Taekwondo Greenwich

While not wanting to discourage any particular age group, it has to be said that Taekwondo is more suited to younger people in Greenwich, being quite physically demanding. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it especially appropriate for children. It can sometimes be too taxing for older adults unless they are exceptionally fit and active. Quite a few of the older adults who do Taekwondo in Greenwich, started when they were younger. Tai Chi or something similarly softer might be more suitab le for the less agile of you.

Taekwondo is a martial art that mostly features high-kicking manoeuvres, most notably fast kicking styles, jumping/spinning kicks and head kicks. It began in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a number of martial arts specialists founded schools called "kwans", which mixed together various martial arts practices.

With more than 60 million people taking part in Taekwondo sessions all around the globe, this has definitely become a popular pastime, and if you become really expert at this sport you might possibly one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it has been a part since the 2000 Sydney Games.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and of course this is one of the principal reasons that individuals in Greenwich get involved in classes and engage with the sport. There has been a disturbing increase in violent practices in recent times and this is especially widespread in town and city centres around Greater London and the British Isles in general. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also teaches self-discipline and respect for other people, not such widespread qualities in Greenwich these days.

These self-defence techniques may at some time come in useful in your everyday life, though it's much more likely you will solely be putting them to the test within a controlled class environment. Nevertheless it is a reassuring feeling knowing that you can always successfully defend yourself if you have to.

Your First Lesson

If you have made up your mind to learn Taekwondo and are heading to your first class, you will be wondering what will happen. This will vary from school to school but will usually involve some or all of the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up, a bit of technical training covering some hand attacks, blocks, stances and kicks, some work on forms or patterns (Poomse in Korean), a few ideas on sparring including movement, timing and the targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down with muscle stretching and relaxing.

If you would like to join a Taekwondo club in Greenwich, you'll also have to become a member of the sport's regulating body, namely British Taekwondo. You can find out about first aid, events, beginning a new Taekwondo club, news, safeguarding and equality, clubs and members, coaches and tournament referees, safe practices, coaching courses, and more on the British Taekwondo website, and find out the latest Taekwondo news reports on their Twitter or Facebook page.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are needless to say, quite a few benefits to be had from practicing Taekwondo, and here are just a few which may be of interest to you: Grow in confidence by inspiring you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Turbocharge stamina, flexibility and agility through extreme cardiovascular work-outs, Greater discipline by thoroughly schooling your mind and body in the concepts and tactics of Taekwondo, Reduces stress with controlled breathing, Increase feelings of self-esteem by maximizing your physical and mental fitness, Teach self-defence tactics by coaching you to understand circumstances where self-defence may be needed, and allowing you to control such circumstances in your favour, Empower your body and mind by way of accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination.

The Main Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is famous for its vast array of kicks, over and above any other martial art. Here are just a few: Front Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick. Blocks: To repulse the many kicks and hand attacks there are an equally diverse array of blocks (Makgi). Using the hand and areas of the arm, they are held in specific positions. Each kind of attack calls for a particular type of block, counter-attacking movements can be created by integrating a block with another kick or punch. The main Taekwondo "blocks" (makgi) include: Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Low Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block, Palm Block, Nine Block, Rising Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Tournaments

A regular Taekwondo competition includes patterns, sparring and breaking, in the Olympics only sparring is included. Having said that there are also some extraordinary categories in particular tournaments such as self-defence and team demonstrations. World Taekwondo contests are purely soft-contact affairs, while ITF contests permit some hand attacks aimed at the head. There are additionally some multi-discipline tournaments.

Safety Equipment

Matches controlled by British Taekwondo policies demand that specific items of protective gear be worn, these include: forearm protectors, a red/blue body guard (hogu), a mouth guard, shin pads, hand protectors, a groin protector and a blue/red head guard. This is important owing to the formidable kicking movements being practiced.