Taekwondo York

Images of young children doing rapid punches and energetic kicking manoeuvres, are what come to mind at the mere mention of Taekwondo. Keeping up with the physical demands of the sport might be easier for the younger and fitter generation, but this doesn't mean that people of every age can take part in, and enjoy the many benefits of this activity. It should however be said that if you are relatively fit and agile you'll definately get more enjoyment out of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo is a martial art that primarily features high-kicking manoeuvres, in particular rapid kicking strategies, jumping/turning kicks and head-height kicks. It started in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a group of martial arts enthusiasts established schools called "kwans", which blended a variety of martial arts techniques.

The total number of Taekwondo practitioners globally, now exceeds sixty million. This sport has even featured in the Olympic Games since 2000, and if you would like to get involved, signing up for a local York Taekwondo class or club is a good place to start. While nobody would expect you to reach Olympic standard, you could certainly be one of the best Taekwondo exponents in York.

For many people in York, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. You should not be surprised by this, when you take into account the high incidence of violence seen in today's town and city centres. Being able to defend yourself is a key factor of Taekwondo, but this is tempered by learning self-restraint and a respect for others.

While it will give you peace of mind being aware that you have these self-defence skills in your locker, the chances are you will never have to use them outside of a dedicated Taekwondo class.

Your First Taekwondo Lesson

If you've never done Taekwondo previously, you could be somewhat concerned as to what you can expect on your first lesson. This may vary from club to club but will normally consist of all or some of these. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen muscles, some practical training involving learning some blocking techniques, kicks, hand attacks and stances, studying some forms (or Poomse), an overview of sparring which will include timing, attack timing and movement, and lastly a warm down to relax and stretch tired muscles.

Any individual wishing to join a Taekwondo club in York has to also register with British Taekwondo which is the governing body of the sport in Britain. You will be able to get plenty of info on events, coaches and tournament referees, safeguarding and equality, news, clubs and members, health and safety, first aid, starting a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, and more, by viewing British Taekwondo's official website.

Taekwondo Belts

With there being a number of styles of Taekwondo there's never been any uniform arrangement for allocating belts (grades). What does exist however is quite similar and involves a couple of belt groups "junior" and "senior" ("colour" and "black"), each one of these groups is divided into levels, 8 to 12 colours in the case of juniors and nine "blacks" for the seniors.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo competitions call for specific safety gear to be worn to protect contenders from personal injury as a result of the forceful kicking that transpires. This safety equipment includes: shin guards, forearm guards, a groin guard, hand guards, a blue/red head protector, a gum shield and red or blue trunk armour (hogu).