Taekwondo Cardiff

Because Taekwondo has fairly high physical demands, it's perhaps more suitable for the younger people of Cardiff. That is not to say that older individuals can't be involved in this popular activity, but just that there might be other martial arts which are more suitable for the less nimble of us. Tai Chi would be a perfect example.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently created of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea, South-East Asia in 1945. A group of Korean martial artists in Seoul established some schools known as "kwans", incorporating a number of martial arts practices. Taekwondo, which was ultimately called, mainly consists of kicking manoeuvres, particularly rapid kicking techniques, head-height kicks and jumping/turning kicks.

Since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport. This has made it even more popular all over the world with some sixty million people actively attending classes. And it is by joining a Taekwondo class or club that you are able to commence your adventure of mastering this fascinating art.

In these days of ever-increasing violence, it is hardly surprising that folks in locations like Cardiff are getting involved in self-defence classes like Taekwondo to enable them to feel safer and more secure in their everyday life. The self-defence aspect is one of the key benefits of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a deep respect for others around us, which are qualities that are often lacking in 21st century living.

Your newly learned Taekwondo skills will most likely never have to be put to the test outside the controlled setting of an actual Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will give you peace of mind.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

If Taekwondo is not an activity that you've ever tried before, you'll probably be wondering what you should be expecting from your initial class if you decide to sign up. Different Taekwondo schools in the Cardiff area have different ideas about this but roughly; you'll take part in a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up, you will do a bit of technical training, you will learn some forms, you are going to practice sparring methods and lastly you will warm-down to help your body get back into a relaxed state again.

Taekwondo also of course has got its own regulating body, and in Great Britain it is British Taekwondo. Anyone wishing to sign up with a Taekwondo club in Cardiff must become a registered member of this organisation. You can find out about equality and safeguarding, events, coaching courses, health and safety, beginning a new club, members and clubs, news, first aid, coaches and referees, and more on the official British Taekwondo website, and find the latest news stories on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When getting involved in Taekwondo classes in Cardiff you'll be wanting to get some benefits to make the entire thing worthwhile. Therefore we should take a look at a few of the many benefits that you could gain from practicing and learning Taekwondo. Develop self-discipline by extensively training your mind and body in the principles and techniques of Taekwondo, Turbocharge stamina, agility and flexibility by means of extreme cardiovascular effort, Grow in confidence by pushing you to succeed and to take control of your life, Reduced stress and anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Learn self-defence by coaching you to realize instances in which self-defence might be required, and allowing you to turn these types of scenarios in your favour, Enhance feelings of self-esteem by heightening both physical and mental fitness, Empower your mind and body through improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

In Taekwondo there's not really any form of standardization in regards to belts and ranking. It all hinges on what style you're looking at, as there are such a diversity of Taekwondo rules and styles. They are however, usually separated into 2 groups "junior (colour) belts and "senior" (black) belts. The junior/colour ranks range from white to red, with from 8 to 12 rankings, whilst the black/senior belts usually have nine ranks.

In the UK there are a series of ranks in Taekwondo which are generally known as "Kup". The lowest rank is Tenth Kup and the highest rank is First Kup. The Taekwondo belt order, like many of the martial arts is denoted by a range of colours, these colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediary belts with stripes, specifically white with a yellow stripe, yellow with a green stripe, green with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe and red with a black stripe. Beginners of Taekwondo in Cardiff will begin with the White Belt (Tenth Kup), and move up through the different colours until they achieve the First Kup (Red Belt With a Black Stripe)

After this training regime has been completed, Cardiff Taekwondo students are referred to as "black belt candidates", and they must then progress through an additional 9 Dans or ranks if they are to become a Taekwondo "Black Belt", which of course is the consummate accolade. Therefore, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into 3 sections; Junior, Senior and Black Belts. The Taekwondo Belts in the Junior division are; 10th (White), 9th (White With Yellow Stripe), 8th (Yellow), and 7th (Yellow With Green Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Senior group are; 6th (Green), 5th (Green With Blue Stripe), 4th (Blue), 3rd ( Blue With Red Stripe), 2nd (Red), and 1st (Red With Black Stripe). The Taekwondo Belts in the Black group go from 1st to 9th Dan, a process which will take many years. (Tags: Taekwondo Promotion Cardiff, Taekwondo Belt Order, Taekwondo Belts Cardiff, Taekwondo Black Belts).

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Forms are a key element of Taekwondo and are crucial if you are to master this thrilling martial art. Several basic Taekwondo forms have to be grasped from the beginning and more elaborate forms must be perfected in order to move through the various levels. A Taekwondo form is characterised by a number of points such as stance, technique and direction.

Taekwondo for Beginners

Students starting out on their Taekwondo adventure in Cardiff will initially register for a beginners class. Beginners classes are fantastic, since there is not any pressure and things are carried out at a casual, slow pace. Learning and having fun are the main goals at the start and trainees who are having a good time tend to learn a lot quicker and absorb considerably more of what they are being told. Even Taekwondo masters started off as naive novices, so take that very first step and who knows where you'll wind up!