Taekwondo Meltham

As Taekwondo has fairly high physical requirements, it's perhaps more suitable for the younger people of Meltham. That's not to say that older people cannot participate in this particular activity, but simply that there may be alternative martial arts that are more suited to the less agile of us. Tai Chi would be a perfect example.

The name Taekwondo has only been used since the 1950's, although the discipline started life in Korea in 1945. In Seoul, a group of Korean martial arts fanatics established some new schools which they named "kwans", practicing a combination of martial arts techniques. The emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, rapid kicking styles and head kicks, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, meaning "the way of the foot and fist".Today Meltham Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Taekwondo has become really popular in Meltham and all around the world, with over 60 million participants worldwide. Registering with a local Meltham Taekwondo club or class is a great way to become involved with this sport which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games in 2000. Though you may not have any aspirations to get involved in Olympic competition, there's certainly no reason why you cannot become a master of this exciting martial art and have some fun in the process.

For a lot of folks in Meltham, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. And in these days of ever increasing violence, particularly in town and city centres, it is no surprise that this features high on people's priority lists. It is a primary element of Taekwondo that you are able to become more confident in your capacity to defend yourself while at the same time learning to respect those around you and practice self-restraint.

There is a fairly good likelihood that your eagerly learned Taekwondo skills will never need to be proven in the outside world, but it will certainly give you peace of mind knowing that they are sitting in the background should you need them.

Your First Meltham Taekwondo Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in and around Meltham will have different thoughts on what enrollees should be covering on their very first class, however to give you a notion of what to expect most initial Taekwondo lessons will include a warm-up, some sparring, learning basic Poomse (forms), an introduction to stances, kicks, blocking techniques and hand attacks (practical training) and a warm-down to stretch tired muscles and get the body back to a state of balance.

Taekwondo of course also has got its own official regulating body, and in the UK it is British Taekwondo. Anyone wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Meltham has to become a registered member of this organisation. You will be able to find plenty of info on equality and safeguarding, coaching courses, events, coaches and competition referees, health and safety, news, launching a new Taekwondo club, clubs and members, first aid, and more, by going to the official British Taekwondo website.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Mastering Tae kwon do calls for getting to grips with many techniques and one of the pivotal parts of Taekwondo is its forms (also known as patterns or Poomse). These are sequences of stance, technique and direction which must be memorized in order for participants to move through the different dans (grades/belts).

Tournaments and Competitions

A typical Taekwondo tournament features breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring, in the Olympics only sparring is included. Having said that there are also a few special events in certain tournaments such as self-defence and team demonstrations. WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments are purely soft-contact events, while International Taekwon-Do Federation contests permit some hand attacks to be aimed at the head. There are additionally a few multi-discipline competitions.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

When you're signing up for Taekwondo classes in Meltham you will be hoping to get a few benefits to make the entire thing worth the effort. So let's look into some of the many positive benefits that you could gain by learning and doing Taekwondo. Empower your mind and body thru improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Lessen stress and anxiety using advanced breath control, Better discipline by extensively educating your body and mind in the doctrines and techniques of Taekwondo, Grow in your confidence by motivating you to seize control of your life and succeed, Improve stamina, flexibility and agility by way of extreme cardiovascular effort, Improve feelings of self-esteem by elevating both physical and mental health, Learn self-defence by helping you to realize situations where self-defence might be required, and empowering you to turn these kinds of circumstances to your advantage.

Taekwondo Kicks

Of all the martial arts, Taekwondo has the widest number of kicking manoeuvres. Among them are: Axe Kick, Side Kick, Crescent Kick, Front Kick, Back Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick. Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", that are used to repulse the various attacks, are called Makgi. They are held in particular positions and enlist the hands with parts of the arm. Each "block" can be combined with a punch or kick to establish a counter-attack, and each is meant for a certain type of attack. The most used blocks include: Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Single Forearm Block, Palm Block, Rising Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Knife Hand Block, Nine Block and Upper Block.

Taekwondo Beginners Classes

It doesn't matter what you're capable of or who you are in Taekwondo, at some time you were a complete novice, fearing failure and knowing absolutely nothing. We've all started out like this and can only improve and learn with practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Meltham are the right place to begin that learning journey and to acquire the basics so you can gain confidence and move forward in your Taekwondo experience. Most beginner classes are geared up to be friendly and fun, offering a gradual introduction to the fundamental Taekwondo values and building a firm base moving forward.

Safety Gear

Matches regulated by British Taekwondo guidelines require various pieces of protective equipment to be used, these include things like: forearm protectors, hand protectors, a groin protector, a blue or red head guard, a mouth protector, red/blue body armour and shin guards. This is a must due to the forceful kicking actions being employed.

Summary

So, what are you hoping to get from doing Taekwondo? Well, that is a great question, and the answer will be different for individual people. The majority of participants will simply look to meet new people, gain more self-confidence and improve their levels of fitness. We're not all going to scale the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though maybe you will, you never know? 👊