Taekwondo Uckfield

Taekwondo is quite physically demanding, which means it may be considered more suitable for the younger rather than the older generation in Uckfield. Its teachings of self-discipline and respect for others make it particularly good for children. It could prove too taxing for some older adults, but shouldn't be a problem for those who are already fit and active. However those who take up Taekwondo in Uckfield at a young age will find they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. Tai Chi or something similarly softer might be more suitab le for the less agile of you.

Based primarily around kicking manoeuvres like rapid kicking strategies, spinning/jumping kicks and head kicks, Taekwondo was formulated from the techniques of various martial arts, by a number of Seoul martial arts specialists in new schools called "Kwans" in the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" were given the names Mooduk Kwan, Songmu Kwan, Changmu Kwan, Chungdo Kwan and Jido Kwan.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Uckfield and around the globe, with more than sixty million practitioners worldwide. Registering with a local Uckfield Taekwondo club or class is an excellent way to become involved with this sport which has even been included in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. Whilst you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there's certainly no reason why you shouldn't become an expert at this exhilarating martial art and have a bit of fun along the way.

A key aspect of Taekwondo is self-defence, and not surprisingly this is one of the primary reasons that people in Uckfield join classes and get involved in the sport. There has been a disconcerting increase in violent behaviour over the last few years and this is especially common in city and town centres throughout East Sussex and the country as a whole. The good thing about Taekwondo though, is that it also promotes self-discipline and a deep respect for other people, not such familiar qualities in Uckfield these days.

Such self-defence techniques may sooner or later come in useful in your everyday life, although it's more likely that you'll only be putting them to the test within a regulated class setting. Nevertheless it is a reassuring feeling knowing that you'll always be in a position to defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Class

If you decide to register for Taekwondo training in Uckfield, the very first thing you'll wish to know is what will happen on the first class and what precisely will the instructor expect to see from you. Different Taekwondo masters in the Uckfield area will develop diverse routines for this initial lesson but you can count on doing a 15-20 minute warm-up to loosen your muscles and get the blood flowing, learn some simple Poomse (forms, go through some technical training (stances, hand attacks, kicks and blocks), do a certain amount of sparring, and last but not least, a warm-down.

The body regulating Taekwondo in the United Kingdom is British Taekwondo and any individual wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Uckfield has to also register with British Taekwondo. You can find out about coaching courses, referees and coaching, first aid, safe practices, establishing a new club, events, safeguarding and equality, news, members and clubs, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and get the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Kicks

One of the main elements of Taekwondo is kicking, here is a small selection of the most widely used kicks: Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi). Blocks: To defend against and stop an incoming Taekwondo attack, blocks (known as Makgi) are employed. They are held in particular positions and use the hand with sections of the arm. Certain attacks require specified "blocks", but "blocks" can also be transformed into counter-attacking moves by combining reciprocal kicks or punches. The most used blocks (makgi) include: Palm Block, Low Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block, Single Forearm Block, Nine Block, Upper Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Rising Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Patterns)

Forms are a key part of Taekwondo and are essential to learn if you are going to master this popular martial art. Some basic forms have to be grasped at the beginning and more complex forms will have to be perfected in order to move through the various belts. A Taekwondo form is characterised by a number of points such as technique, direction and stance.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

The ranking and belt structure can get somewhat bewildering in Taekwondo because there is no standard structure throughout the various Taekwondo disciplines. Analogies can be found however, and generally there are two distinct belt groups, denoted as "juniors" (colours) and "seniors" (black dans). The number of grades in the junior group varies across the styles but is usually somewhere between eight and twelve belts, whilst the senior's groupings generally has 9 belts or dans.

Tournaments

There are a whole host of competitions in Taekwondo associated with all the different styles. They largely include sparring, patterns (forms) and breaking with almost no "hard contact". ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) contests do not permit excessive contact but do allow hand attacks to the head. World Taekwondo and Olympic contests allow only sparring. Multi-style competitions also take place.