Taekwondo Chippenham

Taekwondo is typically a lot more physically demanding than for example Tai Chi, so unless you are pretty fit and agile you might prefer to partake in something a bit gentler to boost your fitness levels in Chippenham. Children and younger people are definitely an ideal participants for Taekwondo classes in Chippenham, with lots of fast paced movements going on and plenty of high kicking.

Taekwondo started in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts fanatics in Seoul established some new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. The emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially fast kicking styles, jumping/turning kicks and head-height kicks, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, meaning "the way of the foot and fist".

At present an Olympic sport, Taekwondo has more than 60 million practitioners all over the world, and although you may not aspire to be an Olympic Games medalist, you are still able to join a Taekwondo club or class to master what will undoubtedly turn out to be a worthwhile and interesting activity.

In these modern times of escalating violence, it's no surprise that folks in areas like Chippenham are enrolling in self-defence training like Taekwondo to enable them to feel safer and more secure in their local environment. The self-defence aspect is one of the key benefits of Taekwondo but at the same time it also teaches self-restraint and a respect for others around us, which are characteristics that are largely lacking in this modern age.

There's a pretty decent likelihood that your newly learned Taekwondo skills will never have to be proven in your day to day life, but it will most certainly give you peace of mind knowing that they are there should you ever be in need of them.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you have never done Taekwondo before you may be a little concerned as to what to expect on your first class. This will vary from school to school but will usually involve some or all of the following. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to increase heart rate and loosen your muscles, a bit of technical training covering some hand attacks, blocks, stances and kicks, some work on forms or patterns (Poomse in Korean), some tips on sparring including good movement, timing and attack targeting, and lastly a warm down with muscle stretching and relaxing to prevent spasms and cramping.

Anybody who joins a Taekwondo class in Chippenham has to also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in Britain. You'll be able to learn about launching a new club, clubs and members, equality and safeguarding, first aid, events, news, coaching courses, coaches and referees, safe practices, and more on British Taekwondo's website, and find the latest news stories on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Taekwondo Kicks

Kicks play a significant role in the art of Taekwondo, here are a selection of the more basic ones: Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi). Taekwondo Blocks: To divert and stop an incoming attack, blocks (known as Makgi) are implemented. Held in particular positions, they engage the hands and parts of the arm. Certain attacks necessitate specified "blocks", but blocks can also be transformed into counter-attacking manoeuvres by the combination of reciprocal punches or kicks. The key "blocks" in Taekwondo include: Single Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Rising Block, Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Palm Block, Double Forearm Block and Upper Block.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Beginners in Taekwondo do not need to fret excessively about forms (Poomse, patterns) in the early days, but they'll learn some basic ones to begin with and advance to more intricate forms as they move through the belts (grades/dans). A form is indicated by specific elements of Taekwondo including stance, direction and technique. Getting to grips with these techniques is a crucial part of mastering Taekwondo.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Competitions and tournaments are an important part of the overall Taekwondo legacy, and all the various styles all over the world hold contests where Taekwondo exponents get together to compete. Hard contact is hardly ever allowed in any of these tournaments which mainly comprise sparring, patterns and breaking. Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and WT tournaments, while some hand attacks are permitted in ITF events.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

Contests controlled by British Taekwondo rules demand that various pieces of protective equipment be worn, these include: a groin protector, a gum shield, blue/red trunk armour (hogu), forearm protectors, hand guards, a blue/red head guard and shin protectors. This is a must due to the formidable kicking attacks being practiced.

In Conclusion

We can practically guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you'll improve your fitness, gain self-confidence and make more friends. If that's all that you take away from it, then all well and good, and you can call it a success! We aren't all vying to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, still need to start with the very first step. Good luck on your adventure! 👊