Taekwondo Dunfermline

Whilst not wanting to deter any particular age group, it has to be said that Taekwondo is more suitable for younger people in Dunfermline, being fairly physically demanding. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it especially appropriate for children. Older adults could find it somewhat too tough unless they are particularly fit and active. However those in Dunfermline who get involved in Taekwondo at an early age, will find that continuing into older adulthood is not a problem. If you are less nimble you could always try something a bit less strenuous such as Tai Chi or Yoga.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea, South-East Asia in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul founded some new schools known as "kwans", combining many different martial arts practices. Taekwondo, which it eventually became known as, largely involves high-kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking styles.

Popular all over the world Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners. Now an Olympic sport, Taekwondo is accessible to everyone, and joining a local Dunfermline Taekwondo club or class is the best way to get yourself involved. There is no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this thrilling sport, even if you have no desire to compete in the Olympics.

The thing about Taekwondo that seems to most appeal to people in Dunfermline is the self-defence aspect of it. And in these days of increased violence, especially in town and city centres, it is no surprise that this features high on people's list of priorities. It is a key factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and learn self-restraint.

Your newly learned Taekwondo skills will likely never need to be tried and tested outside the monitored atmosphere of an organised Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will give you peace of mind.

Your First Dunfermline Taekwondo Class

If Taekwondo is not a sport that you have ever done previously, you will probably be curious about what you should expect from your very first lesson if you decide to sign up. Different Taekwondo schools in the Dunfermline area have varying thoughts on this but in brief; you'll take part in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you will do a certain amount of technical training, you'll learn some forms, you'll practice sparring techniques and lastly you'll perform a warm-down to help your body get back into a relaxed state once again.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own official governing body, and in the British Isles it is British Taekwondo. Every person wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Dunfermline must become registered members of this organisation. By visiting British Taekwondo's official website you can obtain facts about safeguarding and equality, clubs and members, events, news, beginning a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, first aid, coaches and referees, safe practices, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

The Basic Taekwondo Kicks

Kicks play a significant role in Taekwondo, here are a small selection of the more basic ones: Push Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Back Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Crescent Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Axe Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", which are used to repulse the various attacks, are called Makgi. They're held in various positions and use the hand with sections of the arm. Certain attacks necessitate particular blocks, but blocks can also be changed into counter-attacking movements by combining retaliatory kicks or punches. The main blocks include: Upper Block, Nine Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Rising Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Forms are a pivotal element of Taekwondo and are vital to learn if you're to master this exciting activity. Several basic Taekwondo forms need to be learned at the start and more complicated forms have to be mastered so as to move through the various belts. A Taekwondo form is distinguished by a number of variables such as direction, technique and stance.

Taekwondo Belts (Ranking)

In Taekwondo there is really no standardization in relation to belts and grades. It all depends on what style you happen to be reviewing, because there are such a lot of Taekwondo styles. They are however, normally divided into 2 groups "junior" or "colour" belts and "senior" or "black" belts. The colour/junior rankings range from white to red, with from 8 to 12 rankings, while the senior/black belts typically have 9 rankings.

Tournaments

A typical Taekwondo tournament features sparring, breaking and patterns (forms), in the Olympics only sparring is included. Having said that there may also be a few extraordinary events in particular competitions such as team demonstrations and self-defence. World Taekwondo competitions are solely soft-contact affairs, while ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) tournaments permit some hand attacks to the head. There are in addition a few multi-discipline tournaments.

Beginners Classes

Even the top exponents of Taekwondo in Dunfermline set out as newbies, so there's no disgrace in being a complete beginner at Taekwondo, or any other activity for that matter. The purpose of a Taekwondo beginners class is to teach just a few basics, increase confidence and build a solid foundation moving forward. Most important of all is that it should be enjoyable, trainees having a good time will learn quicker and be better committed.