Taekwondo Faringdon

Taekwondo is typically a lot more demanding physically than for instance Tai Chi, so unless you're pretty fit and nimble you may prefer to find something a little bit gentler to boost your fitness levels in Faringdon. Children and younger people are certainly an ideal participants for Taekwondo classes in Faringdon, with lots of fast movements taking place and plenty of high kicking.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (1945). Some exciting new schools called "kwans", combining various martial arts techniques were established in Seoul by a group of Korean martial arts devotees. In Taekwondo the focus is on kicking, especially rapid kicking methods, head-height kicks and turning/jumping kicks. These days Faringdon Taekwondo classes comply with this tradition.

Taekwondo now has over 60 million practitioners worldwide and has become very popular in Faringdon and throughout the UK. Joining a local Faringdon Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved in this sport which has even featured in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. While reaching Olympic standard may be aiming a bit high, there is no reason why you cannot become a Taekwondo master.

For the men, women and children of Faringdon who wish to learn a martial art, a top priority is the aspect of self-defence. Considering that this is a pivotal concept of Taekwondo, it is easy to see the appeal of this particular sport. With the additional reward of learning self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for those around you, getting involved in a local Faringdon Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

These self-defence techniques may at some point come in handy in the outside world, though it's much more likely you will only be using them within a monitored class environment. However it is a reassuring feeling knowing that you'll always be in a position to successfully defend yourself if you need to.

Your First Faringdon Taekwondo Class

If you have never tried Taekwondo before you will be a bit apprehensive as to what you should expect on your first class. There may be variations to the following, subject to which Faringdon Taekwondo school you attend, but you can roughly expect; A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen the muscles and increase heart rate, a little technical training which will involve learning some blocking techniques, kicks, stances and hand attacks, learning some forms (or Poomse), a few tips on sparring including timing, movement and the targeting of attacks, and last but not least a warm down to prevent muscle spasms and cramping,

The United Kingdom's official governing body of the sport is British Taekwondo and if you would like to join a Taekwondo class in Faringdon, you'll also be required to become a member of this organization. By visiting British Taekwondo's website you'll be able to read info on coaching courses, coaches and tournament referees, health and safety, members and clubs, starting a new club, equality and safeguarding, news, events, first aid, and a lot more Taekwondo related facts.

The Main Taekwondo Kicks

There are a lot of different Taekwondo kicking techniques, here are just a few of them: Side Kick, Crescent Kick, Axe Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick, Push Kick. Blocks: To repulse the numerous hand attacks and kicks there are an equally diverse assortment of blocks. They are held in particular positions and enlist the hands with sections of the arm. Each type of attack calls for a particular style of block, counter-attacks can be produced by integrating a block with a retaliatory punch or kick. The key blocks (makgi) include: Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Low Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Nine Block, Rising Block, Upper Block, Double Forearm Block and Palm Block.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are of course, many benefits to be gained from taking part in Taekwondo, and listed here are just a few which might be of interest to you: Teach self-defence by helping you to identify occasions where self-defence might be needed, and allowing you to control these circumstances in your favour, Empower your mind and body through enhanced mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Grow in confidence by pushing you to seize control of your life and succeed, Better self-discipline by methodically training your body and mind in the strategies and principles of Taekwondo, Enhance feelings of self-esteem by elevating both mental and physical fitness, Reduces anxiety with controlled breathing, Improve flexibility, agility and stamina through strenuous cardiovascular work-outs.

Safety Gear

British Taekwondo matches call for certain safety equipment to be worn to safeguard contenders from getting injured as a result of the formidable kicking that transpires. These safety solutions include: blue or red body armour (hogu), shin protectors, forearm guards, a gum shield, a groin protector, hand guards and a blue or red head protector.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Perfecting Taekwondo calls for learning a number of techniques and disciplines and one of the pivotal parts of Taekwondo is its forms (also called patterns or Poomse). These are sequences of stance, direction and technique which have to be memorized in order for participants to move through the different dans (belts/grades).

To Summarize

We can pretty much guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you are going to make more friends, gain self-confidence and improve your fitness. If that's all that you get out of it, then all well and good, you can call it a success! We aren't all striving to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, still need to start with that very first step. Good luck with your quest!