Taekwondo Coggeshall

It must be said that Taekwondo can be very challenging physically, which could discourage the less nimble and more elderly folks in Coggeshall from taking this up. To be truthful, the most common people participating in Taekwondo classes are kids and younger people, but of course older individuals who're in great physical condition can easily be involved and benefit from this activity.

Taekwondo is a martial art that primarily features high-kicking moves and manoeuvres, most notably head-height kicks, turning/jumping kicks and rapid kicking strategies. It began in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a number of martial arts enthusiasts founded schools known as "kwans", which merged various martial arts practices.

With over 60 million students worldwide and a fair few in Coggeshall, Taekwondo has become really popular. Heading along to a local Taekwondo club or class in Coggeshall is a good way to get involved with this activity which is now an Olympic sport. There is no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this exciting sport, even if you don't have any desire to take part in the Olympics.

For the people of Coggeshall who are keen on the idea of learning a martial art, a top priority is the aspect of self-defence. Considering that this is a key principle of Taekwondo, it isn't difficult to see the appeal of this specific sport. With the additional benefit of developing self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for others, getting involved in a local Coggeshall Taekwondo class would seem to be a no brainer.

These self-defence techniques may sooner or later prove useful in your day to day life, though it's far more likely you will solely be testing them within a controlled class environment. However it is an amazing feeling knowing that you can always defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Taekwondo Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in Coggeshall will have different ideas about what pupils should cover on their initial lesson, however to give you an understanding of what you should expect most initial Taekwondo lessons will include a warm-up, some sparring, learning Poomse (forms), an introduction to blocks, hand attacks, stances and kicks (technical training) and a final warm-down to relax weary muscles and return the body to a state of balance.

Everyone who's a member of a Taekwondo club in Coggeshall or any place else in the UK, is also required to join British Taekwondo, which is the official regulating body of the sport. By exploring British Taekwondo's website you'll be able to find details on safeguarding and equality, events, members and clubs, first aid, safe practices, starting a new club, news, coaching courses, coaches and competition referees, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is probably most recognized for its fast-moving kicks, here are just a few of the fundamental kicks you'll learn as a novice: Front Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Side Kick, Crescent Kick, Push Kick. Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", which are used to defend against the various attacks, are known as Makgi. They are held in specific positions and enlist the hand with sections of the arm. Specific attacks require specified "blocks", but blocks can also be changed into counter-attacks by combining reciprocal punches or kicks. The principal Taekwondo blocks (makgi) include: Rising Block, Single Forearm Block, Nine Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Palm Block, Double Forearm Block, Upper Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo Belts

The ranking and belt system can get quite bewildering in Taekwondo as there's no standard system across the various Taekwondo styles. Similarities do exist though, and generally there are two separate belt groups, represented as "seniors" (black dans) and "juniors" (coloured belts). The number of rankings in the junior group varies across the disciplines but is generally somewhere between 8 and 12 belts, while the senior's group generally has 9 belts or dans.

In the UK there are a sequence of ranks (belts) in Taekwondo that are called "Kup". The lowest rank is Tenth Kup and the highest is First Kup. If you're curious about the Taekwondo belt order, it's as follows, and is portrayed by a number of colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediate belts with stripes, specifically 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. Students in Coggeshall starting out in Taekwondo will commence with the White Belt (10th Kup), and move up through the coloured belts until they achieve the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (1st Kup).

After this has been completed, Taekwondo students in Coggeshall are considered to be "black belt candidates" which involves them moving through another nine ranks (Dans) until they achieve the ultimate accolade of "Black Belt" status. Therefore, Junior Belt, Senior Belt and Black Belt are the three primary groupings in the Taekwondo belt order. The Junior Taekwondo Belts are; White (10th), White With Yellow Stripe (9th), Yellow (8th), and Yellow With Green Stripe (7th). The Senior Taekwondo Belts are; Green (6th), Green With Blue Stripe (5th), Blue (4th), Blue With Red Stripe (3rd), Red (2nd) and Red With Black Stripe (1st). The Black Taekwondo Belts go from 1st to 9th Dan which will take a number of years to successfully progress through.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

The benefits that may be gained by taking part in Taekwondo training in Coggeshall are many and varied, among the most noteworthy are: Build up confidence by encouraging you to succeed and to take control of your life, Teach you self-defence tactics by helping you identify occasions where self-defence may be required, and allowing you to manipulate these situations to your advantage, Supercharge flexibility, agility and stamina through intense cardiovascular exertion, Toughen up your mind and body thru enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Reduce stress and anxiety using advanced breath control, Develop discipline by comprehensively educating your mind and body in the principles and tactics of Taekwondo, Increase your self-esteem by raising your mental and physical fitness.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo contests require certain safety equipment to be worn to protect competitors from being injured due to the potent kicks being used. These safety products include: shin protectors, a gum shield, hand protectors, red or blue trunk armour (hogu), a blue/red head guard, forearm guards and a groin guard.