Taekwondo Holmfirth

Due to its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is perhaps more suited to the younger person in Holmfirth and is particularly suitable for children as it is great for developing self-discipline and respect for others. 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 Holmfirth, started when they were younger. The less agile of you might consider something softer like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul established some schools known as "kwans", incorporating many different martial arts practices. Taekwondo, which it ultimately became known as, mostly involves kicking manoeuvres, especially head-height kicks, fast kicking strategies and jumping/spinning kicks.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Holmfirth and all around the world, with over sixty million practitioners worldwide. Enrolling in a local Holmfirth Taekwondo class or club is a good way to get involved with this sporting activity which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games in 2000. Whilst you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there is certainly no reason why you should not become a maestro of this enjoyable martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

For a lot of folks in Holmfirth, it's the self-defence element of Taekwondo which holds the most appeal. And in these days of ever increasing violence, particularly in town and city centres, it really is little surprise that this sits high up on people's list of priorities. It is a key element of Taekwondo that you're able to become more confident in your capability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect those around you and learn self-restraint.

With luck you won't ever be required to use your newly learned Taekwondo skills for defending yourself outside of your local club environment, but it is great to know it is there if you need it.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If you have never tried Taekwondo before you will be a little concerned as to what to expect on your first lesson. The majority of Taekwondo schools in Holmfirth follow a similar pattern, but there may be variations to the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen the muscles, a bit of technical training comprising some hand attacks, stances, blocks and kicks, an introduction to some Poomse (or forms), some ideas on sparring including timing, movement and the targeting of attacks, and to round off a warm down to stretch muscles and relax.

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

Taekwondo - The Benefits

You'll no doubt be fascinated to find out about exactly what type of benefits could be achieved by attending Holmfirth Taekwondo classes and participating 100% in its practices. You could expect to: Empower your body and mind through improved physical coordination and mental discipline, Augment agility, flexibility and stamina by way of extreme cardiovascular work-outs, Better self-discipline by extensively training your body and mind in the doctrines and tactics of Taekwondo, Enhance feelings of self-esteem by elevating your physical and mental health, Help with self-defence techniques by helping you to recognise situations in which self-defence may be necessary, and allowing you to manipulate these kinds of scenarios to your advantage, Lower stress with controlled breathing, Build up confidence by motivating you to succeed and to seize control of your life.

Some Taekwondo Kicks

Kicks play a significant role in the art of Taekwondo, here are a selection of the more basic ones: Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi). Blocks: To fend off the numerous hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse assortment of blocks (Makgi). Engaging the hands and parts of the arm, they are held in various positions. Each form of attack calls for a particular sort of block, counter-attacks can be created by integrating a block with another kick or punch. The most used Taekwondo blocks (makgi) include: Double Forearm Block, Palm Block, Upper Block, Nine Block, Knife Hand Block, Rising Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo Tournaments

Taekwondo tournaments are held around the world in all the different styles. There is usually not a whole lot of hard contact but sparring, patterns (forms) and breaking. Olympic and World Taekwondo (WT) tournaments only consist of sparring, in ITF contests specific hand attacks are allowed to the head. Various other associations hold multi-discipline contests.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

In all matches, tournaments and events being staged under the control of British Taekwondo, safety gear like a mouth protector, a blue or red head protector, a blue/red body protector (hogu), forearm guards, hand guards, a groin protector and shin protectors is compulsory. The kicking manoeuvres used in Taekwondo can easily cause serious injuries and this safety measure helps to make this sport safer for its competitors.

Final Thoughts

We can practically guarantee that if you take up Taekwondo you are going to improve your wellbeing, gain self-confidence and make new friends. If that is all that you take away from it, then that is amazing, and you can call it an achievement! We're not all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, have to begin with the first step. Good luck with your adventure! 👊