Taekwondo Edinburgh

Because Taekwondo has pretty high physical demands, it's possibly more suitable for the younger people of Edinburgh. That is not to say that older individuals can't get involved in this particular activity, but merely that there could be other martial arts which are more appropriate for the less nimble among us. Tai Chi is the perfect illustration.

With its beginnings in 1940's Korea, South-East Asia, Taekwondo is obviously one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts and consists of primarily high-kicking movements such as head-height kicks, rapid kicking techniques and turning/jumping kicks. It began when schools called "kwans" were set up by a group of Korean martial artists in Seoul, South Korea.

With more than sixty million individuals taking part in Taekwondo classes all around the globe, this has definitely become a popular pastime, and if you really master the martial art you might possibly one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it's been an integral part since the 2000 Sydney Games.

For many folks in Edinburgh, it's the self-defence element of Taekwondo that holds the most appeal. And in these times of increased violence, particularly in city and town centres, it's little 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 capacity to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect those around you and practice self-restraint.

Your newly learned Taekwondo skills will likely never have to be proven outside of an organized Taekwondo class, however knowing that you have them will give you peace of mind.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If you have never done Taekwondo previously, you may be a bit anxious as to what can be expected on your very first class. This can vary from club to club but will normally comprise some or all of the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen muscles and increase the heart rate, a bit of practical training including learning some kicks, blocks, hand attacks and stances, discovering some Poomse (forms), a brief introduction to sparring including the timing of attacks, movement and timing, and lastly a warm down to relax and stretch tired muscles.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own regulating body, and in the British Isles it is British Taekwondo. Anybody wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Edinburgh must become a member of this organisation. You will be able to learn about equality and safeguarding, coaches and competition referees, clubs and members, health and safety, events, first aid, news, establishing a new club, coaching courses, and more on British Taekwondo's website, or find out the latest news on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo for Beginners

It doesn't matter what you're ranking is or who you are in Taekwondo, at some point you were a complete novice, knowing nothing and fearing failure. We have all started like this and are only able to develop and learn through practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Edinburgh are the best place get started on that learning journey and to pick up the fundamentals so you can build confidence and move forward in your exciting Taekwondo adventure. Almost all beginner classes are created to be friendly and fun, delivering a gradual introduction to the fundamental Taekwondo values and building a firm base moving forward.

The Basic Taekwondo Kicks

As martial arts go, Taekwondo stands out as the one with the most kicking manoeuvres. The following are just some standard ones: Back Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To defend against the various hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse assortment of blocks. Held in diverse positions, they employ the hands and parts of the arm. Each type of attack calls for a particular type of block, counter-attacks can be created by combining a block with a retaliatory kick or punch. The most important blocks include: Double Knife Hand Block, Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block, Nine Block, Single Forearm Block, Palm Block, Low Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

The belt and ranking structure can get very bewildering in Taekwondo since there is no recognised arrangement across the various Taekwondo disciplines. Similarities can be found however, and normally there are 2 distinct belt groups, denoted as "seniors" (black belts) and "juniors" (colours). The number of levels in the junior group varies over the styles but is generally between 8 and 12 belts, whilst the senior groupings normally has 9 dans or belts.

In the UK there are a set of ranks in Taekwondo that are called "Kup". The lowest is 10th Kup and the highest is 1st Kup. As with many of the martial arts, the Taekwondo belt order is indicated by a number of different colours, so that the ranks can be easily identified. These colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with transitional belts with stripes in-between, namely - 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. Beginner students of Taekwondo in Edinburgh will begin with the Tenth Kup (White Belt), and progress through the colours until they accomplish the Red With Black Stripe Belt (First Kup)

Taekwondo trainees in Edinburgh become known as "black belt candidates" once they have worked their way through these rankings, and they will then have to proceed through an additional 9 ranks (or Dans) if they aspire to achieve the ultimate distinction Taekwondo Black Belt. So, Junior Belt, Senior Belt and Black Belt are the 3 primary groups 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 comprise; 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 can take many years to progress through. (Tags: Taekwondo Belts Edinburgh, Taekwondo Promotion Edinburgh, Taekwondo Black Belts, Taekwondo Belt Order).

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When you are getting involved in Taekwondo classes in Edinburgh you'll be intending to get some benefits to make the entire undertaking worth the effort. Therefore let's consider a few of the many benefits that you may acquire through learning and doing Taekwondo. Teach self-defence by helping you to understand occasions where self-defence might be required, and allowing you to turn such situations to your advantage, Lessen anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Enhance self-esteem by intensifying your physical and mental health, Empower your mind and body by way of improved physical coordination and mental discipline, Improve flexibility, stamina and agility through strenuous cardiovascular effort, More self-discipline by methodically schooling your body and mind in the doctrines and techniques of Taekwondo, Beef up your confidence by pushing you to take control of your life and succeed.

Conclusion

So, what are you looking to get from Taekwondo? Well, that is an excellent question, and the answer to that will be different for individual people. The majority of participants will just wish to improve their levels of fitness, meet new people and gain more self-confidence. We are certainly not all going to reach the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though perhaps you will, you never know?