Taekwondo Marlow

As a result of its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is possibly more suitable for the younger generation in Marlow and is especially suited to kids because it's wonderful for developing self-discipline and respect for others. Older adults could find it a bit too demanding unless they're particularly active and fit. However, those who take up Taekwondo in Marlow at a young age will find that they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less nimble of you could consider participating in something gentler like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo is a martial art that mostly consists of high-kicking manoeuvres and moves, most notably head kicks, fast kicking methods and jumping/spinning kicks. It began in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a number of martial arts specialists founded schools called "kwans", which mixed together a variety of martial arts practices.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Marlow and around the globe, with more than sixty million practitioners worldwide. Registering with a local Marlow Taekwondo class or club is an excellent way to become involved with this sporting activity which has even been included in the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games of 2000. Though you might not aspire to Olympic competition, there's certainly no reason why you cannot become a maestro of this exciting martial art and have a bit of fun in the process.

In these modern times of ever-increasing violence, it is no surprise that folks in places like Marlow are getting involved in self-defence classes such as Taekwondo to help them feel safer in their everyday life. The self-defence element is one of the primary factors of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a deep respect for other folks, which are qualities that are often missing in this modern age.

With a bit of luck you won't ever be required to use your newly perfected Taekwondo techniques for defending yourself outside of your local club environment, but it is great to know they're there if you need them.

Your First Taekwondo Class

If you have never done Taekwondo previously, you may be a bit apprehensive as to what can be expected on your very first lesson. This can vary from club to club but will usually involve some or all of these. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen muscles and increase heart rate, some technical training involving learning some kicks, hand attacks, blocking techniques and stances, discovering some forms (or Poomse), an overview of sparring which will include movement, timing and the timing of attacks, and finally a warm down to stretch and relax tired muscles.

British Taekwondo is the official governing body of the sport within the United Kingdom, and membership of this organization is compulsory if you want to sign up with any Taekwondo class in Marlow or nearby. You can get a lot of information about safeguarding and equality, events, safe practices, starting a new club, coaching courses, members and clubs, news, first aid, coaches and referees, and more, by popping along to British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo Belts

With there being various types of Taekwondo there's never really been any standardized system for assigning belts (grades). What exists is however relatively similar and comprises a couple of belt groups "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each one of these groups is divided into grades, 8 to 12 colours for juniors and nine "blacks" for seniors.

Competitions and Tournaments

There are a multitude of competitions and tournaments in Taekwondo associated with all the different styles. They largely consist of patterns, sparring and breaking with very little hard contact. International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) contests do not permit too much contact but do permit hand attacks to be aimed at the head. World Taekwondo (WT) and Olympic tournaments only allow sparring. Multi-style competitions are also held.

Beginners Taekwondo Marlow

Students setting out on their Taekwondo experience in Marlow will first of all register for a beginners class. Beginners classes are great, because there's not any pressure and everything is done at a slow and relaxed pace. Learning and having fun are the principal goals at first and students who are enjoying themselves have a tendency to learn a lot faster and absorb more of what they are being told. Even Taekwondo masters started out as naive newbies, so take that very first step and who knows where you will wind up!

Safety Gear

Competitions regulated by British Taekwondo rules demand that certain items of protective gear be used, these include: a gum shield, a groin protector, a blue or red trunk guard (hogu), a blue/red head protector, forearm guards, hand guards and shin guards. This is necessary owing to the formidable kicking actions being practiced.