Taekwondo Tewkesbury

Whilst not wanting to deter any particular age group, it should be said that Taekwondo is more suited to younger people in Tewkesbury, being fairly physically demanding. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it especially appropriate for children. Older adults who are not all that active and fit might find it a tad too challenging. However people in Tewkesbury who take up Taekwondo at an early age, will find that continuing into older adulthood is not an issue. If you consider yourself among the less nimble, you could always try something like Tai Chi which is much less strenuous.

Based mostly around kicking moves and manoeuvres like turning/jumping kicks, fast kicking techniques and head-height kicks, Taekwondo was devised from the practices of various diverse martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts experts in new schools known as "Kwans" during the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" were given the names Chungdo Kwan, Songmu Kwan, Mooduk Kwan, Jido Kwan and Changmu Kwan.

Popular throughout the world Taekwondo now has over 60 million enthusiasts. If you want to get involved in this activity, which is now an Olympic sport, signing up for a Taekwondo class or club in Tewkesbury is an excellent place to start. There's no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this thrilling sport, even if you have no desire to take part in the Olympics.

For many people in Tewkesbury, it's the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. And in these days of increased violence, especially in town and city centres, it is no surprise that this features high on people's priority lists. It is a primary element of Taekwondo that you're able to gain more confidence in your ability to defend yourself while at the same time learning to respect other people and practice self-restraint.

Even though you will take a lot of trouble mastering these essential self-defence techniques, hopefully you will never need to apply them apart from within your local Taekwondo club environment.

Your First Class

If Taekwondo isn't an activity that you've ever had a go at before, you will most likely be wondering what you should expect from your very first class should you make up your mind to sign up. Different Taekwondo schools in Tewkesbury have varying thoughts on this but roughly; you will participate in a 15-20 minute warm-up, you'll do a certain amount of technical training, you will learn some forms (patterns), you are going to practice sparring strategies and last but not least you'll do a warm-down to get your body back into a state of relaxation.

The United Kingdom's official regulating body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you would like to sign up to Taekwondo class in Tewkesbury, you'll also be required to become a member of this respected organization. By heading to British Taekwondo's website you'll be able to read information about news, safe practices, establishing a new Taekwondo club, events, coaching courses, safeguarding and equality, members and clubs, first aid, coaches and tournament referees, and a lot more Taekwondo related issues.

The Basic Taekwondo Kicks

There are many different types of Taekwondo kicks, listed here are just a few of them: Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi). Blocks: To repulse the numerous hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse range of blocks. Held in specific positions, they engage the hand and different areas of the arm. Every "block" can be coupled with a kick or punch to establish a counter-attack, and each is suitable for a particular attack. The main blocks include: Double Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block, Single Forearm Block, Rising Block, Palm Block, Nine Block, Knife Hand Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Taekwondo forms (also called Poomse or patterns) are categorized by certain facets like technique, stance and direction. From the outset you'll get to grips with a few of the standard forms, and in order to advance through the various levels (belts) you will have to master some more complex ones.

Safety Equipment

Matches controlled by British Taekwondo rules require various items of protective equipment to be worn, these include: shin protectors, hand guards, a blue/red head guard, a groin guard, forearm guards, a gum shield and red or blue trunk armour. This is important because of the formidable kicking actions being practiced.