Taekwondo Hebden Bridge

The mere mention of Taekwondo, brings to mind images of energetic young children doing punching and kicking exercises. While the younger generation may find it easier to contend with the demands of Taekwondo, people of all ages can practice the sport. You will however get more enjoyment out of Taekwondo if you are relatively agile.

The sport was first practiced in Korea in around 1945, though the name Taekwondo was not used until the 1950's. A group of Korean martial artists in Seoul established some schools called "kwans", merging various martial arts techniques. The main emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, in particular jumping/spinning kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking techniques, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, meaning "the way of the foot and fist". Now Hebden Bridge Taekwondo classes stick to this tradition.

Ever since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been a competitive Olympic sport. This has made it even more popular throughout the world with some 60 million people or more routinely participating in classes. And it is by enrolling in a Taekwondo club or class that you can begin your quest of learning this remarkable art.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and doubtless this is one of the primary reasons that individuals in Hebden Bridge sign up to classes and engage with the sport. There has been a disturbing increase in violent behaviour in recent years and this is especially widespread in city and town centres around West Yorkshire and the UK as a whole. The beauty of Taekwondo though, is that it also encourages self-discipline and respect for other people, not such widespread qualities in Hebden Bridge these days.

With any luck you will not ever have the need to use your newly learned Taekwondo skills for defending yourself outside of your local club environment, but it is nice to know they're there if you need them.

Your First Lesson

If you have never done Taekwondo before you may be a little concerned as to what to expect on your first class. The following will give you an example, but this will vary depending on which Hebden Bridge school you attend. A warm up lasting fifteen to twenty minutes, a little technical training such as learning some hand attacks, kicks, stances and blocks, learning some forms (or Poomse), a look at sparring including movement, timing and the targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down with muscle stretching and relaxing.

Any person who joins a Taekwondo class in Hebden Bridge has to also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the governing body of the sport in Britain. By exploring British Taekwondo's official website you'll be able to obtain info regarding news, clubs and members, safeguarding and equality, coaches and referees, health and safety, events, coaching courses, first aid, establishing a new Taekwondo club, and a lot more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Novices just starting their journey in Taekwondo don't have to fret too much about forms (Poomse, patterns) at the outset, however they'll learn some basic ones to start with and progress to more challenging "forms" as they move through the various belts (dans/grades). A form is signified by specific elements of Taekwondo including technique, direction and stance. Learning these techniques is a vital part of mastering Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is renowned for its vast array of kicking movements, over and above any other recognized martial art. The following are just a few: Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", that are used to repulse the various attacking movements, are called Makgi. Using the hand and sections of the arm, they are held in particular positions. Each type of attack necessitates a particular type of block, counter-attacks can be produced by integrating a block with another kick or punch. The principal blocks (makgi) include: Upper Block, Rising Block, Knife Hand Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Nine Block.

Hebden Bridge Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the best exponents of Taekwondo in Hebden Bridge set out as rookies, so there's no disgrace in being a complete beginner at Taekwondo, or any other activity for that matter. The goal of a Taekwondo beginner class is to teach a few of the basics, raise self-confidence and develop a firm foundation moving forward. Most important of all is that it needs to be enjoyable, trainees having fun are going to learn quicker and be better committed.

The Many Benefits of Taekwondo

When you are getting involved in Taekwondo classes in Hebden Bridge you'll be wanting to get a few benefits to make the entire thing worth the effort. So we should examine some of the benefits that you may gain from doing and learning Taekwondo. Beef up your confidence by motivating you to seize control of your life and succeed, Teach self-defence tactics by showing you how to identify situations in which self-defence could be required, and enabling you to manipulate these situations in your favour, Increase concentration and self-esteem by heightening your physical and mental fitness, Reduced anxiety and stress with controlled breathing, Increase flexibility, stamina and agility by way of intensive cardiovascular work-outs, Develop discipline and willpower by comprehensively educating your mind and body in the concepts and tactics of Taekwondo, Empower your mind and body by accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination.

Tournaments

Tournaments and competitions are an important aspect of the overall Taekwondo experience, and all the different styles all over the world stage competitions and tournaments where Taekwondo masters band together to compete. Hard contact is hardly ever permitted in any of these contests which mainly incorporate breaking, sparring and patterns. Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and World Taekwondo (WT) tournaments, while certain hand attacks are tolerated in ITF events.