Taekwondo South Shields

Because Taekwondo has fairly high physical demands, it's perhaps more suited to the younger people of South Shields. That is not to say that elderly people cannot take part in this activity, but simply that there may be other martial arts which are more appropriate for the less nimble among us. Tai Chi would be a perfect illustration.

Based mostly around kicking manoeuvres like head kicks, fast kicking techniques and spinning/jumping kicks, Taekwondo was formulated from the practices of various martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts specialists in new schools called "Kwans" in the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" were given the names Chungdo Kwan, Changmu Kwan, Mooduk Kwan, Jido Kwan and Songmu Kwan.

Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners worldwide and has become very popular in South Shields and throughout the UK. Joining a local South Shields Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved in this sport which has even featured in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. While nobody would expect you to get to Olympic standard, you can certainly be one of the best Taekwondo exponents in South Shields.

Folks in South Shields learn Taekwondo for many purposes but it is the self-defence element that appeals to most. And when you consider the increased levels of violence in city centres nowadays, this is hardly surprising. However, respecting others and having a good deal of self-restraint goes hand in hand with the self-defence principles of Taekwondo.

These self-defence techniques may sooner or later prove useful in your day to day life, though it is far more likely you will solely be testing them within a monitored class environment. Yet it is a wonderful feeling knowing that you will always be able to successfully defend yourself if you need to.

Your First South Shields Taekwondo 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. Most Taekwondo schools in South Shields follow a similar pattern, but there may be variations to the following. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to increase your heart rate and reduce stiffness in the muscles, a little technical training which will involve learning some blocks, hand attacks, stances and kicks, some work on forms or patterns (Poomse in Korean), a few ideas on sparring including timing, movement and the targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down to prevent muscle spasms and cramping.

Everyone who's a member of a Taekwondo class in South Shields or any place else in Great Britain, is also required to join British Taekwondo, which is the regulating body of the sport. By going to the British Taekwondo website you can obtain details of members and clubs, equality and safeguarding, coaches and competition referees, events, news, coaching courses, health and safety, first aid, starting a new club, and a lot more Taekwondo related facts.

The Main Taekwondo Kicks

One of the main elements of Taekwondo is kicking, listed here is a selection of the basic kicks: Whip or Hook Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Push Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Back Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To repulse the numerous kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse assortment of "blocks" (Makgi). Using the hand and parts of the arm, they are held in diverse positions. Certain attacks call for specified "blocks", but "blocks" can also be changed into counter-attacks by linking retaliatory punches or kicks. The primary Taekwondo "blocks" include: Palm Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Upper Block, Low Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Forearm Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Forms are a key part of Taekwondo and are important to learn if you're to master this captivating sporting activity. A few basic forms have to be learned from the outset and more complex forms must be mastered in order to progress through the various levels. A Taekwondo form is characterised by various points such as direction, stance and technique.

Tournaments

Taekwondo tournaments and competitions are held around the world in all the various styles. There is usually not a whole lot of hard contact but sparring, patterns and breaking. Olympic and World Taekwondo tournaments comprise only sparring, in ITF tournaments specified hand attacks are allowed to the head. Various other bodies stage multi-discipline events.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

In all contests, events and tournaments being held under the auspices of British Taekwondo, safety gear like a groin protector, shin guards, blue/red trunk armour, a red/blue head protector, forearm protectors, a mouth guard and hand guards is mandatory. The fast kicking manoeuvres employed in Taekwondo can easily cause serious injuries and this helps to make this sport safer for its competitors.

In Summary

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo is not purely about National Championships and Olympic titles. Most of us are happy to meet different people, improve our fitness and make new friends, and that's how it should be. Yet, as with most matters in life, what you get out of it will depend on what you invest in it. Enjoy! 👊