Taekwondo Fraserburgh

Due to its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is perhaps more suited to the younger person in Fraserburgh and is particularly suitable for children as it is great for developing self-discipline and respect for others. It could prove too taxing for some older adults, but shouldn't be a problem for those who are already fit and active. People in Fraserburgh who take up Taekwondo when they are young find it easy to continue when they get older. The less agile of you might consider something softer like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo is a martial art that mostly consists of kicking manoeuvres, most notably head-height kicks, spinning/jumping kicks and fast kicking methods. It began in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a group of martial arts enthusiasts founded schools called "kwans", which merged a number of martial arts practices.

Popular across the world Taekwondo now has over sixty million students. Ever since the Sydney Games (2000) Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport and if you want to give it a go, signing up for a local Fraserburgh Taekwondo class or club is a good way to get involved. While the odds of you reaching Olympic standard are quite slim, there isn't any reason at all why you cannot master this exhilarating martial art.

For the people of Fraserburgh who are keen on the idea of learning a martial art, a major priority is the aspect of self-defence. Considering that this is an important principle of Taekwondo, it is easy to see the attraction of this particular sport. With the added bonus of learning self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for those around you, registering for a local Fraserburgh Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

Such self-defence techniques may at some point prove to be useful in your day to day life, although it is far more likely that you'll only be putting them to the test within a supervised class setting. Yet it is a nice feeling knowing the fact that you'll always be in a position to defend yourself if you need to.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you come to a decision to register for Taekwondo training in Fraserburgh, the first thing you'll wish to know is what will happen on the first class and what exactly will the coach be expecting of you. Different Taekwondo masters in the Fraserburgh area will formulate diverse routines for this initial lesson but you should be expecting to do a 20 minute warm-up to get the blood coursing and loosen your muscles, learn several forms (Poomse), go through some technical training (blocking techniques, hand attacks, stances and kicks), do some sparring, and finally, warm-down.

Everyone who is a registered member of a Taekwondo class in Fraserburgh or any place else in the British Isles, is also required to join British Taekwondo, which is the official governing body of the sport. You can get loads of details of events, equality and safeguarding, clubs and members, news, safe practices, establishing a new club, coaching courses, first aid, coaches and referees, and more, by visiting British Taekwondo's official website.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

The ranking and belt system can get somewhat complicated in Taekwondo since there isn't any standardized arrangement throughout the different Taekwondo styles. Similarities do exist however, and generally there are two separate belt groups, represented as "seniors" (black dans) and "juniors" (colours). The number of rankings in the junior group varies across the disciplines but is generally between 8 and 12 belts, whilst the senior groupings commonly has 9 dans or belts.

Rankings in Taekwondo in the UK are represented by what are referred to as "Kup". The top rank is First Kup and the lowest rank (beginners) is Tenth Kup. The Taekwondo belt order, like most of the martial arts is denoted by a range of colours, these colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediate belts with stripes, 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. Students in Fraserburgh getting started in Taekwondo will begin with the White Belt (10th Kup), and proceed through the coloured belts until they accomplish the 1st Kup (Red With Black Stripe Belt).

Taekwondo students in Fraserburgh become "black belt candidates" once they have succeeded with this challenge, and they'll then need to move through a further 9 ranks (or Dans) if they wish to achieve the supreme distinction of "Black Belt" in Taekwondo. So, putting it simply, there are three main sections in the Taekwondo belt order, that is Junior Belts, Senior Belts and Black Belts. The Junior group of Taekwondo Belts comprise; White (Tenth), White With a Yellow Stripe (Ninth), Yellow (Eighth), and Yellow With a Green Stripe (Seventh). The Senior group of Taekwondo Belts are; Green (Sixth), Green With a Blue Stripe (Fifth), Blue (Fourth), Blue With a Red Stripe (Third), Red (Second), and Red With a Black Stripe (First). The Black division of Taekwondo Belts comprise First to Ninth Dan rankings, and involves many years of training and dedication.

The Basic Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is well known for its powerful kicks, listed here are the important ones: Crescent Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", which are used to defend against the different attacks, are known as Makgi. Held in particular positions, they engage the hands and sections of the arm. Every block can be merged with a punch or kick to establish a counter-attacking manoeuvre, and each one is suitable for a certain type of attack. The primary "blocks" in Taekwondo include: Rising Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Low Block, Double Forearm Block, Nine Block, Palm Block, Knife Hand Block and Single Forearm Block.

Beginners Classes

Even the top exponents of Taekwondo in Fraserburgh set out as rookies, so it is no shame to be a total beginner at Taekwondo, or any other activity for that matter. The objective of a Taekwondo beginner class is to provide a few basics, raise confidence and develop a firm foundation for the future. Most importantly of all is that it should be fun, students having a great time are going to learn faster and be more invested.

Final Thoughts

So, what are you hoping to get from Taekwondo? Well, that's a good question, and the answer will vary for different people. The majority of participants will simply look to gain more confidence, meet new people and improve their levels of fitness. We are definitely not all going to scale the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although maybe you will, you never know? 👊