Taekwondo Bideford

As Taekwondo has quite high physical demands, it's possibly more suited to the younger people of Bideford. That's not to say that elderly people cannot participate in this particular activity, but merely that there might be other martial arts that are more appropriate for the less nimble among us. Tai Chi would be a perfect illustration.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea in 1945. Some new schools called "kwans" were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts fanatics, combining a number of various martial arts techniques. Kicking manoeuvres, especially rapid kicking strategies, turning/jumping kicks and head kicks are the main emphasis of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Bideford and all over the world, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. Registering with a local Bideford Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved in this sport which has even been included in the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games of 2000. Whilst you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there's no reason why you should not become a master of this thrilling martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

For the men, women and children of Bideford who want to learn a martial art, a big priority is the element of self-defence. Considering that this is a key principle of Taekwondo, it is easy to appreciate the appeal of this unique sport. With the additional benefit of learning self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for others, signing up for a local Bideford Taekwondo class seems to be a no brainer.

While it will give you peace of mind being aware that you have those self-defence skills tucked away inside you, the likelihood is you will never need to test them outside the controlled atmosphere of an actual Taekwondo class.

Your First Bideford Taekwondo Lesson

If Taekwondo is not something that you've ever had a go at previously, you will likely be curious about what to expect from your initial lesson if you make your mind up to join. Different Taekwondo schools in Bideford have varying ideas about this but in brief; you'll participate in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you will do some technical training, you will learn some patterns (forms), you'll practice sparring strategies and lastly you will do a warm-down to get your body back into a relaxed state again.

British Taekwondo is the regulating body of the sport within Britain, and membership of this organization is mandatory should you wish to sign up with any Taekwondo club in Bideford or nearby. By going to British Taekwondo's official website you will be able to discover information about safeguarding and equality, beginning a new Taekwondo club, members and clubs, health and safety, coaches and tournament referees, news, first aid, events, coaching courses, and a lot more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Kicks

Some of the best known Taekwondo kicks that you'll learn initially include: Back Kick, Side Kick, Push Kick, Axe Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Front Kick, Crescent Kick, Roundhouse Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To stop and defend against an incoming attack, blocks (known as Makgi) are used. Using the hands and areas of the arm, they are held in various positions. Every "block" can be merged with a punch or kick to produce a counter-attacking manoeuvre, and each block is meant for a certain type of attack. The principal "blocks" include: Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Palm Block, Nine Block, Rising Block, Low Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block and Upper Block.

Taekwondo Forms

Mastering Tae kwon do will involve getting to grips with a number of techniques and one of the key aspects of Taekwondo is its forms (also called patterns or Poomse). These are sequences of technique, direction and stance which need to be mastered in order for pupils to move through the different dans (belts/grades).

Taekwondo Competitions

Taekwondo competitions and tournaments are held internationally in all of the diverse styles. There's usually not a whole lot of hard contact but breaking, patterns (forms) and sparring. Olympic and WT contests consist only of sparring, in ITF contests specific hand attacks are allowed to the head. Some other associations stage multi-discipline competitions.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

British Taekwondo matches require certain safety equipment to be worn to safeguard contenders from injury as a result of the formidable kicking that takes place. These safety products include: a groin guard, forearm protectors, hand guards, shin pads, a gum shield, a red or blue head guard and a red/blue trunk guard (hogu).

Benefits to be Gained From Taekwondo

There are of course, a number of benefits to be had from taking part in Taekwondo, and listed here are just a few that could be interesting for you: Help with self-defence techniques by helping you recognize scenarios in which self-defence might be necessary, and allowing you to control these types of scenarios to your advantage, Better discipline and willpower by exhaustively training your body and mind in the doctrines and strategies of Taekwondo, Reduces stress and anxiety using advanced breath control, Improve agility, stamina and flexibility by way of strenuous cardiovascular exertion, Strengthen your mind and body by means of accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Improve self-esteem and concentration by heightening your mental and physical health, Build up your confidence by motivating you to seize control of your life and succeed.

Final Thoughts

We can practically guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you are going to improve your wellbeing, gain more confidence and make new friends. If that's all you get out of it, then all well and good, you can call it an achievement! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, still have to begin with the very first step. Good luck with your adventure!