Taekwondo Hinckley

Because Taekwondo has quite high physical requirements, it's possibly more suited to the younger generation in Hinckley. That's not to say that the older generation can't get involved in this particular activity, but just that there may be other martial arts that are more suited to the less nimble among us. Tai Chi is a perfect illustration.

The name Taekwondo has only been used since the 1950's, although the discipline started life in Korea in 1945. This combination of various martial arts techniques were practiced in some new schools in Seoul called "kwans", founded by a group of Korean martial artists. The emphasis of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known, is on kicking manoeuvres, especially rapid kicking techniques, turning/jumping kicks and head-height kicks.

Taekwondo is popular with the people of Hinckley and with over 60 million others around the world. Now an Olympic sport, Taekwondo is accessible to everyone, and signing up for your local Hinckley Taekwondo class or club is the easiest way to get yourself involved. There is no reason why you cannot become a master of this fascinating martial art, even if you don't aspire to Olympic competition.

In these days of escalating violence, it is little surprise that individuals in locations like Hinckley are getting involved in self-defence classes like Taekwondo to help them to feel safer and more secure in their local environment. The self-defence aspect is one of the primary factors of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a respect for those around us, which are traits that are frequently lacking in 21st century living.

These self-defence techniques may at some point come in useful in your everyday life, although it is more likely you will only be testing them within a controlled class environment. Nevertheless it's a reassuring feeling knowing that you'll always be in a position to defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Lesson

If you've never done Taekwondo before, you may be a bit apprehensive as to what should be expected on your very first class. This can vary from school to school but will generally involve all or some of these. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen up muscles, some practical training including learning some stances, hand attacks, blocks and kicks, studying a few forms, an overview of sparring which will include movement, the timing of attacks and timing, and finally a warm down to stretch and relax tired muscles.

The United Kingdom's official governing body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you want to join a Taekwondo club in Hinckley, you'll also be required to become a member of this respected organization. You will be able to find lots of information on coaches and referees, safe practices, clubs and members, news, launching a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, first aid, events, equality and safeguarding, and more, by heading to British Taekwondo's official website.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

When you are enrolling in Taekwondo classes in Hinckley you'll be hoping to get a few benefits to make the entire adventure worthwhile. And so let us look at some of the benefits that you may gain from doing and learning Taekwondo. Improve agility, stamina and flexibility by way of extreme cardiovascular exertion, Strengthen your mind and body through increased mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Lessen anxiety and stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Teach you self-defence tactics by showing you how to recognise instances where self-defence might be required, and empowering you to turn these kinds of situations in your favour, Better discipline and willpower by methodically schooling your body and mind in the concepts and strategies of Taekwondo, Enhance feelings of self-esteem by elevating both mental and physical health, Beef up your confidence by helping you to succeed and to seize control of your life.

Taekwondo Kicks

One of the main features of Taekwondo is kicking, listed here is a selection of the essential kicks: Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", which are used to defend against the various attacks, are called Makgi. They are held in particular positions and use the hands with parts of the arm. Each kind of attack necessitates a specific style of block, counter-attacks can be created by integrating a block with another kick or punch. The most important blocks include: Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Upper Block, Low Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block, Palm Block, Nine Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Perfecting Taekwondo necessitates learning a number of disciplines and techniques and one of the pivotal parts of Taekwondo is its forms (also called patterns or Poomse). These are types of direction, technique and stance which must be mastered in order for pupils to move through the various dans (grades/belts).

Taekwondo Belts (Ranking)

The belt and ranking system can get a bit confusing in Taekwondo because there's no standardized arrangement throughout the diverse Taekwondo disciplines. Similarities can be found though, and generally there are two separate belt groups, signified as "juniors" (colours) and "seniors" (black dans). The number of ranks in the junior groupings varies through the styles but is typically somewhere between eight and twelve belts, while the senior's group generally has nine dans or belts.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Taekwondo contests are held across the globe in all of the various styles. There's generally not a lot of hard contact but patterns (forms), sparring and breaking. Olympic and WT contests consist only of sparring, in International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) tournaments specified hand attacks are allowed to the head. Other organisations hold multi-discipline tournaments.

Beginners Classes

As with any sport or activity we have to start someplace, and Taekwondo is just the same. Even the highest ranking Hinckley Taekwondo masters were total newbies at one point. So, what should you expect as a complete novice at Taekwondo? Beginner classes should give their pupils enough coaching to teach them the basics and enable them to build confidence as they move forward. An ideal beginners class should be fun as well as educational, when folks are enjoying themselves they are much more engaged and are going to learn faster.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

Safety equipment like blue/red body armour (hogu), forearm guards, a groin protector, shin pads, a blue or red head protector, a gum shield and hand protectors are worn in all tournaments supervised by British Taekwondo. Protection from injury is paramount due to the vigorous kicking that's an integral element of this sport.