Taekwondo Cramlington

Because Taekwondo has quite high physical demands, it is possibly more suited to the younger generation in Cramlington. That's not to say that older people can't participate in this popular activity, but simply that there might be other martial arts that are more appropriate for the less agile among us. Tai Chi is a perfect illustration.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (1945). A group of Korean martial arts fanatics in Seoul founded some innovative new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a blend of martial arts techniques. This eventually became known as Taekwondo and the main emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/turning kicks, head-height kicks and rapid kicking strategies. These days Cramlington Taekwondo classes abide by this tradition.

These days an Olympic sport, Taekwondo has more than sixty million practitioners worldwide, and whilst you may not aspire to be an Olympic Games medalist, you are still able to enroll in a Taekwondo club or class to master what will no doubt prove to be a fascinating and worthwhile pastime.

It seems that the most appealing aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence. And in these days of increased violence, especially in town and city centres, it is no surprise that this features high on people's list of priorities. Learning to defend yourself while at the same time applying self-restraint and a respect for others is a key benefit of Taekwondo.

Although it will instill you with self-confidence knowing that you have these self-defence skills tucked away inside you, the chances are you'll never have to test them outside the monitored atmosphere of an organized Taekwondo class.

Your First Cramlington Taekwondo Class

Different Taekwondo schools in the Cramlington area will have different guidelines for what learners should cover on their very first lesson, but to give you an understanding of what you can expect most first Taekwondo lessons will include a warm-up, some sparring, learning basic Poomse (forms), an introduction to hand attacks, kicks, blocks and stances (practical training) and a warm-down to relax tired muscles and get the body back to a state of balance.

British Taekwondo is the regulating body of the sport within the UK, and membership of this organisation is mandatory if you wish to join any Taekwondo class in Cramlington or nearby. You'll be able to read about members and clubs, referees and coaching, coaching courses, beginning a new club, safe practices, first aid, news, events, equality and safeguarding, and more on the official British Taekwondo website, and find the latest Taekwondo news reports on their Facebook or Twitter page.

The Popular Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is recognized for its dynamic kicks, here are the important ones: Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: To stop and deflect an inbound attack, blocks (called Makgi) are implemented. Using the hand and different areas of the arm, they're held in particular positions. Specific attacks necessitate particular blocks, but "blocks" can also be transformed into counter-attacks by combining reciprocal kicks or punches. The primary blocks include: Palm Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Rising Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

Safety gear like a mouth protector, shin pads, hand protectors, forearm protectors, a red or blue head guard, blue or red trunk armour and a groin guard must be worn in all contests regulated by British Taekwondo. Protection from injury is needed owing to the forceful kicking that is an integral element of this activity.