Taekwondo Goldthorpe

Because of its rather more physical aspects, Taekwondo is possibly more appropriate for the younger person in Goldthorpe and is especially suited to children because it is excellent for developing self-discipline and respect for other people. Older adults could find it a bit too strenuous unless they are particularly active and fit. Even so, those who persue Taekwondo in Goldthorpe at a young age will find they can easily carry it on when they are older. The less agile of you could consider participating in something gentler like Tai Chi.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently developed of the martial arts, with its root beginnings in Korea in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul established some schools which they called "kwans", merging many different martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which was ultimately called, primarily consists of high-kicking manoeuvres, especially head-height kicks, turning/jumping kicks and rapid kicking methods.

Ever since the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000, Taekwondo has been a competitive Olympic sport. This has made it even more popular all over the world with some 60 million people routinely taking part in classes. And it's by joining a Taekwondo club or class that you are able to start your quest of mastering this unique martial art.

For many folks in Goldthorpe, it is the self-defence element of Taekwondo that holds the most appeal. And in these days of increasing violence, particularly in city and town centres, it is little surprise that this sits high up on people's priority lists. It is a key element of Taekwondo that you can become confident in your ability to defend yourself and at the same time learn to respect other people and practice self-restraint.

There is a very good chance that your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will never have to be proven in the outside world, but it will most certainly give you reassurance knowing that they are there should you ever need them.

Your First Lesson

If you have made up your mind to learn Taekwondo and are heading to your first class, you will be wondering what will happen. This may vary depending on which Goldthorpe school you go to, but will usually involve the following. An initial warm up lasting fifteen to twenty minutes, some technical training which will involve learning some kicks, stances, hand attacks and blocks, an introduction to some forms, some ideas on sparring including good timing, precise movement and the accurate targeting of attacks, and lastly a warm down to prevent cramping and muscle spasms.

The official body regulating Taekwondo in the British Isles is British Taekwondo and any person wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Goldthorpe has to also become a member of British Taekwondo. You will be able to find plenty of details of news, events, first aid, safeguarding and equality, referees and coaching, establishing a new Taekwondo club, health and safety, members and clubs, coaching courses, and more, by going to British Taekwondo's official website.

Beginners Classes

As with any activity or sport we have to start somewhere, and Taekwondo's no exception. Even the topmost Goldthorpe Taekwondo masters were total novices at one point. So, what can you expect as a total beginner at Taekwondo? A beginners class should give its enrollees enough instruction to teach them the basics and allow them to develop confidence as they move forward. The perfect beginners class must be enjoyable as well as instructional, when students are enjoying themselves they are more invested and are going to learn quicker.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

Matches controlled by British Taekwondo policies demand that certain pieces of protective equipment be worn, these include: forearm protectors, a red/blue head protector, a red/blue trunk guard (hogu), a groin guard, a mouth protector, shin protectors and hand protectors. This is necessary on account of the formidable kicking attacks being employed.

Taekwondo Forms

Taekwondo forms (also referred to as patterns or Poomse) are identified by certain aspects like stance, direction and technique. From the beginning of your Taekwondo journey you will learn some of the basic forms, and so as to advance through the various rankings (belts) you will have to master some more advanced ones.

Taekwondo Belts

In Tae kwon do there's really no standardisation in relation to belts and ranking. It is all depending on what style you're reviewing, as there are such a lot of Taekwondo rules and styles. They are however, generally divided into 2 groupings "junior (colour) belts and "senior" (black) belts. The colour/junior rankings consist of white to red, with anything from eight to twelve ranks, while the senior/black belts usually have 9 grades.

In the UK Taekwondo has a series of ranks (belts) that are referred to as "Kup", these ranks go from Tenth (lowest) to First (highest). 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 intermediate belts with stripes, namely 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 Goldthorpe will commence with the White Belt (10th Kup), and proceed through the colours until they attain the Red With Black Stripe Belt (1st Kup).

As soon as this training regime has been accomplished, Goldthorpe Taekwondo students advance to "black belt candidates", and they must then earn an additional nine Dans or ranks if they are to achieve the title of Taekwondo "Black Belt", which of course is the consummate accolade. Therefore, putting it simply, there are 3 main sections in the Taekwondo belt order, namely Junior, Senior and Black Belts. The Junior division Taekwondo Belts comprise; White (Tenth), White With a Yellow Stripe (Ninth), Yellow (Eighth), and Yellow With a Green Stripe (Seventh). The Senior division 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 group of Taekwondo Belts comprise First to Ninth Dan rankings, and involves many years of training and dedication.

In Summary

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I guess we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo isn't purely about Olympic medals and National Championships. Most of us are content to improve our levels of fitness, meet different people and make new friends, and that's how it should be. However, as with many things in life, what you get from it will depend on what you invest in it. Good luck!