Taekwondo Cranbrook

Taekwondo is generally much more physically demanding than for instance Tai Chi, so unless you're pretty fit and nimble you might prefer to partake in something a little bit gentler to improve your fitness in Cranbrook. Children are clearly the perfect participants for Taekwondo classes in Cranbrook, with a lot of fast paced movements taking place and plenty of high kicking.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (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 rapid kicking techniques, turning/jumping kicks and head-height kicks, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, meaning "the way of the foot and fist".

With over 60 million individuals engaged in Taekwondo sessions all over the world, this has certainly become an extremely popular activity, and if you really master this martial art you might possibly one day qualify for the Olympic Games, of which it's been an integral part ever since the Sydney Games in the year 2000.

Of all the many benefits of doing this sport, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that the people of Cranbrook find most appealing. And when you consider the high levels of violence in town and city centres these days, this is hardly surprising. It is a key factor of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect others and learn self-restraint.

Your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will more than likely never have to be tried and tested outside the controlled atmosphere of an organized Taekwondo class, however being aware that you've got them will instill you with confidence.

Your First Lesson

If you decide on registering for Taekwondo training in Cranbrook, the first thing you will need to know is what is going to occur on the initial class and what precisely will the teacher be expecting of you. Different Taekwondo masters in Cranbrook will contrive diverse routines for this first introductory lesson but you can expect to do a 15-20 minute warm-up to loosen your muscles and get the blood circulating, learn some simple Poomse (forms, cover some practical training (hand attacks, stances, blocks and kicks), do a bit of sparring, and to finish, warm-down.

Anyone wishing to join a Taekwondo class in Cranbrook has to also register with British Taekwondo which is the regulating body of the sport in Britain. By heading to the British Taekwondo website you'll be able to read info on first aid, coaching courses, health and safety, safeguarding and equality, events, members and clubs, beginning a new club, news, referees and coaching, and many more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is possibly most recognized for its spectacular kicks, the following are a few of the standard kicks you'll be taught as a beginner: Roundhouse Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick, Front Kick, Crescent Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: Taekwondo "blocks", that are used to fend off the various attacks, are known as Makgi. Held in diverse positions, they engage the hands and areas of the arm. Specific attacks necessitate specified "blocks", but "blocks" can also be changed into counter-attacking manoeuvres by combining retaliatory punches or kicks. The main blocks (makgi) include: Upper Block, Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block, Rising Block, Palm Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

In Taekwondo there is not really any kind of standardisation when it comes to belts and ranking. It's all depending on which style you're considering, since there are so many different Taekwondo styles and rules. However, they're usually separated into a couple of groupings "junior (colour) belts and "senior" (black) belts. The colour/junior rankings consist of white to red, with anything from 8 to 12 grades, while the senior/black belts generally have 9 levels.

Rankings in Taekwondo in the UK are represented by what are known as "Kup". The highest rank is 1st Kup and the lowest rank (beginners) is 10th Kup. If you are curious about the Taekwondo belt order, it's as follows, and is denoted by a number of different colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with "in-between" 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. Beginner students of Taekwondo in Cranbrook will begin with the White Belt (10th Kup), and progress through the colours until they earn the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (1st Kup).

After this has been completed, Taekwondo students in Cranbrook are considered as "black belt candidates" which requires them to proceed through a further nine ranks (Dans) up until they eventually achieve the distinction of "Black Belt". So, putting it simply, there are three principal divisions in the Taekwondo belt order, namely Junior, Senior and Black Belt. The Junior group of Taekwondo Belts comprise; White (Tenth), White With a Yellow Stripe (Ninth), Yellow (Eighth), and Yellow With a Green Stripe (Seventh). The Senior group of Taekwondo Belts are; Green (Sixth), Green With a Blue Stripe (Fifth), Blue (Fourth), Blue With a Red Stripe (Third), Red (Second), and Red With a Black Stripe (First). The Black division of Taekwondo Belts comprise First to Ninth Dan rankings, and demands many years of dedicated training.

Beginners Classes

It doesn't matter what you're standing is or who you are in the world of Taekwondo, at some stage you were a complete novice, knowing nothing and fearing failure. We have all started at that point and can only develop and learn through practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Cranbrook are the right place get started on that learning journey and to pick up the fundamentals so you can gain confidence and proceed with your Taekwondo experience. Almost all beginner classes are set up to be friendly and fun, delivering a gradual introduction to the basic Taekwondo values and building a firm base moving forward.

Taekwondo Safety Equipment

Competitions controlled by British Taekwondo policies demand that certain items of protective gear be worn, these include: a red or blue head guard, a mouth protector, shin guards, forearm guards, red/blue body armour (hogu), a groin guard and hand protectors. This is vital on account of the vigorous kicking actions being practiced.

In Summary

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I guess we don't all want to be. Taekwondo isn't just about Olympic titles and National Championships. Most of us are happy to make new friends, improve our fitness and meet different people, and that's exactly how it should be. However, as with many matters in life, what you get from it will depend on what you invest in it. Good luck and enjoy! 👊