Taekwondo Fareham

While people of all ages in Fareham can of course participate in Taekwondo, it is particularly suited to the younger generation since it can be quite physically demanding, children can especially benefit from its teachings of self-discipline and the respect of others. Older adults may find it somewhat too taxing unless they are particularly fit and active. However those who take up Taekwondo in Fareham at a young age will find they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. Something a bit softer like Tai Chi might be more suitable for the less agile of you.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its origins in Korea in 1945. Some new schools called "kwans" were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts fanatics, combining a number of various martial arts techniques. In Taekwondo the emphasis is on kicking, in particular turning/jumping kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking styles. Nowadays Fareham Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

With over sixty million fitness enthusiasts engaged in Taekwondo instruction all over the world, this has definitely become an extremely popular pastime, and if you really master the martial art you might even one day qualify for the Olympic Games, of which it has been an integral part since the 2000 Sydney Games.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and naturally this is one of the principal reasons that folks in Fareham get involved in classes and take up the sport. There has been a troubling escalation of violent conduct in recent years and this is particularly rife in town and city centres throughout Hampshire and Britain in general. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also encourages self-discipline and a deep respect for other people, not such common characteristics in Fareham these days.

Such self-defence techniques may sooner or later come in useful in your everyday life, though it's more likely that you will only be using them within a monitored class setting. Yet it is a reassuring feeling knowing that you can always successfully defend yourself if you need to.

Your First Fareham Taekwondo Class

If you decide to register for Taekwondo training in Fareham, the first thing you'll be thinking about is what is going to transpire on the first lesson and what exactly will the instructor be expecting of you. Different Taekwondo masters in Fareham will compile differing routines for this first lesson but you can anticipate doing a 15 minute warm-up to loosen your muscles and get the blood coursing, learn some simple forms (Poomse), go through some practical training (blocking techniques, stances, hand attacks and kicks), do a bit of sparring, and finally, a warm-down.

British Taekwondo is the official governing body of the sport within the British Isles, and membership of this organisation is mandatory if you want to sign up with any Taekwondo club in Fareham or nearby. You will be able to get loads of info on coaches and competition referees, clubs and members, beginning a new Taekwondo club, safe practices, news, equality and safeguarding, first aid, coaching courses, events, and more, by heading to British Taekwondo's official website.

The Many Benefits of Taekwondo

There are of course, a lot of benefits to be gained from doing Taekwondo, and here are just a few which might be tempting for you: More discipline by methodically training your body and mind in the principles and tactics of Taekwondo, Lower stress and anxiety with controlled breathing, Supercharge flexibility, stamina and agility by means of intense cardiovascular exertion, Grow in confidence by encouraging you to succeed and to take control of your life, Enhance self-esteem by heightening your physical and mental powers, Help with self-defence by showing you how to identify situations where self-defence may be needed, and allowing you to control these situations in your favour, Toughen up your body and mind via improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination.

Taekwondo Forms

Perfecting Tae kwon do calls for learning many disciplines and one of the key elements of Taekwondo is its forms (also called patterns or Poomse). These are types of direction, technique and stance which have to be mastered in order for pupils to move through the various dans (belts/grades).

Tournaments

Taekwondo tournaments and competitions are staged internationally in all of the diverse styles. There's normally not a lot of hard contact but sparring, breaking and patterns. Olympic and WT tournaments only consist of sparring, in ITF tournaments specific hand attacks are permitted to the head. Other organisations hold multi-discipline events.

Safety Gear

Contests regulated by British Taekwondo policies require various items of protective equipment to be worn, these include: a mouth protector, a red/blue head guard, hand guards, a groin guard, shin guards, a blue/red body guard (hogu) and forearm guards. This is necessary owing to the potent kicking attacks being practiced.

Conclusion

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we don't all want to be. Taekwondo is not purely about Olympic medals and National Championships. Most of us are happy to make new friends, meet different people and improve our fitness, and that's precisely how it ought to be. However, as with many things in life, what you get from it will depend on what you invest in it. Enjoy!