Taekwondo Maidenhead

It's got to be said that Taekwondo can be quite physically demanding, which can discourage the less nimble and more elderly folks in Maidenhead from taking this up. To be completely honest, the most frequent people participating in Taekwondo classes are kids and younger people, but of course older individuals who're in good physical health can easily get involved and benefit from this activity.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its early beginnings in Korea in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul founded some new schools known as "kwans", combining a number of martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which it ultimately became known as, mainly entails high-kicking manoeuvres, particularly head-height kicks, spinning/jumping kicks and rapid kicking styles.

Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners worldwide and has become very popular in Maidenhead and throughout the UK. This sport has even featured in the Olympic Games since 2000, and if you want to get involved, joining a local Maidenhead Taekwondo club or class is a good place to start. There is no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this thrilling sport, even if you have no desire to compete in the Olympics.

For the people of Maidenhead who like the idea of learning a martial art, a top priority is the element of self-defence. Since this is a pivotal concept of Taekwondo, it isn't difficult to appreciate the appeal of this unique sport. With the additional benefit of learning self-restraint and having a deep respect for others, getting involved in a local Maidenhead Taekwondo class seems to be a no brainer.

Your eagerly learned Taekwondo skills will most likely never have to be put to the test outside the controlled setting of an organised Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will instill you with self-confidence.

Your First Class

If you haven't done Taekwondo before you may be a little concerned as to what you should expect on your first lesson. There could be variations to the following, depending on which Maidenhead Taekwondo school you attend, but you can more or less expect; A warm up of 15-20 minutes to increase your heart rate and loosen your muscles, a bit of technical training comprising some blocks, hand attacks, stances and kicks, learning some Poomse (or forms), a look at sparring including movement, timing and attack targeting, and to round off a warm down to stretch weary muscles and loosen up.

If you want to sign up to a Taekwondo club in Maidenhead, you'll also have to become a member of the sport's official regulating body, namely British Taekwondo. You will be able to get plenty of info on safeguarding and equality, starting a new club, referees and coaching, news, first aid, clubs and members, safe practices, coaching courses, events, and more, by popping along to British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo Kicks

One of the main features of Taekwondo is kicking, listed here is a small selection of the essential kicks: Whip or Hook Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Push Kick, Axe Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Crescent Kick, Back Kick. Blocks: To defend against and stop an incoming attack, "blocks" (known as Makgi) are employed. They're held in various positions and use the hand with sections of the arm. Specific attacks call for specified "blocks", but blocks can also be transformed into counter-attacks by combining reciprocal kicks or punches. The most used blocks (makgi) include: Palm Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Nine Block, Low Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Upper Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Belts

The belt and ranking structure can get somewhat complicated in Taekwondo because there isn't any standard system across the various Taekwondo disciplines. Likenesses can be found though, and generally there are 2 distinct belt groups, represented as "juniors" (colours) and "seniors" (black dans). The number of grades in the junior group varies through the styles but is normally between 8 and 12 belts, while the senior section generally has nine belts or dans.

Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the best exponents of Taekwondo in Maidenhead began their journey as novices, so it's no shame to be a total beginner at Taekwondo, or in fact any other activity. The objective of a Taekwondo beginners class is to provide a few of the basics, increase confidence and develop a solid base moving forward. Most important of all is that it must be fun, trainees having fun will learn quicker and be better committed.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

In all contests, tournaments and events being held under the auspices of British Taekwondo, safety gear such as a blue or red head guard, a mouth protector, hand guards, a groin protector, forearm protectors, shin pads and a blue or red body guard (hogu) is mandatory. The fast kicking movements employed in Taekwondo may cause injuries and these safety measures help to make the sport less risky for its competitors.