Taekwondo Westhoughton

Because Taekwondo has quite high physical requirements, it is possibly more suited to the younger generation in Westhoughton. That's not to say that the older generation can't take part in this popular activity, but just that there could be other martial arts that are more appropriate for the less nimble of us. Tai Chi would be the perfect illustration.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently introduced of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul established some schools known as "kwans", merging various martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which it ultimately became known as, primarily consists of kicking manoeuvres, particularly head-height kicks, jumping/turning kicks and fast kicking styles.

Taekwondo now has more than sixty million enthusiasts worldwide and has become extremely popular in Westhoughton and throughout the UK. Heading along to a local Taekwondo club or class in Westhoughton is a great way to get involved with this activity which is now an Olympic sport. There is no reason why you cannot become a master of this fascinating martial art, even if you don't aspire to Olympic competition.

A key element of Taekwondo is self-defence, and naturally this is one of the principal reasons that people in Westhoughton join classes and take up the sport. There's been a disconcerting escalation of violent behaviour in recent years and this is particularly widespread in city and town centres throughout Greater Manchester and Great Britain as a whole. The fantastic thing about Taekwondo though, is that it also promotes self-discipline and a deep respect for others, not such widespread characteristics in Westhoughton nowadays.

While it will instill you with confidence being aware that you have such self-defence skills tucked away inside you, the odds are that you will never have to test them outside the regulated setting of an organised Taekwondo class.

Your First Westhoughton Taekwondo Lesson

Different Taekwondo schools in Westhoughton will have different ideas about what students should cover on their first lesson, however to give you a perception of what to expect most initial Taekwondo lessons will involve a warm-up, some sparring, learning simple Poomse (forms), an introduction to kicks, blocks, stances and hand attacks (practical training) and a warm-down to relax weary muscles and get the body back to a state of harmony.

Anyone who joins a Taekwondo class in Westhoughton has to also register with British Taekwondo which is the regulating body of the sport in the UK. You can get loads of info regarding safe practices, news, safeguarding and equality, coaches and competition referees, launching a new club, first aid, events, coaching courses, members and clubs, and more, by dropping by at the official British Taekwondo website.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

You'll doubtless be intrigued to discover precisely what kind of benefits might be obtained by taking part in Westhoughton Taekwondo lessons and participating 100% in its practices. You can expect that you will: Reduces anxiety and stress with controlled breathing, Increase concentration and self-esteem by sharpening your mental and physical fitness, Learn self-defence by helping you to recognize circumstances in which self-defence may be necessary, and enabling you to control these types of scenarios to your advantage, Increase flexibility, agility and stamina by way of intense cardiovascular effort, Build up confidence by motivating you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Empower your body and mind by improved physical coordination and mental discipline, More self-discipline by thoroughly schooling your mind and body in the concepts and strategies of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

When it comes to belts, ranking and promotion there's not actually any standardisation in Taekwondo, since there are various different styles of Taekwondo which each have their own unique arrangement. There are however similarities and they generally consist of 2 groups of belts "juniors" and "seniors" symbolized by coloured and black belts respectively, . The senior grades typically have 9 levels and the junior, eight to twelve ranks.

Beginners Classes

Students setting out on their Taekwondo experience in Westhoughton will first of all sign up for a beginners class. Beginners classes are excellent, since there's no pressure and everything is carried out at a slow and relaxed pace. Having fun while learning is the main aim in the early stages and students who are having a great time tend to learn much faster and absorb more of what they are being taught. Even Taekwondo masters began as inexperienced novices, so take that initial step and you never know where you'll finish up!