Taekwondo Tunstall

Taekwondo can be quite physically demanding, meaning it may be considered more appropriate for the younger rather than the older generation in Tunstall. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it particularly good for children. It can sometimes be too tough for older adults unless they are exceptionally fit and active. However those in Tunstall who take up Taekwondo at an early age, will find that carrying it on into older adulthood is not an issue. Tai Chi or something similarly less demanding might be more suited to the less agile of you.

The name Taekwondo has only been used since the 1950's, although the discipline started life 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. Kicking manoeuvres, especially fast kicking strategies, head-height kicks and jumping/spinning kicks are the main emphasis of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Tunstall and all across the globe, with over 60 million enthusiasts worldwide. If you want to get involved in this activity, which is now an Olympic sport, signing up for a Taekwondo club or class in Tunstall is a great place to start. Whilst the likelihood of you getting to Olympic standard are fairly slim, there is no reason at all why you cannot master this fascinating martial art.

A key element of Taekwondo is self-defence, and not surprisingly this is one of the principal reasons that folks in Tunstall sign up to classes and get involved in the sport. There's been a troubling increase in violent conduct in recent years and this is especially rife in city and town centres throughout Staffordshire and the UK in general. The fantastic thing about Taekwondo though, is that it also promotes self-discipline and a deep respect for other people, not such common characteristics in Tunstall these days.

Your eagerly learned Taekwondo skills will most likely never have to be tried and tested outside the controlled atmosphere of an organized Taekwondo class, however being aware that you've got them will instill you with self-confidence.

Your First Class

If you have just booked your very first Taekwondo lesson, you will be wondering what to expect. Most Taekwondo schools in Tunstall follow a similar pattern, but there may be variations to the following. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to loosen your muscles and increase your heart rate, some technical training comprising some kicks, blocks, stances and hand attacks, some work on forms or patterns (Poomse in Korean), a look at sparring including timing, movement and the targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down to stretch tired muscles and relax.

The United Kingdom's official regulating body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you wish to join a Taekwondo class in Tunstall, you will also be required to register with this respected organization. By exploring British Taekwondo's official website you'll be able to obtain details of events, first aid, health and safety, beginning a new club, news, safeguarding and equality, coaches and referees, clubs and members, coaching courses, and lots more Taekwondo related issues.

Tournaments

Tournaments and competitions are an important aspect of the overall Taekwondo legacy, and all the diverse styles across the globe hold tournaments where Taekwondo masters band together to battle it out. Hard contact is rarely allowed in any of these contests which mostly comprise sparring, breaking and patterns (forms). Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and World Taekwondo tournaments, while some hand attacks are permitted in International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) events.

The Eight Basic Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is well known for its formidable kicks, here are the basic ones: Back Kick, Axe Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Push Kick, Side Kick, Front Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Crescent Kick. Blocks: To defend against the various hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse selection of blocks. Engaging the hands and areas of the arm, they are held in diverse positions. Specific attacks require specified "blocks", but blocks can also be transformed into counter-attacking moves by the combination of reciprocal punches or kicks. The most important blocks in Taekwondo include: Double Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block, Rising Block, Nine Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

Because there are many different types of Taekwondo there's never really been any standard arrangement for assigning belts (levels). What exists however is relatively similar and comprises two belt groups "junior" and "senior" ("colour" and "black"), each of these groupings is split into grades, eight to twelve colours in the case of juniors and nine "blacks" for the seniors.

Ranks in Taekwondo in the UK are represented by what are referred to as "Kup". The top rank is First Kup and the lowest (beginners) is Tenth Kup. If you are interested in the Taekwondo belt order, it's as follows, and is denoted by a number of different colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediate belts with stripes, namely white with a yellow stripe, yellow with a green stripe, green with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe and red with a black stripe. Students in Tunstall getting started in Taekwondo will begin with the White Belt (10th Kup), and advance through the coloured belts until they achieve the 1st Kup (Red With Black Stripe Belt).

After succeeding with this challenge, Taekwondo students in Tunstall are considered to be "black belt candidates" which involves them moving through another 9 ranks (Dans) right up until they eventually achieve the distinction of "Black Belt". Hence, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into three sections; Junior, Senior and Black Belt. The Junior group of Taekwondo Belts comprise; White (Tenth), White With a Yellow Stripe (Ninth), Yellow (Eighth), and Yellow With a Green Stripe (Seventh). The Senior division of Taekwondo Belts are; Green (Sixth), Green With a Blue Stripe (Fifth), Blue (Fourth), Blue With a Red Stripe (Third), Red (Second), and Red With a Black Stripe (First). The Black division of Taekwondo Belts comprise First to Ninth Dan rankings, and will involve many years of dedicated training.

Summary

Precisely what you acquire from Taekwondo will be proportional to what you put into it (as is true of life on the whole). Most of you will just wish to make new friends, meet different people and improve your fitness levels, some might want to move on to competitions or tournaments or possibly even the Olympics. But bear in mind, we can't all end up being a Jade Jones or a Lutalo Muhammad. 👊