Taekwondo has pretty high physical requirements, it is possibly more suitable for the younger people of Chatham. That's not to say that the older generation cannot participate in this activity, but simply that there might be alternative martial arts that are more suited to the less nimble of us. Tai Chi would be the perfect illustration.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial artists in Seoul founded some schools which they called "kwans", merging many different martial arts practices. Taekwondo, which was eventually called, primarily involves high-kicking manoeuvres, especially head-height kicks, turning/jumping kicks and fast kicking methods.

Since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been a competitive Olympic sport. This has made it even more popular throughout the world with some sixty million people routinely attending classes. And it's by signing up to a Taekwondo class or club that you are able to begin your journey of mastering this thrilling art.

A key element of Taekwondo is self-defence, and naturally this is one of the main reasons that folks in Chatham sign up to classes and take up the sport. There has been a disconcerting escalation of violent conduct over the last few years and this is especially prevalent in town and city centres throughout Kent and the British Isles as a whole. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also promotes self-discipline and a deep respect for other people, not such common attributes in Chatham nowadays.

Although it will instill you with self-confidence being aware that you have those self-defence skills in your locker, the odds are you will never need to test them outside of an organized Taekwondo class.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If Taekwondo is not something that you have ever tried before, you'll probably be wondering what you should expect from your first lesson if you make up your mind to join. Different Taekwondo schools in the Chatham area have different thoughts on this but in brief; you'll participate in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you'll do a certain amount of technical training, you'll learn some forms, you will practice sparring tactics and lastly you will do a warm-down to help your body get back into a relaxed state once again.

Everybody who is a registered member of a Taekwondo class in Chatham or any place else in the UK, is also required to join British Taekwondo, which is the official regulating body of the sport. You will be able to find loads of information about referees and coaching, launching a new club, coaching courses, members and clubs, equality and safeguarding, health and safety, events, first aid, news, and more, by dropping by at British Taekwondo's official website.

Taekwondo Kicks

There are plenty of different kicks which are used in Taekwondo. Listed here are a selection of the best known: Roundhouse Kick, Push Kick, Crescent Kick, Front Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To fend off the many kicks and hand attacks there are an equally diverse assortment of blocks. Held in particular positions, they engage the hands and areas of the arm. Each block can be combined with a kick or punch to produce a counter-attacking movement, and each block is suitable for a specific attack. The most important Taekwondo "blocks" include: Double Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Rising Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo Belts

Since there are many different types of Taekwondo there has never really been any standardized system for allocating belts (levels). What does exist however is relatively similar and consists of two belt groups "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each of these groups is divided into ranks, 8 to 12 colours for juniors and 9 "blacks" for the seniors.

Taekwondo for Beginners

It does not matter who you are or what you're standing is in the world of Taekwondo, at some point you were a total novice, knowing nothing and fearing failure. We have all started out at that point and can only learn and improve with practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Chatham are the place to begin that learning journey and to pick up the basic principles so that you can build self-confidence and move forward in your Taekwondo adventure. The majority of beginner classes are set up to be fun and friendly, delivering a slow introduction to the fundamental Taekwondo principles and developing a solid base moving forward.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

Safety gear like a red or blue head protector, a gum shield, hand protectors, a groin guard, shin protectors, forearm protectors and a blue/red trunk protector (hogu) are used in all competitions supervised by British Taekwondo. Protection from injuries is important thanks to the powerful kicks that are an integral part of this activity.