Taekwondo Heswall

Taekwondo is typically much more physically demanding than for example Tai Chi, so unless you're pretty fit and nimble you might prefer to partake in something a bit gentler to boost your fitness in Heswall. Children are clearly the perfect participants for Taekwondo classes in Heswall, with lots of fast paced movements taking place and plenty of high kicking.

The discipline was developed in Korea in 1945, though it was not given the name Taekwondo until the 1950's. A group of Korean martial arts fanatics in Seoul established some new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. This eventually became known as Taekwondo and the main emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, head-height kicks and rapid kicking styles.Today Heswall Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Taekwondo has become extremely popular in Heswall and all around the world, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. Getting started with a local Heswall Taekwondo class or club is a good way to become involved in this sporting activity which has even been a part of the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games of 2000. Although you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there's no reason why you shouldn't become an expert at this enjoyable martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

Of all the many benefits of doing this sport, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that the people of Heswall find most appealing. And its not surprising that this is on people's list of priorities when you consider the rising levels of violence seen these days in town and city centres throught the United Kingdom. It is a key factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and learn self-restraint.

There is a pretty decent likelihood that your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will never see the light of day in the outside world, but it will undoubtedly give you reassurance knowing that they are there should you ever be in need of them.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If you have never done Taekwondo before, you could be somewhat apprehensive as to what can be expected on your very first class. This varies from club to club but will generally comprise some or all of these. A 15-20 minute warm up to loosen up muscles and increase your heart rate, a bit of practical training involving learning some hand attacks, stances, blocking techniques and kicks, discovering a few forms (or Poomse), an overview of sparring which will include attack timing, timing and movement, and finally a warm down to relax and stretch tired muscles.

If you want to sign up to a Taekwondo class in Heswall, you will also have to become a member of the sport's governing body, namely British Taekwondo. By viewing British Taekwondo's website you will be able to obtain details on equality and safeguarding, coaching courses, starting a new club, safe practices, clubs and members, news, events, first aid, coaches and referees, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Kicks

Some of the best known Taekwondo kicking manoeuvres you'll learn initially include: Hook or Whip Kick, Push Kick, Side Kick, Back Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick, Front Kick. Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", which are used to fend off the various attacks, are known as Makgi. Held in particular positions, they employ the hand and areas of the arm. Each type of attack calls for a specific sort of block, counter-attacking movements can be created by integrating a block with another punch or kick. The principal Taekwondo blocks include: Upper Block, Nine Block, Single Forearm Block, Palm Block, Low Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo Belts

With there being various styles of Taekwondo there has never been any uniform arrangement for assigning belts (promotion). What exists however is quite similar and consists of a couple of belt groups "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each of these groups is divided into levels, 8 to 12 colours in the case of juniors and nine "blacks" for seniors.

Tournaments

A typical Taekwondo tournament incorporates breaking, patterns and sparring, in the Olympics only sparring is included. With that being said there can also be some special events in certain tournaments such as team demonstrations and self-defence. WT contests are purely soft-contact affairs, while International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) competitions permit some hand attacks towards the head. There are in addition a few multi-discipline contests.

Summary

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we don't all want to be. Taekwondo isn't just about Olympic medals and National Championships. Most of us are content to meet different people, make new friends and improve our fitness, and that's how it ought to be. Yet, as with most things in life, what you get from it will hinge on what you invest in it. Good luck and enjoy!