Taekwondo Newcastle

Taekwondo is generally much more demanding physically than for example Tai Chi, so unless you are pretty fit and nimble you might prefer to partake in something a little bit gentler to improve your fitness in Newcastle. Children and younger people are certainly an ideal participants for Taekwondo classes in Newcastle, with a lot of fast paced movements taking place and plenty of high kicking.

The sport was formulated in Korea in 1945, though it wasn't given the name Taekwondo until the 1950's. Some innovative new schools called "kwans" were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts devotees, incorporating a number of various martial arts techniques. Kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking strategies are the main focus of Taekwondo, as it later became known. Now Newcastle Taekwondo classes observe this tradition.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Newcastle and all around the world, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. This sport has even featured in the Olympic Games since 2000, and if you want to get involved, joining a local Newcastle Taekwondo club or class is a good place to start. While nobody would expect you to get to Olympic standard, you can certainly be one of the best Taekwondo exponents in Newcastle.

For the men, women and children of Newcastle who wish to learn a martial art, a big priority is the aspect of self-defence. Because this is a key concept of Taekwondo, it isn't difficult to appreciate the appeal of this particular sport. With the extra bonus of learning self-restraint and having a deep respect for other people, registering for a local Newcastle Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

Although it will instill you with confidence knowing that you have these self-defence skills in your locker, the likelihood is you will never have to test them outside of a dedicated Taekwondo class.

What to Expect From Your First Class

Different Taekwondo schools in the Newcastle area will have different thoughts on what students should cover on their first lesson, but to give you a perception of what you can expect most initial Taekwondo classes will incorporate a warm-up, a bit of sparring, learning patterns (Poomse), an overview of stances, blocks, hand attacks and kicks (practical training) and a warm-down to stretch weary muscles and get the body back to a state of balance.

If you want to sign up to a Taekwondo club in Newcastle, you will also have to become a member of the sport's governing body, namely British Taekwondo. By viewing British Taekwondo's website you can read information on starting a new club, safeguarding and equality, referees and coaching, first aid, events, members and clubs, coaching courses, health and safety, news, and lots more Taekwondo related issues.

The 8 Basic Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is recognized for its powerful kicks, here are the basic ones: Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Crescent Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To stop and deflect an inbound attack, "blocks" (known as Makgi) are implemented. They're held in various positions and employ the hand with parts of the arm. Each kind of attack calls for a specific sort of block, counter-attacking moves can be produced by integrating a block with a retaliatory punch or kick. The key blocks (makgi) include: Single Forearm Block, Rising Block, Palm Block, Nine Block, Low Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Forms

Beginners in Taekwondo don't need to fret too much about forms (patterns, Poomse) in the early days, however they will have to acquaint themselves with some important ones to start with and move on to more challenging "forms" as they move through the various belts (dans/grades). A form is denoted by specific elements of Taekwondo including stance, direction and technique. Learning these sequences is an important part of mastering Taekwondo.

Competitions

There are a whole host of tournaments and competitions in Taekwondo involving all the different styles. They primarily include breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring with not much hard contact. International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) competitions do not allow excessive contact but sometimes permit hand attacks to the head. World Taekwondo and Olympic competitions only allow sparring. Multi-style contests also take place.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

Safety gear such as forearm guards, shin protectors, a groin protector, a blue/red head protector, blue or red trunk armour, hand guards and a gum shield are worn in all contests overseen by British Taekwondo. Protection from injury is necessary because of the potent kicks that are part and parcel of this activity.

Conclusion

We can practically guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you'll make new friends, gain more confidence and improve your fitness. If that's all that you take away from it, then all well and good, and you can call it a success! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you that are, have to start with that very first step. Good luck with your journey! 👊