Taekwondo Radcliffe

On account of its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is maybe more suited to the younger generation in Radcliffe and is particularly suited to children because it's fantastic for developing respect for others and self-discipline. More elderly people may find it a bit too challenging unless they're particularly active and fit. Even so, those folks who take up Taekwondo in Radcliffe from a young age will discover they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less agile of you could consider something softer like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo started in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts fanatics in Seoul established some new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. The emphasis of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known, is on kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking techniques.Today Radcliffe Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Taekwondo has grown to be very popular in Radcliffe and all around the world, with more than sixty million practitioners worldwide. Registering with a local Radcliffe Taekwondo class or club is a good way to become involved in this sport which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games in 2000. Though you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there is certainly no reason why you shouldn't become a maestro of this intriguing martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and doubtless this is one of the primary reasons that folks in Radcliffe sign up to classes and take up the sport. There's been a disturbing escalation of violent behaviour in recent times and this is particularly rampant in town and city centres around Greater Manchester and Great Britain as a whole. The good thing about Taekwondo though, is that it also encourages self-discipline and a deep respect for others, not such widespread attributes in Radcliffe these days.

There's a fairly decent chance that your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will never see the light of day in your day to day life, but it will undoubtedly give you reassurance knowing that they are there should you ever be in need of them.

Your First Class

If you have never tried Taekwondo previously, you may be a bit anxious as to what should be expected on your first lesson. This will vary from club to club but will normally consist of all or some of these. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen muscles and increase the heart rate, some technical training including learning some hand attacks, blocks, kicks and stances, studying a few forms (or Poomse), an introduction to sparring which will include the timing of attacks, timing and movement, and finally a warm down to relax and stretch tired muscles.

If you want to sign up to a Taekwondo club in Radcliffe, you'll also have to register with the sport's regulating body, namely British Taekwondo. You'll be able to find out about members and clubs, coaching courses, safeguarding and equality, beginning a new club, coaches and tournament referees, first aid, health and safety, news, events, and more on British Taekwondo's website, or find the latest news on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When you're getting started with Taekwondo classes in Radcliffe you'll be intending to get some benefits to make the entire project worthwhile. So let's investigate a few of the many positive benefits that you might gain by learning and practicing Taekwondo. Lessen stress and anxiety using advanced breath control, Increase feelings of self-esteem by intensifying both physical and mental fitness, Build up your confidence by encouraging you to seize control of your life and succeed, Better discipline and willpower by comprehensively schooling your mind and body in the techniques and doctrines of Taekwondo, Teach self-defence techniques by helping you to realize scenarios where self-defence may be required, and empowering you to control these kinds of circumstances to your advantage, Empower your mind and body by way of enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Increase stamina, agility and flexibility through strenuous cardiovascular effort.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is perhaps best known for its fast-moving kicking manoeuvres, here are a few of the basic kicks you'll be taught as a novice: Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: To defend against and stop an inbound attack, blocks (known as Makgi) are employed. Using the hand and different areas of the arm, they are held in various positions. Each form of attack calls for a particular sort of block, counter-attacking manoeuvres can be produced by combining a block with a retaliatory punch or kick. The most important blocks include: Rising Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block and Palm Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

In regards to belts, ranking and promotion there's not actually any standardization in Taekwondo, as there are many different styles of Taekwondo each of which has their own system in place. There are however similarities and they usually consist of two groupings of belts "seniors" and "juniors" represented by black and coloured belts respectively, . The senior levels usually have nine levels and the junior, between 8 and 12 tiers.

Beginners Classes

It doesn't matter who you are or what you're standing is in the world of Taekwondo, at one point you were a total novice, fearing failure and knowing absolutely nothing. We've all started like this and can only improve and learn with practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Radcliffe are the place to start that learning journey and to pick up the basics so that you can build self-confidence and move forward in your Taekwondo adventure. Almost all beginner classes are set up to be friendly and fun, providing a slow introduction to the basic Taekwondo principles and building a solid foundation for the future.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo competitions require certain safety equipment to be worn to protect contenders from personal injury as a result of the potent kicks that occur. These safety solutions include: hand guards, a mouth protector, a groin guard, a red/blue trunk guard (hogu), forearm protectors, a blue or red head guard and shin pads.

Final Thoughts

So, what are you hoping to get from doing Taekwondo? Well, that is a great question, and the answer will vary for different people. Most participants will simply wish to meet new people, gain more confidence and improve their levels of fitness. We are certainly not all going to scale the dizzy heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although perhaps you will, who knows? 👊