Taekwondo Tunbridge Wells

Taekwondo is quite physically demanding, which means it may be considered more suitable for the younger rather than the older generation in Tunbridge Wells. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it particularly good for children. Older adults who are not all that fit and active might find it a tad too taxing. However those in Tunbridge Wells who take up Taekwondo at a young age, will find that carrying it on into older adulthood is not a problem. The less agile of you might find that Tai Chi which is a bit softer is more suitable.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea in 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 head kicks, jumping/spinning kicks and fast kicking methods.

The number of Taekwondo practitioners globally, now exceeds sixty million. If you would like to get involved in this activity, which is now an Olympic sport, heading along to a Taekwondo class or club in Tunbridge Wells is a great place to start. While you might not aspire to Olympic competition, there is no reason why you can't be a master of this exhilarating martial art and have an amazing time in the process.

For a lot of folks in Tunbridge Wells, it is the self-defence element of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. And in these times of increased violence, especially in city and town centres, it is no surprise that this aspect features high on people's list of priorities. It is a primary factor of Taekwondo that you're able to gain more confidence in your capability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and practice self-restraint.

Your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will more than likely never need to be put to the test outside the monitored environment of an organized Taekwondo class, however being aware that you've got them will give you peace of mind.

Your First Class

If you've never tried Taekwondo previously, you might be somewhat apprehensive as to what should be expected on your very first class. This can vary from club to club but will typically comprise some or all of the following. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen up muscles, a bit of technical training including learning some kicks, hand attacks, stances and blocking techniques, learning a few Poomse (forms), an overview of sparring which will include timing, the timing of attacks and movement, and finally a warm down to stretch and relax tired muscles.

If you want to sign up to a Taekwondo club in Tunbridge Wells, you will also have to become a member of the sport's official regulating body, namely British Taekwondo. You can learn about members and clubs, coaches and referees, starting a new club, equality and safeguarding, coaching courses, first aid, news, events, safe practices, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and find out the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Competitions and Tournaments

Taekwondo competitions are held around the world in all of the different styles. There's usually not a lot of hard contact but patterns, sparring and breaking. Olympic and WT (World Taekwondo) contests consist only of sparring, in International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) tournaments specific hand attacks are allowed to the head. Various other organizations hold multi-discipline competitions.

Tunbridge Wells Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the finest exponents of Taekwondo in Tunbridge Wells had to start as novices, therefore there is no disgrace in being a complete beginner at this sport, or any other activity for that matter. The aim of a Taekwondo beginner class is to teach a few basics, increase self-confidence and build a firm base for the future. Most important of all is that it should be fun, students having a good time will learn faster and be better invested.

Conclusion

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we don't all want to be. Taekwondo is not solely about National Championships and Olympic titles. The majority of of us are happy to meet different people, make new friends and improve our fitness levels, and that is how it should be. However, as with many things in life, what you get from it will depend upon what you put into it. Good luck and enjoy! 👊