Taekwondo Twyford

Because of its rather more physical attributes, Taekwondo is maybe more suited to the younger generation in Twyford and is particularly suitable for kids because it's great for developing self-discipline and respect for other people. Older adults may find it somewhat too strenuous unless they're particularly fit and active. However, those folks who persue Taekwondo in Twyford from a young age will discover they can easily continue with it into older adulthood. The less nimble of you could think about something softer like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea, South-East Asia in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul founded some new schools known as "kwans", incorporating many different martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which was eventually called, mainly involves high-kicking manoeuvres, especially fast kicking methods, head-height kicks and turning/jumping kicks.

Since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been a competitive Olympic sport. This has added to its popularity throughout the world with some 60 million people routinely participating in classes. And it's by joining a Taekwondo class or club that you are able to start your adventure of mastering this unique martial art.

In these days of increasing violence, it's hardly surprising that individuals in areas like Twyford are getting involved in self-defence techniques like Taekwondo to help them feel safer in their everyday life. The self-defence aspect is one of the key benefits of Taekwondo but it also encourages self-restraint and a deep respect for those around us, which are disciplines that are frequently missing in modern day life.

Even though you will take a lot of trouble learning these vital self-defence skills, with a bit of luck you'll never need to implement them apart from within your local Taekwondo club environment.

Your First Taekwondo Class

Different Taekwondo clubs in Twyford will have different ideas about what enrollees should be covering on their very first lesson, however to give you an idea of what to expect most initial Taekwondo classes will include things like a warm-up, some sparring, learning simple forms (Poomse), a quick introduction to blocking techniques, kicks, stances and hand attacks (technical training) and a final warm-down to stretch tired muscles and return the body to a state of relaxation.

Any person wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Twyford must also register with British Taekwondo which is the governing body of the sport in the British Isles. By checking out British Taekwondo's official website you will be able to read information about events, first aid, news, safeguarding and equality, starting a new Taekwondo club, coaches and competition referees, health and safety, members and clubs, coaching courses, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Competitions and Tournaments

There are a multitude of tournaments in Taekwondo involving all the diverse styles. They primarily involve sparring, patterns and breaking with very little hard contact. ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) competitions do not allow substantial contact but do permit hand attacks aimed at the head. WT and Olympic competitions allow only sparring. Multi-style contests are also held.

Safety Gear

Safety equipment such as hand guards, forearm protectors, a red or blue trunk protector (hogu), a mouth guard, a groin protector, a red or blue head guard and shin protectors must be used in all contests overseen by British Taekwondo. Protection from injury is necessary on account of the powerful kicks which are part and parcel of this activity.

Taekwondo Beginners Classes

It doesn't matter who you are or what you're standing is in the world of Taekwondo, at some point you were a complete novice, fearing failure and knowing nothing. We have all started out at that point and can only develop and learn with practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Twyford are the place to start that learning process and to pick up the basics so you can build confidence and move forward in your exciting Taekwondo experience. Nearly all beginner classes are set up to be fun and friendly, delivering a slow introduction to the fundamental Taekwondo values and building a solid foundation moving forward.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

In the art of taekwondo there is not really any form of uniformity when it comes to ranking and belts. It all hinges on what style you happen to be looking at, as there are such a lot of Taekwondo styles. They are however, generally divided into 2 groupings "junior (colour) belts and "senior" (black) belts. The junior/colour ranks range from white to red, with from 8 to 12 ranks, whilst the senior/black belts typically have nine grades.

Rankings in Taekwondo in the UK are depicted by what are known as "Kup". The top rank is 1st Kup and the lowest rank (beginners) is 10th Kup. The Taekwondo belt order, like the vast majority of the martial arts is portrayed by a number of colours, these colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediary 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. Beginners of Taekwondo in Twyford will begin with the White Belt (Tenth Kup), and progress through the colours until they achieve the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (First Kup)

After this has been completed, Taekwondo students in Twyford are considered as "black belt candidates" which sees them moving through another nine ranks (Dans) right up until they achieve the ultimate distinction of "Black Belt" status. Thus, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into 3 sections; Junior, Senior and Black Belts. The Taekwondo Belts in the Junior group comprise; 10th (White), 9th (White With Yellow Stripe), 8th (Yellow), and 7th (Yellow With Green Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Senior group are; 6th (Green), 5th (Green With Blue Stripe), 4th (Blue), 3rd ( Blue With Red Stripe), 2nd (Red), and 1st (Red With Black Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Black group go from 1st to 9th Dan, a qualification process which will take a number of years.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are needless to say, many benefits to be gained from participating in Taekwondo, and listed here are just a few which may be appealing to you: Augment stamina, agility and flexibility by way of extreme cardiovascular effort, More self-discipline by methodically training your mind and body in the doctrines and tactics of Taekwondo, Reduce anxiety and stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Enhance concentration and self-esteem by intensifying both mental and physical health, Beef up confidence by motivating you to seize control of your life and succeed, Teach you self-defence tactics by showing you how to recognize circumstances in which self-defence could be required, and enabling you to turn such circumstances to your advantage, Empower your mind and body by way of accelerated physical coordination and mental discipline.

Taekwondo Forms

Novices just starting their journey in Taekwondo do not have to stress excessively about forms (Poomse, patterns) in the early days, but they will have to get to grips with some standard ones for starters and move forward to more intricate forms as they progress up the various belts (grades/dans). A form is denoted by particular elements of Taekwondo including direction, stance and technique. Learning such techniques is a crucial part of perfecting Taekwondo.

The Popular Taekwondo Kicks

Some of the best known Taekwondo kicks you will master to begin with include: Side Kick, Front Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick, Axe Kick, Crescent Kick, Push Kick. Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", that are used to fend off the different attacks, are called Makgi. They're held in various positions and employ the hand with sections of the arm. Each and every block can be merged with a punch or kick to create a counter-attacking movement, and each block is suitable for a certain type of attack. The most important blocks include: Double Forearm Block, Palm Block, Low Block, Rising Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Upper Block, Nine Block and Knife Hand Block.

Final Thoughts

So, what do you want from doing Taekwondo? Well, that is a good question, and the answer to that will vary for different people. Most participants will simply look to improve their fitness, gain more confidence and meet new people. We're definitely not all going to reach the dizzy heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although maybe you will, who knows? 👊