Taekwondo Consett

Because Taekwondo has fairly high physical requirements, it's perhaps more suitable for the younger generation in Consett. That isn't to say that older people can't take part in this kind of activity, but merely that there might be alternative martial arts which are more suitable for the less nimble among us. Tai Chi would be a perfect illustration.

With its early beginnings in 1940's Korea, Taekwondo is obviously one of the more recently established of the martial arts and consists of mostly high-kicking movements such as rapid kicking styles, turning/jumping kicks and head-height kicks. It started when schools known as "kwans" were established by a bunch of Korean martial artists in Seoul, South Korea.

The number of Taekwondo enthusiasts worldwide, now exceeds sixty million. If you would like to get involved in this activity, which is now an Olympic sport, signing up for a Taekwondo club or class in Consett is a good place to start. While noone would seriously expect you to get to Olympic standard, you could certainly be one of the best Taekwondo exponents in Consett.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and undoubtedly this is one of the principal reasons that individuals in Consett get involved in classes and get involved in the sport. There has been a worrying escalation of violent practices in recent years and this is particularly rife in city and town centres throughout County Durham and the nation in general. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also promotes self-discipline and respect for others, not such common characteristics in Consett nowadays.

These self-defence techniques may sooner or later come in handy in your day to day life, although it is much more likely that you will only be testing them within a supervised class setting. Nevertheless it is a reassuring feeling knowing the fact that you'll always be in a position to defend yourself if you have to.

Your First Lesson

If you've never tried Taekwondo before, you may be a bit concerned as to what should be expected on your first class. This may vary from school to school but will usually consist of all or some of these. A 15-20 minute warm up to loosen muscles and increase heart rate, some technical training including learning some hand attacks, blocking techniques, kicks and stances, learning a few Poomse (forms), an introduction to sparring including movement, timing and the timing of attacks, and lastly a warm down to stretch and relax weary muscles.

Taekwondo of course also has got its own regulating body, and in Great Britain it is British Taekwondo. Anybody wishing enroll with a Taekwondo club in Consett has to become a member of this organisation. You can get loads of facts about health and safety, launching a new Taekwondo club, equality and safeguarding, members and clubs, events, coaches and tournament referees, news, first aid, coaching courses, and more, by checking out the official British Taekwondo website.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

There are needless to say, a number of benefits to be gained from participating in Taekwondo, and here are just a few that could be appealing to you: Strengthen your body and mind thru increased physical coordination and mental discipline, Improve feelings of self-esteem by elevating your mental and physical powers, Reduce anxiety using advanced breath control, Help with self-defence strategies by helping you recognise scenarios where self-defence might be necessary, and enabling you to control these scenarios to your advantage, Grow in confidence by inspiring you to take control of your life and succeed, Develop self-discipline by extensively educating your body and mind in the principles and strategies of Taekwondo, Turbocharge agility, stamina and flexibility through intensive cardiovascular effort.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is renowned for its impressive kicks, listed here are the important ones: Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: To divert and stop an inbound Taekwondo attack, "blocks" (called Makgi) are implemented. Using the hand and different parts of the arm, they're held in particular positions. Each kind of attack necessitates a specific sort of block, counter-attacking movements can be produced by integrating a block with a retaliatory kick or punch. The most used blocks in Taekwondo include: Low Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Rising Block and Single Forearm Block.

Taekwondo Forms

Taekwondo forms (also called Poomse or patterns) are characterized by specific elements like direction, stance and technique. From the start you'll be taught a few of the basic forms, and in order to move through the various rankings (belts) you'll need to master some more advanced ones.

Taekwondo Belts

Since there are many different styles of Taekwondo there's never been any standard arrangement for allocating belts (promotion). What does exist is however quite similar and involves two belt groups "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each one of these groups is split into levels, eight to twelve colours in the case of juniors and 9 "blacks" for the seniors.

Taekwondo Competitions

There are an array of tournaments in Taekwondo associated with all the diverse styles. They primarily comprise sparring, breaking and patterns with hardly any hard contact. International Taekwon-Do Federation contests don't allow excessive contact but sometimes permit hand attacks to the head. WT and Olympic contests allow only sparring. Multi-style contests also take place.

Taekwondo Beginners Classes

It matters not who you are or what you're capable of in Taekwondo, at some stage you were a complete novice, fearing failure and knowing absolutely nothing. We've all started out at that point and can only learn and develop through practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Consett are the right place to begin that learning journey and to pick up the necessary basics so that you can gain confidence and move forward in your Taekwondo quest. Almost all beginner classes are geared up to be fun and friendly, offering a slow introduction to the basic Taekwondo principles and developing a solid base moving forward.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo contests require certain safety equipment to be worn to safeguard contenders from getting injured due to the powerful kicking that takes place. These safety products include: hand protectors, a gum shield, a groin protector, shin protectors, forearm guards, a blue or red head guard and a blue or red trunk guard (hogu).

Final Thoughts

We can more or less guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you'll gain more confidence, make more friends and improve your wellbeing. If that is all that you take away from it, then that is great, and you can call it a success! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, still have to start with the very first step. Good luck on your quest!