Taekwondo Witney

As Taekwondo has quite high physical requirements, it's perhaps more suitable for the younger people of Witney. That's not to say that older individuals can't take part in this kind of activity, but just that there might be alternative martial arts which are more suitable for the less nimble of us. Tai Chi would be a perfect illustration.

Based mainly around high-kicking manoeuvres like rapid kicking styles, head kicks and spinning/jumping kicks, Taekwondo was developed from the practices of various diverse martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts specialists in new schools called "Kwans" in the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" had the names Mooduk Kwan, Changmu Kwan, Chungdo Kwan, Songmu Kwan and Jido Kwan.

Taekwondo is popular with the people of Witney and with over 60 million others worldwide. Since the Sydney Games (2000) Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport and if you want to give it a go, joining a local Witney Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved. While the chances of you getting to Olympic standard are pretty slim, there is no reason at all why you cannot master this thrilling martial art.

For the people of Witney who like the idea of learning a martial art, a major priority is the aspect of self-defence. As this is a central concept of Taekwondo, it is easy to see the appeal of this specific sport. With the additional reward of developing self-restraint and having a deep respect for those around you, registering for a local Witney Taekwondo class seems to be a no brainer.

These self-defence techniques may in due course come in useful in your everyday life, although it's much more likely that you'll solely be putting them to the test within a regulated class environment. However it is a wonderful feeling knowing the fact that you will always be able to defend yourself when you need to.

Your First Witney Taekwondo Lesson

If you have decided to learn Taekwondo and are heading to your first class, you will be curious about what will happen. The following will give you an example, but this could vary depending on which Witney school you go to. 15-20 minutes of warm up exercises to loosen stiff muscles and increate your heart rate, some technical training comprising some blocking techniques, stances, kicks and hand attacks, a look at some Poomse (or forms), a few ideas on sparring including good timing, movement and targeting attacks, and to finish off a warm down to prevent cramping and muscle spasms.

Taekwondo also of course has its own official governing body, and in the UK it is British Taekwondo. Anybody wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Witney must become a registered member of this organisation. By checking out the British Taekwondo website you'll be able to discover information on safe practices, first aid, coaches and competition referees, starting a new club, coaching courses, news, equality and safeguarding, clubs and members, events, and a lot more Taekwondo related issues.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

There are of course, quite a few benefits to be gained from participating in Taekwondo, and here are just some which might be interesting for you: More self-discipline by methodically educating your mind and body in the techniques and principles of Taekwondo, Increase flexibility, agility and stamina by way of intensive cardiovascular effort, Empower your mind and body by way of enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Build up your confidence by motivating you to take control of your life and succeed, Learn self-defence techniques by training you to identify occasions in which self-defence may be needed, and allowing you to control these types of situations to your advantage, Improve feelings of self-esteem by raising your physical and mental powers, Lower stress and anxiety with controlled breathing.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Newcomers just beginning their journey in Taekwondo don't have to stress too much about forms (patterns, Poomse) at the outset, but they will have to learn some standard ones for starters and move forward to more elaborate forms as they move through the belts (grades/dans). A form is denoted by specific aspects of Taekwondo including stance, technique and direction. Learning these techniques is an important part of perfecting Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

The belt and ranking structure can get somewhat complicated in Taekwondo because there isn't any standardized system across the diverse Taekwondo styles. Similarities can be found though, and generally there are 2 separate belt groupings, represented as "juniors" (colours) and "seniors" (black dans). The number of grades in the junior group varies over the disciplines but is generally somewhere between eight and twelve belts, while the senior group usually has nine dans or belts.

Witney Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the best exponents of Taekwondo in Witney had to start as newbies, so it's no shame to be a total beginner at this sport, or any other activity for that matter. The goal of a Taekwondo beginners class is to provide a few of the basics, increase self-confidence and build a firm base for the future. Most important of all is that it must be enjoyable, trainees having a great time are going to learn quicker and be better committed.

To Summarize

The benefits that you get out of Taekwondo will be directly related to what you put into it (as applies with life on the whole). The majority of you will just want to make new friends, meet different people and improve your fitness, some might want to progress to competitions or tournaments or possibly even the Olympics. But remember, we can't all end up being a Jade Jones or a Lutalo Muhammad. 👊