Taekwondo Ash

It must be asserted that Taekwondo can be very challenging physically, which could discourage the older and less agile people in Ash 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 decent physical condition can easily take part and benefit from this activity.

The discipline was formulated in Korea in 1945, though it was not named Taekwondo until the 1950's. A group of Korean martial arts lovers in Seoul founded some new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which it ultimately became known as, mostly involves kicking manoeuvres, especially rapid kicking methods, turning/jumping kicks and head-height kicks. Today Ash Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Nowadays an Olympic sport, Taekwondo has over 60 million followers worldwide, and even though you might not aspire to be an Olympic Games athlete, you can still enroll in a Taekwondo club or class to master what will no doubt prove to be a fulfilling and interesting activity.

For a lot of folks in Ash, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo which has the most appeal. And in these days of ever increasing violence, particularly in town and city centres, it really is no surprise that this features high on people's priority lists. It is a primary factor of Taekwondo that you're able to gain more confidence in your capability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and learn self-restraint.

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

Your First Taekwondo Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in the Ash area will have different viewpoints on what enrollees should cover on their very first class, but to give you an idea of what you can expect most initial Taekwondo lessons will involve a warm-up, some sparring, learning forms (Poomse), an overview of blocks, kicks, stances and hand attacks (practical training) and a warm-down to stretch weary muscles and get the body back to a state of balance.

Taekwondo of course also has got its own official governing body, and in the British Isles it is British Taekwondo. Every person wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Ash must become members of this organisation. You will be able to learn about first aid, events, coaching courses, news, beginning a new club, health and safety, safeguarding and equality, members and clubs, coaches and tournament referees, and more on the official British Taekwondo website, and get the latest news on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Kicks

Some of the basic Taekwondo kicks that you will master initially include: Front Kick, Crescent Kick, Axe Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick, Side Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To repulse the various hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse range of "blocks". Held in specific positions, they involve the hands and areas of the arm. Each form of attack necessitates a particular type of block, counter-attacks can be produced by combining a block with a retaliatory punch or kick. The most used "blocks" (makgi) include: Single Forearm Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Nine Block, Palm Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Upper Block.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

The benefits that may be gained by taking part in Taekwondo lessons in Ash are numerous, among the most advantageous are: Reduces stress using advanced breath control, Empower your body and mind by increased physical coordination and mental discipline, Supercharge stamina, agility and flexibility by way of extreme cardiovascular work-outs, Teach self-defence by showing you how to recognize situations where self-defence could be necessary, and empowering you to control these scenarios to your advantage, Boost your confidence by encouraging you to take control of your life and succeed, More discipline by comprehensively training your body and mind in the techniques and concepts of Taekwondo, Increase concentration and self-esteem by raising your physical and mental fitness.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

Because there are a number of styles of Taekwondo there has never really been any standardized arrangement for assigning belts (levels). What does exist however is fairly similar and is made up of a couple of belt groups "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each of these groupings is split into grades, eight to twelve colours for juniors and 9 for seniors.

In the UK there are a series of ranks in Taekwondo that are called "Kup". The lowest is Tenth Kup and the highest is First Kup. If you're curious about the Taekwondo belt order, it's as follows, and is denoted by a range of different colours i.e. 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. Students in Ash starting out in Taekwondo will begin with the 10th Kup (White Belt), and proceed through the coloured belts until they reach the 1st Kup (Red Belt With a Black Stripe).

After succeeding with this challenge, Taekwondo students in Ash are considered as "black belt candidates" which entails them moving through another 9 ranks (Dans) right up until they achieve the ultimate accolade of "Black Belt" status. Hence, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into 3 sections; Junior Belts, Senior Belts 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 comprise; 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 that will take many years.

Summary

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we don't all want to be. Taekwondo isn't solely about Olympic titles and National Championships. Most of us are content to make new friends, improve our fitness levels and meet different people, and that is exactly how it ought to be. Yet, as with many matters in life, what you get out of it will depend upon what you invest in it. Good luck and enjoy!