Taekwondo Penrith

While in no way intending to be ageist, Taekwondo can be quite physical and is generally more suited to younger people in Penrith, it's especially good for children who will learn to be self-disciplined and respecting of others. Older adults who are not all that fit and active might find it a tad too taxing. For those folks who take up Taekwondo when they are younger, continuing the adventure into adulthood should not be a problem. If you consider yourself amongst the less agile, you could try something like Tai Chi which is much less strenuous.

With its early beginnings in 1940's Korea, South-East Asia, Taekwondo is obviously one of the more recently developed of the martial arts and entails mainly high-kicking movements such as fast kicking methods, head kicks and jumping/turning kicks. It began when schools called "kwans" were founded by a group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul, South Korea.

Taekwondo has grown to be really popular in Penrith and all around the world, with more than sixty million participants worldwide. Joining a local Penrith Taekwondo class or club is a great way to get involved with this activity which has even been included in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. Although you may not have any ambitions to take part in Olympic competition, there's no reason why you shouldn't become a maestro of this intriguing martial art and have some fun in the process.

In these modern times of escalating violence, it is little surprise that folks in areas like Penrith are taking up self-defence techniques like Taekwondo to help them to feel safer in their everyday life. The self-defence element is one of the key benefits of Taekwondo but at the same time it also encourages self-restraint and a deep respect for those around us, which are characteristics that are often missing in 21st century living.

There's a very good likelihood that your newly learned Taekwondo skills will never see the light of day in your everyday life, but it will most certainly give you reassurance knowing that they are there should you ever need them.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you have made up your mind to learn Taekwondo and are heading to your first class, you will be wondering what will happen. This may vary depending on which Penrith school you go to, but will usually involve the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen muscles, some technical training such as learning some stances, hand attacks, kicks and blocks, an introduction to forms or patterns, a look at sparring including movement, timing and attack targeting, and lastly a warm down to prevent muscle spasms and cramping.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own governing body, and in Great Britain it is British Taekwondo. Anybody wishing enroll with a Taekwondo club in Penrith must become a registered member of this organisation. By viewing the official British Taekwondo website you'll be able to read info regarding news, coaches and referees, clubs and members, coaching courses, events, first aid, safe practices, establishing a new club, safeguarding and equality, and many more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

You'll doubtless be interested to find out about precisely what type of benefits may be obtained by attending Penrith Taekwondo training and participating 100% in its practices. You may expect to: Develop discipline and willpower by thoroughly training your body and mind in the techniques and doctrines of Taekwondo, Increase your self-esteem by raising both mental and physical powers, Turbocharge flexibility, stamina and agility through intense cardiovascular exertion, Strengthen your mind and body by way of accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Help with self-defence tactics by coaching you to realize situations in which self-defence might be required, and allowing you to manipulate these kinds of circumstances to your advantage, Grow in confidence by pushing you to seize control of your life and succeed, Lessen anxiety with controlled breathing.

Taekwondo Kicks

As martial arts go, Taekwondo sticks out as the one with the most kicking manoeuvres. The following are just some basic ones: Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: To repulse the many kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse selection of blocks (Makgi). Held in specific positions, they engage the hand and different areas of the arm. Every "block" can be combined with a kick or punch to create a counter-attack, and each one is meant for a specific attack. The most important "blocks" include: Nine Block, Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Palm Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Upper Block, Rising Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Forms are a key part of Taekwondo and are crucial if you are going to master this captivating activity. A few basic "forms" should be learned at the beginning and more complex forms must be perfected so as to move through the various belts. A Taekwondo form is characterised by various facets such as technique, direction and stance.

Competitions and Tournaments

A standard Taekwondo tournament features breaking, patterns and sparring, where the Olympics is concerned only sparring is included. With that being said there are also a few unique events in specific competitions such as team demonstrations and self-defence. WT contests are strictly soft-contact events, whilst International Taekwon-Do Federation contests allow some hand attacks to the head. There are additionally a few multi-discipline contests.

Safety Equipment

British Taekwondo tournaments require certain safety equipment to be worn to safeguard competitors from personal injury due to the vigorous kicks that are used. These safety solutions include: a gum shield, hand guards, a red or blue body protector (hogu), shin guards, a groin guard, forearm protectors and a red or blue head protector.

Final Thoughts

We can practically guarantee that if you take up Taekwondo you will improve your fitness, gain self-confidence and make new friends. If that's all you get out of it, then all well and good, you can call it a success! We're not all vying to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, still need to begin with the initial step. Good luck with your adventure! 👊