Taekwondo Stourport-on-Severn

While in no way intending to be ageist, Taekwondo can be fairly physical and is generally more suited to younger people in Stourport-on-Severn, it is especially good for children who will become self-disciplined and respecting of others. Older adults who are not all that fit and active might find it a tad too tough. However people who take up Taekwondo in Stourport-on-Severn when they are younger will find they can comfortably carry it on into older adulthood. The less agile of you might like to consider something less demanding like Tai Chi.

The discipline was developed in Korea in 1945, though it was not given the name Taekwondo until the 1950's. Some new schools called "kwans" were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts fanatics, combining a number of various martial arts techniques. Kicking manoeuvres, especially turning/jumping kicks, head kicks and fast kicking styles are the main emphasis of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known.Today Stourport-on-Severn Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Popular all over the world Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners. Joining a local Stourport-on-Severn 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 reaching Olympic standard may be aiming a bit high, there is no reason why you cannot become a Taekwondo master.

It is the self-defence element of Taekwondo that generally is the most appealing to people in Stourport-on-Severn. This is no real surprise when you consider the rising levels of violence seen in town centres nowadays. 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 at some time prove to be useful in your day to day life, although it is far more likely you will solely be putting them to the test within a controlled class environment. Yet it is a wonderful feeling knowing that you can always successfully defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Taekwondo Lesson

If you have made up your mind to learn Taekwondo and are heading to your first class, you will be curious about what will happen. The following will give you a good idea, but this may vary from school to school. A warm up lasting 15 to 20 minutes, a bit of technical training which will involve learning some kicks, hand attacks, blocking techniques and stances, some work on patterns or forms (Poomse in Korean), a look at sparring including good timing, movement and targeting attacks, and to finish off a warm down to stretch tired muscles and relax.

The governing official body for Taekwondo in the United Kingdom is British Taekwondo and anybody wanting to join a Taekwondo club in Stourport-on-Severn has to also become a member of British Taekwondo. You will be able to find out about safeguarding and equality, referees and coaching, clubs and members, health and safety, coaching courses, events, beginning a new Taekwondo club, first aid, news, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, or get the latest news on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Taekwondo Kicks

One of the principal aspects of Taekwondo is kicking, here is a small selection of the standard kicks: Push Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Crescent Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick, Side Kick, Front Kick, Axe Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", that are used to fend off the various attacks, are known as Makgi. Employing the hand and areas of the arm, they are held in specific positions. Each and every block can be coupled with a kick or punch to create a counter-attack, and each block is appropriate for a certain type of attack. The most used "blocks" (makgi) in Taekwondo include: Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Upper Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Knife Hand Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the very best exponents of Taekwondo in Stourport-on-Severn had to start as newbies, therefore there is no disgrace in being a total beginner at Taekwondo, or for that matter any other activity. The purpose of a Taekwondo beginner class is to provide just a few basics, improve confidence and build a solid base for the future. Most importantly of all is that it should be enjoyable, students having a good time are going to learn quicker and be better engaged.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When you're getting started with Taekwondo classes in Stourport-on-Severn you will be expecting to get some benefits to make the whole thing worth the effort. Therefore we should examine some of the positive benefits that you could get from learning and practicing Taekwondo. Strengthen your body and mind through enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Build your confidence by inspiring you to seize control of your life and succeed, Teach you self-defence techniques by training you to identify instances in which self-defence may be needed, and enabling you to turn these types of situations to your advantage, Enhance self-esteem and concentration by elevating your physical and mental health, Improve flexibility, agility and stamina by way of extreme cardiovascular exertion, Lower stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Develop discipline and willpower by comprehensively schooling your body and mind in the principles and strategies of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Forms

Taekwondo forms (also called patterns or Poomse) are distinguished by particular elements like technique, direction and stance. From the start of your Taekwondo experience you are going to learn a few of the standard forms, and so as to progress through the grades (belts) you'll have to learn some more advanced ones.

To Summarize

So, what are you hoping to get from doing Taekwondo? Well, that's a great question, and the answer will be different for individual people. Most participants will purely look to improve their levels of fitness, meet new people and gain more confidence. We are certainly not all going to reach the dizzy heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though maybe you will, who knows? 👊