Taekwondo Leigh

On account of its rather more physical attributes, Taekwondo is perhaps more suited to the younger person in Leigh and is especially suited to kids as it is fantastic for developing respect for others and self-discipline. Older adults could find it somewhat too challenging unless they are particularly fit and active. Even so, those who take up Taekwondo in Leigh at a young age will find that they can easily continue with it into older adulthood. The less agile of you might consider participating in something gentler like Tai Chi.

Based largely around high-kicking manoeuvres and moves like head kicks, fast kicking styles and jumping/spinning kicks, Taekwondo was formulated from the practices of various martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools known as "Kwans" during the 1940's and 1950's. These "Kwans" had the names Changmu Kwan, Jido Kwan, Mooduk Kwan, Songmu Kwan and Chungdo Kwan.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Leigh and all around the world, with over sixty million participants worldwide. Becoming a member of a local Leigh Taekwondo class or club is a good way to become involved in this sport which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games in 2000. While you may not have any ambitions to be involved in Olympic competition, there's no reason why you should not become a maestro of this exciting martial art and have some 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 Leigh 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. However, exercising self-restraint and a respect for others goes hand in hand with the self-defence principles of Taekwondo.

Such self-defence techniques may sooner or later prove useful in your day to day life, though it's much more likely you'll solely be testing them within a controlled class environment. Yet it is a nice feeling knowing the fact that you can always successfully defend yourself if you need to.

Your First Lesson

If you haven't done Taekwondo before you will likely be a bit apprehensive as to what to expect on your first class. The following will give you an illustration, but this can vary depending on which Leigh school you go to. A warm up lasting fifteen to twenty minutes, a bit of technical training including learning some kicks, stances, blocks and hand attacks, learning some Poomse (or forms), a few tips on sparring including movement, timing and attack targeting, and last but not least a warm down to stretch muscles and loosen up.

Taekwondo of course also has its own governing body, and in the British Isles it is British Taekwondo. Everyone wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Leigh have to become registered members of this organisation. You will be able to get plenty of details on establishing a new club, news, coaching courses, first aid, events, safeguarding and equality, health and safety, members and clubs, coaches and referees, and more, by dropping by at British Taekwondo's official website.

Taekwondo Competitions

There are a wide variety of contests in Taekwondo associated with all the different styles. They primarily include patterns, sparring and breaking with almost no "hard contact". International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) tournaments don't permit too much contact but sometimes allow hand attacks to be aimed at the head. WT (World Taekwondo) and Olympic tournaments only allow sparring. Multi-style tournaments also take place.

Taekwondo for Beginners

Learners starting out on their Taekwondo adventure in Leigh will at first register for a beginners class. Beginners classes are excellent, as there are no rigid demands and everything's done at a casual, slow pace. Having fun whilst learning is the main objective at first and students who are having a good time have a tendency to learn a lot faster and absorb significantly more of what they are being told. Even Taekwondo masters began as inexperienced novices, so take that first step and you never know where you'll wind up!

Summary

So, what are you looking to get from Taekwondo? Well, that is a great question, and the answer will vary for different people. The majority of participants will just wish to improve their fitness, gain more confidence and meet new people. We are not all going to reach the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although maybe you will, you never know?