Taekwondo Stretford

On account of its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is maybe more suitable for the younger generation in Stretford and is especially suited to kids because it is excellent for developing self-discipline and respect for others. Older adults could find it somewhat too strenuous unless they're particularly active and fit. Even so, those who persue Taekwondo in Stretford at a young age will find they can easily continue with it into older adulthood. The less agile of you might consider something softer like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (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 spinning/jumping kicks, fast kicking styles and head-height kicks.Today Stretford Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

At present an Olympic sport, Taekwondo has over sixty million enthusiasts all over the world, and whilst you might not aspire to be an Olympic Games athlete, you are still able to register for a Taekwondo club or class to learn what will no doubt prove to be a fascinating and advantageous activity.

It is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that generally has the most appeal to people in Stretford. And when you consider the high levels of violence in town and city centres these days, this is hardly surprising. Learning to defend yourself while at the same time applying self-restraint and a respect for others is a key benefit of Taekwondo.

These self-defence techniques may at some time prove useful in your everyday life, although it's more likely that you will only be using them within a controlled class environment. Yet it is an amazing feeling knowing the fact that you can always defend yourself when you need to.

Your First Taekwondo Class

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

Any person wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Stretford must also register with British Taekwondo which is the governing body of the sport in Great Britain. By going to the official British Taekwondo website you will be able to obtain information on members and clubs, first aid, coaches and referees, safe practices, equality and safeguarding, coaching courses, news, launching a new Taekwondo club, events, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

The Many Benefits of Taekwondo

When you're enrolling in Taekwondo classes in Stretford you will be intending to get a few benefits to make the whole thing worthwhile. Therefore we should look at some of the many benefits that you could gain from learning and doing Taekwondo. Better discipline by extensively schooling your mind and body in the doctrines and tactics of Taekwondo, Turbocharge stamina, flexibility and agility by way of extreme cardiovascular effort, Lower stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Build up confidence by inspiring you to take control of your life and succeed, Learn self-defence techniques by showing you how to recognize occasions where self-defence may be necessary, and allowing you to turn these kinds of circumstances in your favour, Increase your self-esteem by sharpening both mental and physical fitness, Toughen up your body and mind by way of increased physical coordination and mental discipline.

Taekwondo Forms

Forms are a key element of Taekwondo and are vital if you are to excel at this thrilling martial art. Some basic forms need to be learned at the beginning and more elaborate forms will have to be perfected in order to move through the various ranks. A Taekwondo form is characterised by various points such as stance, technique and direction.

Competitions and Tournaments

There are a wide variety of competitions in Taekwondo associated with all the various styles. They mostly involve sparring, breaking and patterns with little or no hard contact. International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) competitions do not permit excessive contact but do allow hand attacks to be aimed at the head. WT and Olympic competitions only allow sparring. Multi-style competitions also take place.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo contests call for specific safety equipment to be worn to safeguard contenders from personal injury due to the vigorous kicks that occur. These safety items include: shin pads, a blue/red head guard, blue or red trunk armour, a mouth protector, forearm guards, hand guards and a groin protector.

To Summarize

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