Taekwondo Taunton

Taekwondo is quite physically demanding, which means it may be considered more suitable for the younger rather than the older generation in Taunton. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it particularly good for children. Older adults may find it somewhat too taxing unless they are particularly fit and active. People in Taunton who take up Taekwondo when they are young find it easy to continue when they get older. If you consider yourself among the less agile, you could try something like Tai Chi which is much softer.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul founded some new schools known as "kwans", merging various martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which was ultimately called, mainly consists of kicking manoeuvres, particularly rapid kicking techniques, head-height kicks and spinning/jumping kicks.

Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners worldwide and has become very popular in Taunton and throughout the UK. Since the Sydney Games (2000) Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport and if you want to give it a go, joining a local Taunton Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved. There is no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this thrilling sport, even if you have no desire to compete in the Olympics.

For the people of Taunton who are keen on the idea of learning a martial art, a big priority is the aspect of self-defence. Since this is an important principle of Taekwondo, it's not difficult to see the appeal of this unique sport. With the added reward of learning self-restraint and having a degree of respect for others, getting involved in a local Taunton Taekwondo class would seem to be an easy decision.

These self-defence techniques may at some point prove to be useful in your everyday life, though it's more likely you will only be testing them within a controlled class setting. However it is a reassuring feeling knowing the fact that you'll always be in a position to defend yourself if you have to.

Your First Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in the Taunton area will have different viewpoints on what learners should be covering on their initial lesson, however to give you a concept of what you can expect most first Taekwondo lessons will incorporate a warm-up, a bit of sparring, learning basic forms (Poomse), an overview of hand attacks, stances, blocking techniques and kicks (technical training) and a final warm-down to relax tired muscles and get the body back to a state of equilibrium.

Taekwondo of course also has got its own official regulating body, and in the United Kingdom it is British Taekwondo. Everybody wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Taunton must become registered members of this organisation. You can get plenty of details on coaches and referees, news, safe practices, launching a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, members and clubs, equality and safeguarding, first aid, events, and more, by viewing British Taekwondo's official website.

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

The benefits which may be acquired by taking part in Taekwondo instruction in Taunton are countless, amongst the most advantageous are: Strengthen your body and mind through improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Build your confidence by pushing you to take control of your life and succeed, Reduced anxiety and stress with controlled breathing, Greater self-discipline by methodically educating your body and mind in the tactics and principles of Taekwondo, Improve concentration and self-esteem by maximizing your physical and mental powers, Teach self-defence techniques by helping you realize scenarios in which self-defence might be required, and empowering you to control these types of situations to your advantage, Supercharge flexibility, agility and stamina by means of extreme cardiovascular effort.

The Eight Basic Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is probably best known for its acrobatic kicking manoeuvres, here are just a few of the fundamental kicks you'll learn as a beginner: Front Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Crescent Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick. Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", which are used to defend against the different attacking moves, are called Makgi. They're held in particular positions and enlist the hand with different areas of the arm. Each type of attack necessitates a particular kind of block, counter-attacking moves can be created by integrating a block with another punch or kick. The primary Taekwondo "blocks" (makgi) include: Nine Block, Upper Block, Low Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Rising Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Palm Block.

Taekwondo Competitions and Tournaments

A standard Taekwondo competition features breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring, as far as the Olympics is concerned only sparring is included. That being said there are also a few unique events in specific competitions such as self-defence and team demonstrations. WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments are solely soft-contact events, whilst International Taekwon-Do Federation contests permit some hand attacks towards the head. There are in addition some multi-discipline competitions.

Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the finest exponents of Taekwondo in Taunton began their journey as novices, therefore it's no disgrace to be a complete beginner at this sport, or in fact any other activity. The purpose of a Taekwondo beginner class is to provide a few basics, raise self-confidence and develop a firm foundation moving forward. Most important of all is that it must be enjoyable, trainees having a great time will learn quicker and be better invested.