Taekwondo Plymouth

Due to its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is maybe more suited to the younger person in Plymouth and is particularly suitable for children as it's great for developing self-discipline and respect for others. Seniors trying Taekwondo for the very first time often find it too challenging, unless they've continually kept themselves active. However those in Plymouth who take up Taekwondo at a young age, will find that continuing into older adulthood is not difficult. Tai Chi or something similarly less demanding might be more suitable for the less nimble of you.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its early beginnings in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul founded some new schools known as "kwans", merging many different martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which was ultimately called, mostly entails high-kicking manoeuvres, especially rapid kicking techniques, head kicks and jumping/spinning kicks.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Plymouth 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 Plymouth Taekwondo club or class is a good place to start. While you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there is no reason why you cannot become a master of this exciting martial art and have some fun along the way.

People in Plymouth take up Taekwondo for many reasons but it is the self-defence aspect that appeals to most. You should not be surprised by this, when you take into account the high incidence of violence seen in today's town and city centres. It is a key factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and learn self-restraint.

Your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will likely never have to be tried and tested outside the controlled environment of an actual Taekwondo class, however knowing that you have them will instill you with confidence.

Your First Class

If Taekwondo isn't an activity that you've ever had a go at previously, you will probably be curious about what you should be expecting from your very first lesson should you decide to join. Different Taekwondo schools in Plymouth have varying ideas about this but in brief; you'll participate in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you'll do a certain amount of technical training, you'll learn some patterns (forms), you'll practice sparring methods and finally you will do a warm-down to get your body back into a relaxed state again.

Taekwondo of course also has got its own regulating body, and in the United Kingdom it is British Taekwondo. Everyone wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Plymouth have to become members of this organisation. By checking out British Taekwondo's official website you will be able to find details of safeguarding and equality, events, launching a new Taekwondo club, coaches and referees, coaching courses, members and clubs, news, safe practices, first aid, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

You will undoubtedly be fascinated to understand precisely what type of benefits could be gained by attending Plymouth Taekwondo sessions and partaking 100% in its practices. You could expect that you will: Reduced stress using advanced breath control, Enhance concentration and self-esteem by raising your physical and mental health, Greater discipline by methodically schooling your body and mind in the tactics and concepts of Taekwondo, Strengthen your mind and body by means of accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Teach self-defence techniques by helping you to recognize occasions where self-defence may be needed, and empowering you to control these situations in your favour, Supercharge agility, stamina and flexibility by means of intensive cardiovascular work-outs, Grow in your confidence by motivating you to seize control of your life and succeed.

The Eight Basic Taekwondo Kicks

One of the primary aspects of Taekwondo is kicking, here is a selection of the best known kicks: Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi). Blocks: To defend against and stop an inbound attack, "blocks" (known as Makgi) are employed. Held in particular positions, they engage the hand and sections of the arm. Each block can be merged with a kick or punch to produce a counter-attacking movement, and each one is meant for a specific attack. The principal blocks include: Upper Block, Low Block, Single Forearm Block, Nine Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Palm Block, Knife Hand Block, Rising Block and Double Forearm Block.

Competitions

Tournaments are a significant aspect of the overall Taekwondo legacy, and all of the diverse styles across the world stage tournaments where Taekwondo masters come together to battle it out. Hard contact is rarely allowed in any of these competitions which primarily incorporate patterns (forms), sparring and breaking. Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments, whilst some hand attacks are permitted in International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) events.

In Conclusion

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I guess that we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo is not just about Olympic medals and National Championships. The majority of of us are content to make new friends, improve our fitness levels and meet different people, and that is how it should be. Yet, as with many matters in life, what you get out of it will be determined by what you invest in it. Good luck!