Taekwondo Whittlesey

On account of its more physical aspects, Taekwondo is perhaps more appropriate for the younger generation in Whittlesey and is particularly suitable for kids as it's excellent for developing self-discipline and respect for other people. More elderly people may find it a bit too demanding unless they are particularly fit and active. However, those folks who persue Taekwondo in Whittlesey from a young age will find that they can easily carry it on when they are older. The less nimble of you might think about something softer like Tai Chi.

With its beginnings in 1940's Korea, South-East Asia, Taekwondo is certainly one of the more recently established of the martial arts and consists of mainly kicking movements such as rapid kicking strategies, jumping/turning kicks and head kicks. It started when schools known as "kwans" were established by a bunch of Korean martial arts specialists in Seoul, South Korea.

Popular all over the world Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners. This sport has even featured in the Olympic Games since 2000, and if you want to get involved, joining a local Whittlesey Taekwondo club or class is a good place to start. There is no reason why you cannot reach a high standard in this thrilling sport, even if you have no desire to compete in the Olympics.

For the men, women and children of Whittlesey who want to learn a martial art, a major priority is the aspect of self-defence. Because this is a pivotal concept of Taekwondo, it is easy to appreciate the appeal of this unique sport. With the extra reward of developing self-restraint and having a degree of respect for those around you, enrolling in a local Whittlesey Taekwondo class would seem to be an easy decision.

Your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will more than likely never need to be proven outside the controlled setting of an actual Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will instill you with confidence.

Your First Lesson

If you have never had a go at Taekwondo before, you could be a little apprehensive as to what can be expected on your first lesson. This can vary from school to school but will usually consist of some or all 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 blocks, learning some forms (or Poomse), an introduction to sparring including the timing of attacks, timing and movement, and lastly a warm down to stretch and relax weary muscles.

Any individual who joins a Taekwondo class in Whittlesey has to also register with British Taekwondo which is the regulating body of the sport in Britain. You can get plenty of details on members and clubs, equality and safeguarding, events, beginning a new club, referees and coaching, news, coaching courses, safe practices, first aid, and more, by going to the official British Taekwondo website.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are needless to say, quite a few benefits to be gained from doing Taekwondo, and the following are just some which could be interesting for you: Grow in your confidence by encouraging you to take control of your life and succeed, Learn self-defence by helping you realize scenarios in which self-defence might be required, and allowing you to control such scenarios in your favour, Turbocharge flexibility, stamina and agility by means of intensive cardiovascular effort, Lessen anxiety and stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Improve concentration and self-esteem by heightening both physical and mental health, Better discipline by thoroughly educating your mind and body in the tactics and principles of Taekwondo, Toughen up your body and mind by way of increased mental discipline and physical co-ordination.

The Basic Taekwondo Kicks

There are numerous different Taekwondo kicking moves, here are just a selection of them: Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi). Blocks: To divert and stop an incoming attack, "blocks" (called Makgi) are used. They're held in specific positions and employ the hands with areas of the arm. Every block can be coordinated with a kick or punch to establish a counter-attack, and each is meant for a particular attack. The most used blocks (makgi) include: Low Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Single Forearm Block and Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Taekwondo forms (also called Poomse or patterns) are distinguished by particular facets such as technique, direction and stance. From the start you'll get to grips with a few of the important forms, and so as to move through the levels (belts) you'll need to learn some more advanced ones.

Tournaments

There are an array of competitions in Taekwondo involving all the various styles. They primarily involve breaking, patterns and sparring with almost no "hard contact". International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) contests don't allow disproportionate contact but may allow hand attacks towards the head. WT (World Taekwondo) and Olympic tournaments allow only sparring. Multi-style contests are also held.