Taekwondo Whitstable

It must be said that Taekwondo can be quite demanding physically, which might unnerve the less agile and more elderly people in Whitstable from becoming involved. To be honest, the most frequent participants of Taekwondo classes are kids and the younger generation, but certainly older people who are in great physical condition can easily participate and benefit from this sport.

Taekwondo originated in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts lovers in Seoul founded some innovative new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. In Taekwondo the main focus is on kicking, especially head-height kicks, rapid kicking styles and turning/jumping kicks. These days Whitstable Taekwondo classes comply with this tradition.

With over sixty million people taking part in Taekwondo sessions all over the world, this has certainly become a popular and beneficial pastime, and if you really master this martial art you may even one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it has been an integral part since the 2000 Sydney Games.

While there is much to be gained by doing Taekwondo, it is the self-defence aspect that most Whitstable people are interested in. This is not surprising when you consider the rising levels of violence seen in town and city centres these days. It is a key factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and learn self-restraint.

Your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will most likely never have to be proven outside of an organised Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will give you peace of mind.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If you decide on registering for Taekwondo training in Whitstable, the very first thing you'll want to know is what is going to occur on the very first lesson and precisely what will the instructor be expecting of you. Different Taekwondo masters in Whitstable will develop differing routines for this first introductory lesson but you can count on doing a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up to loosen your muscles and get the blood flowing, learn some basic Poomse (forms, cover some technical training (hand attacks, stances, blocking techniques and kicks), do a small amount of sparring, and last but not least, warm-down.

Any individual wishing to join a Taekwondo class in Whitstable has to also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the regulating body of the sport in the UK. You will be able to get loads of details of coaching courses, safe practices, launching a new club, members and clubs, coaches and competition referees, news, first aid, events, equality and safeguarding, and more, by exploring British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

There are of course, plenty of benefits to be had from taking part in Taekwondo, and the following are just a few which may be attractive to you: Develop self-discipline by comprehensively educating your mind and body in the principles and tactics of Taekwondo, Grow in your confidence by inspiring you to seize control of your life and succeed, Lower stress with controlled breathing, Help with self-defence by showing you how to recognise situations where self-defence could be necessary, and allowing you to turn these circumstances to your advantage, Strengthen your body and mind by increased physical coordination and mental discipline, Improve self-esteem by sharpening your physical and mental fitness, Augment stamina, agility and flexibility by way of extreme cardiovascular exertion.

Taekwondo Kicks

There are lots of different kicking movements which are used in Taekwondo. Listed here are just a few of the most widely used: Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: To stop and deflect an inbound Taekwondo attack, blocks (called Makgi) are implemented. They are held in specific positions and enlist the hand with different parts of the arm. Specific attacks require specified "blocks", but blocks can also be changed into counter-attacking movements by the combination of reciprocal kicks or punches. The principal "blocks" (makgi) include: Palm Block, Double Forearm Block, Single Forearm Block, Upper Block, Rising Block, Nine Block, Low Block, Knife Hand Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Tournaments and Competitions

Competitions and tournaments are an important element of the overall Taekwondo experience, and all the diverse styles across the world stage contests where Taekwondo exponents come together to compete. Hard contact is rarely allowed in any of these tournaments which primarily comprise sparring, breaking and patterns (forms). Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and World Taekwondo (WT) tournaments, while some hand attacks are tolerated in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.

Conclusion

What you get out of Taekwondo will be directly related to what you invest in it (as is the case with life on the whole). Many of you will merely want to make new friends, meet different people and improve your fitness, some might aspire to move on to competitions or tournaments or possibly even the Olympic Games. But bear in mind, we can't all be a Jade Jones or a Lutalo Muhammad.