Taekwondo Cranleigh

Many people in Cranleigh would assume that the fast punching, high kicking movements demanded by Taekwondo are more suitable for young kids. Whilst the physical demands of Taekwondo perhaps make it more suited to the younger and fitter generation, it can be practiced by people of every age group. You do however need to be fairly agile and fit to fully enjoy all the intricacies of Taekwondo.

With its origins in 1940's Korea, Taekwondo is obviously one of the more recently created of the martial arts and consists of mostly kicking movements such as turning/jumping kicks, fast kicking techniques and head kicks. It started when schools known as "kwans" were founded by a group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul, South Korea.

Taekwondo has grown to become extremely popular in Cranleigh and around the globe, with more than 60 million practitioners worldwide. Enrolling in a local Cranleigh Taekwondo club or class is an excellent way to get involved with this sporting activity which has even featured in the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games in 2000. Although you might not aspire to Olympic competition, there is certainly no reason why you should not become a master of this remarkable martial art and have some fun in the process.

While there is much to be gained by doing Taekwondo, it is the self-defence aspect that most Cranleigh people are interested in. And its not surprising that this is on people's list of priorities when you consider the rising levels of violence seen these days in town and city centres throught the United Kingdom. However, exercising self-restraint and a respect for others goes hand in hand with the self-defence principles of Taekwondo.

While its good to know they are there if you need them, with a bit of luck you will not ever have the need to use your newly learned Taekwondo techniques for defending yourself outside of your local club surroundings.

Your First Cranleigh Taekwondo Lesson

If you've never tried Taekwondo previously, you might be a bit apprehensive as to what to expect on your first lesson. This will be different from club to club but will usually comprise some or all of the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen up muscles and increase heart rate, a little technical training involving learning some kicks, blocking techniques, stances and hand attacks, learning some forms, an overview of sparring including attack timing, timing and movement, and lastly a warm down to stretch and relax tired muscles.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own regulating body, and in the British Isles it is British Taekwondo. Everyone wishing enroll with a Taekwondo club in Cranleigh must become members of this organisation. You can find lots of information about safeguarding and equality, coaching courses, coaches and tournament referees, safe practices, news, launching a new club, first aid, members and clubs, events, and more, by dropping by at British Taekwondo's official website.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

The benefits which can be achieved by participating in Taekwondo instruction in Cranleigh are many and varied, among the most significant are: Increase stamina, agility and flexibility by means of strenuous cardiovascular work-outs, Increase self-esteem by raising your physical and mental fitness, Teach you self-defence techniques by helping you recognize scenarios where self-defence could be necessary, and allowing you to control such circumstances in your favour, Strengthen your mind and body by way of enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Lessen anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Build up confidence by pushing you to succeed and to take control of your life, Better discipline and willpower by methodically schooling your mind and body in the strategies and principles of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo competitions require certain safety equipment to be worn to protect contenders from injury due to the vigorous kicks that occur. This safety equipment includes: hand guards, a groin guard, shin guards, a mouth protector, forearm protectors, blue or red trunk armour and a blue or red head guard.