Taekwondo South Benfleet

As a result of its more physical attributes, Taekwondo is perhaps more suitable for the younger generation in South Benfleet and is particularly suitable for kids because it is great for developing respect for others and self-discipline. More elderly people may find it somewhat too demanding unless they are particularly active and fit. However, those folks who persue Taekwondo in South Benfleet from a young age will find they can easily continue with it when they're older. The less nimble of you could consider participating in something gentler like Tai Chi.

With its origins in 1940's Korea, South-East Asia, Taekwondo is certainly one of the more recently established of the martial arts and entails primarily kicking moves such as head kicks, fast kicking strategies and turning/jumping kicks. It started when schools called "kwans" were set up by a group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul, South Korea.

With over sixty million individuals engaged in Taekwondo sessions all around the globe, this has certainly become an extremely popular activity, and if you really master the sport you may even one day qualify for the Olympic Games, of which it's been a part since the 2000 Sydney Games.

People in South Benfleet take up Taekwondo for many reasons but it is the self-defence aspect that appeals to most. And in these days of increased violence, especially in town and city centres, it is no surprise that this features high on people's list of priorities. However, exercising self-restraint and a respect for others goes hand in hand with the self-defence principles of Taekwondo.

Your eagerly learned Taekwondo skills will most likely never need to be tested outside of an organized Taekwondo class, however knowing that you've got them will instill you with self-confidence.

Your First Class

If you've just booked your very first Taekwondo class, you'll be wondering what to expect. The majority of Taekwondo schools in South Benfleet follow a similar structure, but there could be variations to the following. A warm up of 15 to 20 minutes to loosen your muscles and increase heart rate, a bit of technical training comprising some stances, hand attacks, kicks and blocks, an introduction to some forms, some ideas on sparring including movement, timing and the targeting of attacks, and finally a warm down with muscle stretching and loosening up to prevent cramping and spasms.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own official regulating body, and in the UK it is British Taekwondo. Anybody wishing to join a Taekwondo club in South Benfleet has to become a member of this organisation. You'll be able to learn about coaches and tournament referees, news, coaching courses, starting a new club, equality and safeguarding, events, first aid, clubs and members, health and safety, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and find the latest news on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

When it comes to promotion, ranking and belts there is not actually any standardization in Taekwondo, as there are many different styles of Taekwondo which each have their own specific system. There are however likenesses and they generally consist of a couple of groupings of belts "seniors" and "juniors" represented by black and coloured belts respectively. The senior ranks normally have nine levels and the junior, eight to twelve levels.

Ranks in Taekwondo in the UK are symbolized by what generally known as "Kup". The highest rank is 1st Kup and the lowest rank (beginners) is 10th Kup. If you are eager to know the Taekwondo belt order, it is as follows, and is denoted by a range of colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with "in-between" belts with stripes, namely white with a yellow stripe, yellow with a green stripe, green with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe and red with a black stripe. The 10th Kup (White Belt) is what Taekwondo beginners in South Benfleet will begin with, they can then advance through the different colours, eventually attaining the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (1st Kup), which will take around three to four years of dedication.

Taekwondo trainees in South Benfleet are called "black belt candidates" after they've successfully completed this process, and they will then have to proceed through an additional nine ranks (or Dans) if they want to achieve the consummate distinction Taekwondo Black Belt. Hence, the Taekwondo belt order can be put into three classifications; Junior Belts, Senior Belts and Black Belts. The Junior group of Taekwondo Belts are; White (Tenth), White With a Yellow Stripe (Ninth), Yellow (Eighth), and Yellow With a Green Stripe (Seventh). The Senior division of Taekwondo Belts are; Green (Sixth), Green With a Blue Stripe (Fifth), Blue (Fourth), Blue With a Red Stripe (Third), Red (Second), and Red With a Black Stripe (First). The Black division of Taekwondo Belts comprise First to Ninth Dan rankings, and involves many years of dedication and training.

Tournaments

A regular Taekwondo tournament features sparring, breaking and patterns (forms), in the Olympics only sparring is involved. With that being said there can also be a few extraordinary categories in particular competitions such as self-defence and team demonstrations. WT (World Taekwondo) contests are strictly soft-contact events, whilst International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) competitions allow some hand attacks towards the head. There are in addition a few multi-discipline tournaments.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

When getting started with Taekwondo classes in South Benfleet you'll be aiming to get some benefits to make the whole undertaking worthwhile. So why don't we look into some of the many benefits that you could get through practicing and learning Taekwondo. Enhance self-esteem and concentration by raising both mental and physical health, Reduces anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Supercharge flexibility, stamina and agility by means of intense cardiovascular effort, More discipline by methodically schooling your mind and body in the concepts and techniques of Taekwondo, Toughen up your mind and body by increased physical coordination and mental discipline, Beef up confidence by inspiring you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Learn self-defence by coaching you to recognize circumstances in which self-defence could be needed, and enabling you to turn these types of circumstances to your advantage.

Taekwondo for Beginners

It matters not what you're standing is or who you are in Taekwondo, at one stage you were a complete novice, fearing failure and knowing absolutely nothing. We've all started out at that point and can only learn and develop through practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in South Benfleet are the best place to start that learning process and to acquire the fundamentals so that you can gain confidence and proceed with your Taekwondo adventure. The majority of beginner classes are geared up to be friendly and fun, providing a gradual introduction to the basic Taekwondo principles and building a solid foundation for the future.

Final Thoughts

We can more or less guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you'll improve your wellbeing, gain more confidence and make more friends. If that is all that you take away from it, then that is great, you can call it an achievement! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you that are, still have to start with that first step. Good luck with your adventure! 👊