Taekwondo Watford

Images of young children doing rapid punches and energetic kicking manoeuvres, are what spring to mind at the mere mention of Taekwondo. The truth is though, that people of all ages are able to take part in this sport despite its high physical demands. It does however help if you are relatively fit and agile to fully enjoy all the complexities of Taekwondo.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea, South-East Asia in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul founded some schools which they called "kwans", combining a variety of martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which it eventually became known as, mainly consists of high-kicking manoeuvres, especially spinning/jumping kicks, head kicks and fast kicking techniques.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Watford and around the globe, with over 60 million students worldwide. Heading along to your local Watford Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved in this sport which has even been included in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. Whilst nobody would expect you to get to Olympic standard, you can certainly be one of the best Taekwondo exponents in Watford.

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. In fact one of the key principles of Taekwondo is learning to defend yourself whilst exercising self-restraint and a respect for others.

With any luck you will never be required to use your newly perfected Taekwondo skills for defending yourself outside of your local club environment, but it is great to know it is there if you need it.

Your First Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in and around Watford will have different guidelines for what learners should cover on their initial class, however to give you an idea of what to expect most first Taekwondo lessons will include things like a warm-up, a bit of sparring, learning basic Poomse (forms), a brief introduction to blocking techniques, hand attacks, stances and kicks (technical training) and a final warm-down to relax weary muscles and return the body to a state of relaxation.

Anyone wishing to join a Taekwondo class in Watford must also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the official regulating body of the sport in Great Britain. You will be able to get lots of information on starting a new Taekwondo club, coaching courses, events, health and safety, safeguarding and equality, members and clubs, first aid, news, referees and coaching, and more, by popping along to British Taekwondo's website.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

The benefits which can be achieved by participating in Taekwondo classes in Watford are countless, among the most significant are: Beef up confidence by motivating you to succeed and to take control of your life, Help with self-defence by helping you to identify circumstances where self-defence may be required, and empowering you to manipulate these kinds of scenarios in your favour, Improve flexibility, stamina and agility through extreme cardiovascular exertion, Increase your self-esteem by intensifying your physical and mental fitness, Reduce anxiety with controlled breathing, Develop discipline and willpower by comprehensively training your body and mind in the strategies and doctrines of Taekwondo, Toughen up your mind and body through accelerated mental discipline and physical co-ordination.

The Taekwondo Kicks

There are a lot of different kicking techniques which are used when practicing Taekwondo. The following are a few of the best known: Hook or Whip Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Crescent Kick, Axe Kick, Side Kick, Front Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick. Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", that are used to defend against the various attacking movements, are known as Makgi. Engaging the hand and areas of the arm, they are held in diverse positions. Each "block" can be merged with a punch or kick to create a counter-attack, and each is meant for a certain type of attack. The main Taekwondo blocks include: Upper Block, Rising Block, Palm Block, Nine Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Double Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block and Single Forearm Block.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Taekwondo forms (also known as patterns or Poomse) are categorized by certain facets like stance, technique and direction. From the start of your Taekwondo experience you will be taught some of the basic forms, and so as to advance through the levels (belts) you will need to master some more technical ones.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Tournaments are an important part of the overall Taekwondo experience, and all of the various styles across the world stage tournaments where Taekwondo masters band together to compete. Hard contact is hardly ever permitted in any of these contests which mostly incorporate breaking, sparring and patterns (forms). Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and World Taekwondo (WT) tournaments, whilst specified hand attacks are permitted in International Taekwon-Do Federation events.