Taekwondo Hove

Owing to its rather more physical attributes, Taekwondo is maybe more suited to the younger person in Hove and is particularly suited to children as it's excellent for developing self-discipline and respect for other people. Older adults could find it somewhat too strenuous unless they're particularly active and fit. Even so, those who take up Taekwondo in Hove at a young age will find they can easily continue with it into older adulthood. The less agile of you could think about something gentler like Tai Chi.

Based mostly around high-kicking manoeuvres and moves like rapid kicking techniques, head kicks and jumping/spinning kicks, Taekwondo was devised from the practices of various diverse martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools known as "Kwans" in the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" had the names Chungdo Kwan, Jido Kwan, Songmu Kwan, Changmu Kwan and Mooduk Kwan.

Taekwondo is popular with the people of Hove and with over 60 million others all over the world. Now an Olympic sport, Taekwondo is accessible to everybody, and joining a local Hove Taekwondo club or class is the most effective way to get yourself involved. Whilst reaching Olympic standard may be beyond your capabilities, there is no reason why you can't still become a Taekwondo master.

In these modern times of increasing violence, it's hardly surprising that individuals in locations like Hove are attending self-defence techniques like Taekwondo to help them to feel safer and more secure in their everyday life. The self-defence aspect is one of the primary benefits of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a deep respect for other folks, which are qualities that are often absent in this modern age.

Such self-defence techniques may in due course prove to be useful in your everyday life, although it's much more likely that you will only be putting them to the test within a controlled class setting. Yet it is a reassuring feeling knowing that you will always be able to defend yourself if you need to.

Your First Lesson

If you have booked your first class but have never done Taekwondo before, you may be wondering what to expect. This may vary depending on which Hove school you go to, but will usually involve the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up, some technical training which will involve learning some hand attacks, kicks, blocking techniques and stances, some work on forms or patterns, a few ideas on sparring including movement, timing and attack targeting, and lastly a warm down with muscle stretching and relaxing to prevent spasms and cramping.

British Taekwondo is the official regulating body of the sport within the United Kingdom, and membership of this organisation is mandatory should you wish to sign up with any Taekwondo club in Hove or nearby. You can find lots of information regarding events, starting a new club, safeguarding and equality, safe practices, first aid, clubs and members, coaching courses, news, coaches and referees, and more, by popping along to British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo Kicks

Kicks play a significant role in Taekwondo, here are a selection of the best known ones ones: Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi). Blocks: To repulse the various hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse selection of blocks (Makgi). They're held in various positions and employ the hands with parts of the arm. Specific attacks require particular blocks, but "blocks" can also be transformed into counter-attacks by linking reciprocal punches or kicks. The key "blocks" (makgi) include: Knife Hand Block, Palm Block, Double Forearm Block, Single Forearm Block, Upper Block, Rising Block, Low Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Nine Block.

Tournaments and Competitions

Taekwondo competitions are staged internationally in all of the various styles. There is normally not much hard contact but breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring. Olympic and WT (World Taekwondo) competitions only consist of sparring, in International Taekwon-Do Federation tournaments specified hand attacks are allowed to the head. Various other organizations stage multi-discipline events.

Beginners Taekwondo Hove

Even the very best exponents of Taekwondo in Hove set out as novices, therefore it's no disgrace to be a complete beginner at Tae kwon do, or any other activity for that matter. The goal of a Taekwondo beginners class is to teach a few basics, boost self-confidence and develop a firm base for the future. Most importantly of all is that it should be fun, trainees having fun are going to learn faster and be more committed.

Conclusion

What you get out of Taekwondo are going to be directly related to what you invest in it (as is true of life in general). The majority of you will purely wish to improve your fitness, meet different people and make new friends, some might want to move on to tournaments and competitions or maybe even the Olympic Games. But remember, we can't all be a Jade Jones or a Lutalo Muhammad.