Taekwondo South Woodham Ferrers

Because Taekwondo has fairly high physical demands, it is perhaps more suitable for the younger people of South Woodham Ferrers. That isn't to say that older people cannot participate in this activity, but just that there might be other martial arts which are more suited to the less agile of us. Tai Chi is the perfect example.

With its beginnings in 1940's Korea, South-East Asia, Taekwondo is certainly one of the more recently introduced of the martial arts and consists of mostly kicking moves such as fast kicking methods, jumping/spinning kicks and head kicks. It started when schools called "kwans" were set up by a bunch of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul, South Korea.

Taekwondo now has over 60 million enthusiasts worldwide and has become really popular in South Woodham Ferrers and throughout the United Kingdom. Joining your local South Woodham Ferrers Taekwondo club or class is an easy way to get involved in this sport which has even been included in the Olympic Games since the 2000 Sydney Games. There isn't any reason why you can't become a master of this exhilarating martial art, even if you do not aspire to Olympic competition.

While there is much to be gained by doing Taekwondo, it is the self-defence aspect that most South Woodham Ferrers people are interested in. 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. However, exercising self-restraint and a respect for others goes hand in hand with the self-defence principles of Taekwondo.

There is a fairly decent chance that your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will never have to be used in your everyday life, but it will undoubtedly give you peace of mind knowing that they're there should you need them.

Your First 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. The following will give you an example, but this will vary depending on which South Woodham Ferrers school you attend. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to increase your heart rate and reduce stiffness in the muscles, a bit of technical training which will involve learning some kicks, hand attacks, blocks and stances, learning your the basic forms or patterns, a few tips on sparring including good timing, movement and targeting attacks, and lastly a warm down to relax and stretch muscles.

The UK's official regulating body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you would like to join a Taekwondo club in South Woodham Ferrers, you'll also be required to register with this organization. You can get a lot of information on events, first aid, starting a new Taekwondo club, news, health and safety, members and clubs, coaches and referees, coaching courses, safeguarding and equality, and more, by checking out British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

The benefits that can be gained by participating in Taekwondo sessions in South Woodham Ferrers are countless, amongst the most significant are: Empower your body and mind through accelerated physical coordination and mental discipline, Enhance self-esteem and concentration by elevating your physical and mental fitness, Develop discipline by thoroughly schooling your body and mind in the techniques and principles of Taekwondo, Boost confidence by motivating you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Reduce stress using advanced breath control, Teach self-defence tactics by helping you recognize circumstances in which self-defence could be necessary, and enabling you to turn these types of situations in your favour, Improve agility, flexibility and stamina through extreme cardiovascular effort.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is widely recognized for its powerful kicking movements, here are the standard ones: Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi). Blocks: To fend off the many kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse selection of blocks. They are held in particular positions and enlist the hand with different sections of the arm. Specific attacks call for particular "blocks", but "blocks" can also be transformed into counter-attacks by combining reciprocal punches or kicks. The main "blocks" (makgi) include: Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Rising Block, Single Forearm Block, Low Block, Knife Hand Block and Palm Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

The ranking and belt system can get quite complicated in Taekwondo as there's no uniform system throughout the diverse Taekwondo disciplines. Parallels do exist though, and usually there are two separate belt groups, denoted as "seniors" (black dans) and "juniors" (colours). The number of rankings in the junior groupings varies across the styles but is usually between 8 and 12 belts, while the senior groupings commonly has 9 belts or dans.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo controlled contests call for certain safety equipment to be worn to safeguard competitors from being injured due to the formidable kicks that are used. These safety products include: a mouth guard, shin pads, red or blue trunk armour (hogu), a red or blue head protector, a groin guard, hand protectors and forearm guards.

In Summary

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