Taekwondo Llanelli

Since Taekwondo has quite high physical demands, it's perhaps more suited to the younger people of Llanelli. That's not to say that older individuals cannot participate in this kind of activity, but just that there could be alternative martial arts that are more suitable for the less nimble of us. Tai Chi is a perfect example.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts fanatics in Seoul established some new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. The emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially turning/jumping kicks, fast kicking strategies and head kicks, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, meaning "the way of the foot and fist".

Since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been a competitive Olympic sport. This has made it even more popular around the world with some sixty million people routinely taking classes. And it's by enrolling in a Taekwondo club or class that you can commence your quest of mastering this fascinating activity.

In these times of ever-increasing violence, it's little surprise that people in areas like Llanelli are taking up self-defence classes such as Taekwondo to enable them to feel safer in their local environment. The self-defence element is one of the key factors of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a deep respect for others around us, which are qualities that are frequently lacking in modern day life.

While it will give you peace of mind knowing that you have those self-defence skills in your locker, the chances are you'll never need to test them outside of a dedicated Taekwondo class.

Your First Lesson

If you have never done Taekwondo before, you might be somewhat anxious as to what to expect on your very first class. This varies from club to club but will generally involve all or some of the following. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen up muscles, some technical training involving learning some hand attacks, kicks, stances and blocking techniques, learning a few Poomse (forms), an introduction to sparring including movement, timing and attack timing, and lastly a warm down to relax and stretch weary muscles.

Anybody who joins a Taekwondo class in Llanelli must also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in the UK. You will be able to read about establishing a new Taekwondo club, health and safety, coaches and referees, news, coaching courses, events, first aid, clubs and members, safeguarding and equality, and more on the British Taekwondo website, and get the latest news reports on their Facebook or Twitter page.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

The benefits which may be gained by participating in Taekwondo lessons in Llanelli are numerous, amongst the most significant are: Increase self-esteem and concentration by sharpening your physical and mental fitness, Turbocharge agility, flexibility and stamina by way of intensive cardiovascular work-outs, Develop self-discipline by methodically schooling your body and mind in the strategies and concepts of Taekwondo, Reduces anxiety and stress using advanced breath control, Toughen up your mind and body through accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Build up your confidence by helping you to succeed and to take control of your life, Teach you self-defence strategies by helping you to recognize situations where self-defence might be needed, and allowing you to manipulate these types of circumstances in your favour.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo has virtually the largest assortment of kicks in all the martial arts. The following are just a few: Crescent Kick, Push Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Front Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Back Kick. Blocks: To defend against the many hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse range of "blocks". Engaging the hands and parts of the arm, they're held in diverse positions. Every block can be coupled with a punch or kick to establish a counter-attack, and each block is appropriate for a particular attack. The principal blocks in Taekwondo include: Double Forearm Block, Upper Block, Nine Block, Low Block, Palm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Rising Block and Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Forms are a key element of Taekwondo and are important to learn if you are going to master this intriguing activity. Several basic forms must be grasped at the beginning and more advanced forms must be perfected in order to progress through the various levels. A Taekwondo form is categorized by various points such as direction, stance and technique.

Tournaments and Competitions

Contests are a significant element of the overall Taekwondo experience, and all the different styles around the world hold competitions and tournaments where Taekwondo masters get together to battle it out. Hard contact is rarely permitted in any of these competitions which mostly incorporate sparring, breaking and patterns (forms). Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and World Taekwondo tournaments, while specified hand attacks are tolerated in ITF events.

Beginners Taekwondo Llanelli

Students setting out on their Taekwondo adventure in Llanelli will first of all enroll in a beginners class. Beginners classes are awesome, because there are no strict demands and things are carried out at a slow and relaxed pace. Learning and having fun are the key objectives initially and trainees who are having a great time are inclined to learn a lot faster and digest significantly more of what they're being told. Even Taekwondo masters began as clueless novices, so take that first step and you never know where you'll end up!

In Summary

So, what do you want from Taekwondo? Well, that is an excellent question, and the answer will be different for individual people. Most participants will purely wish to improve their fitness levels, meet new people and gain more self-confidence. We are not all going to reach the heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, though maybe you will, who knows? 👊