Taekwondo Chertsey

Images of young children doing rapid punches and energetic kicking manoeuvres, are what spring to mind at the mere mention of Taekwondo. While the younger generation should find the physical demands of Taekwondo easier to contend with, there is nothing at all to stop people of any age taking part. You will however get a lot more enjoyment out of Taekwondo if you are relatively agile and fit.

The sport was developed in Korea in 1945, though it was not named Taekwondo until the 1950's. Some exciting new schools called "kwans" were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts lovers, incorporating a number of various martial arts techniques. Kicking movements, especially jumping/spinning kicks, fast kicking strategies and head kicks are the main focus of Taekwondo, as it later became known. Now Chertsey Taekwondo classes adhere to this tradition.

With over 60 million fitness enthusiasts participating in Taekwondo instruction all around the globe, this has definitely become a popular and beneficial pastime, and if you really master this martial art you may even one day qualify for the Olympic Games, of which it's been a part ever since the 2000 Sydney Games.

In these times of escalating violence, it's no surprise that folks in locations like Chertsey are enrolling in self-defence classes like Taekwondo to help them to feel safer in their everyday life. The self-defence element is one of the key factors of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a deep respect for other folks, which are qualities that are frequently missing in this modern age.

While it will give you peace of mind knowing that you have such self-defence skills in your locker, the odds are you'll never be required to test them outside the monitored setting of an organized Taekwondo class.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in the Chertsey area will have different thoughts on what students should cover on their first lesson, but to give you an understanding of what to expect most initial Taekwondo classes will incorporate a warm-up, some sparring, learning simple Poomse (forms), an introduction to stances, kicks, hand attacks and blocks (practical training) and a warm-down to stretch tired muscles and return the body to a state of harmony.

If you want to join a Taekwondo club in Chertsey, you will also have to become a member of the sport's official regulating body, namely British Taekwondo. You'll be able to read about coaching courses, coaches and competition referees, news, health and safety, clubs and members, equality and safeguarding, events, first aid, beginning a new Taekwondo club, and more on British Taekwondo's website, or find the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are needless to say, quite a few benefits to be gained from participating in Taekwondo, and listed here are just a hint of the ones which might be tempting for you: Grow in your confidence by motivating you to succeed and to take control of your life, Help with self-defence by helping you to recognize occasions in which self-defence might be needed, and allowing you to control these kinds of situations in your favour, Reduced stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Augment stamina, flexibility and agility by way of intensive cardiovascular effort, Greater discipline by thoroughly training your mind and body in the techniques and principles of Taekwondo, Empower your mind and body by means of enhanced mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Increase feelings of self-esteem by heightening both mental and physical health.

Taekwondo Kicks

One of the main features of Taekwondo is kicking, listed here is a selection of the basic kicks: Hook or Whip Kick, Crescent Kick, Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick, Axe Kick, Side Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To fend off the numerous kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse range of "blocks". Held in specific positions, they employ the hand and parts of the arm. Each and every "block" can be coupled with a kick or punch to produce a counter-attacking manoeuvre, and each "block" is appropriate for a certain type of attack. The main "blocks" (makgi) include: Upper Block, Palm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Double Forearm Block, Nine Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Folks just starting out Taekwondo do not have to worry too much about forms (Poomse, patterns) at the outset, however they'll learn some important ones to start with and move on to more challenging "forms" as they move through the various belts (grades/dans). A form is signified by particular elements of Taekwondo including direction, technique and stance. Getting to grips with these techniques is a vital part of perfecting Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Belts

Since there are various types of Taekwondo there has never really been any recognised system for assigning belts (grades). What does exist is however fairly similar and is made up of a couple of belt groupings "junior" and "senior" ("colour" and "black"), each of these groupings is split into levels, eight to twelve colours for juniors and nine "blacks" for the seniors.

Competitions and Tournaments

A standard Taekwondo tournament incorporates sparring, patterns and breaking, as far as the Olympics is concerned only sparring is included. Having said that there may also be some special events in certain tournaments such as self-defence and team demonstrations. WT competitions are solely soft-contact affairs, while ITF competitions allow some hand attacks to be aimed at the head. There are also some multi-discipline competitions.

Chertsey Taekwondo for Beginners

Trainees starting out on their Taekwondo experience in Chertsey will first of all register for a beginners class. Beginners classes are fantastic, because there is not any pressure and everything's carried out at a slow and casual pace. Learning and having fun are the principal goals at the start and students who are having a good time tend to learn a lot faster and absorb significantly more of what they are being shown. Even Taekwondo masters started off as naive novices, so take that first step and who knows where you will end up!

Final Thoughts

We can pretty much guarantee that if you take up Taekwondo you are going to gain more confidence, make more friends and improve your wellbeing. If that is all that you get out of it, then all well and good, you can call it an achievement! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you that are, need to begin with that very first step. Good luck with your quest! 👊