Taekwondo Great Harwood

Due to its more physical attributes, Taekwondo is maybe more appropriate for the younger generation in Great Harwood and is especially suited to kids because it's great for developing self-discipline and respect for other people. More elderly individuals might find it a bit too strenuous unless they're especially fit and active. However, those who take up Taekwondo in Great Harwood from a young age will discover they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less agile of you could think about something softer like Tai Chi.

The name Taekwondo has only been used since the 1950's, although the sport started life in Korea in 1945. A group of Korean martial arts enthusiasts in Seoul established some exciting new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a combination of martial arts techniques. The focus of Taekwondo, as it eventually became known, is on kicking movements, especially head-height kicks, rapid kicking methods and jumping/spinning kicks. Nowadays Great Harwood Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

With more than sixty million people taking part in Taekwondo classes all around the globe, this has certainly become an extremely popular activity, and if you really master this martial art you might even one day qualify for the Olympic Games, of which it's been a part since the Sydney Games in the year 2000.

For the men, women and children of Great Harwood who like the idea of learning a martial art, a top priority is the aspect of self-defence. Because this is a pivotal concept of Taekwondo, it's not difficult to see the attraction of this unique sport. With the extra bonus of developing self-restraint and having a degree of respect for other people, enrolling in a local Great Harwood Taekwondo class would seem to be a no brainer.

There is a pretty decent likelihood that your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will never see the light of day in your everyday life, but it will undoubtedly give you self-confidence knowing that they're there should you ever be in need of them.

Your First Great Harwood Taekwondo Class

If you decide on registering for Taekwondo training in Great Harwood, the first thing you'll need to know is what will occur on the initial class and exactly what will the trainer be expecting of you. Different Taekwondo masters in the Great Harwood area will develop differing routines for this initial introductory lesson but you can anticipate doing a fifteen to twenty minute warm-up to get the blood coursing and loosen your muscles, learn a few Poomse (forms, cover some practical training (kicks, hand attacks, blocks and stances), do a bit of sparring, and last but not least, warm-down.

British Taekwondo is the official regulating body of the sport within Britain, and membership of this organisation is compulsory if you want to join any Taekwondo class in Great Harwood or nearby. You can get loads of details of events, coaches and competition referees, first aid, health and safety, coaching courses, news, starting a new Taekwondo club, equality and safeguarding, clubs and members, and more, by viewing British Taekwondo's website.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Competitions are an important part of the overall Taekwondo experience, and all the various styles across the globe hold contests where Taekwondo exponents band together to compete. Hard contact is rarely allowed in any of these competitive events which mainly incorporate patterns (forms), breaking and sparring. Sparring only is allowed in Olympic and WT tournaments, while specified hand attacks are permitted in ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) events.

Taekwondo Kicks

As martial arts go, Taekwondo sticks out as the one with the most kicking manoeuvres. The following are just some standard ones: Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi), Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Whip or Hook Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi). Blocks: To stop and defend against an inbound attack, blocks (called Makgi) are implemented. They're held in various positions and use the hands with different sections of the arm. Each "block" can be combined with a punch or kick to create a counter-attack, and each is meant for a specific attack. The primary blocks (makgi) in Taekwondo include: Nine Block, Rising Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Double Forearm Block, Low Block and Double Knife Hand Block.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are of course, a number of benefits to be gained from taking part in Taekwondo, and the following are just a few that could be of interest to you: Toughen up your body and mind by means of enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Augment stamina, flexibility and agility by means of intense cardiovascular effort, Build up confidence by helping you to seize control of your life and succeed, Learn self-defence strategies by helping you to identify situations in which self-defence might be required, and empowering you to control such situations to your advantage, Better discipline by exhaustively schooling your body and mind in the techniques and principles of Taekwondo, Reduced anxiety using advanced breath control, Enhance self-esteem by maximizing both mental and physical health.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Taekwondo forms (also called patterns or Poomse) are characterised by particular activities such as technique, direction and stance. From the start of your Taekwondo adventure you are going to get to grips with a few of the important forms, and so as to progress through the various grades (belts) you'll have to master some more complicated ones.

Taekwondo Beginners Classes

Trainees setting out on their Taekwondo adventure in Great Harwood will initially sign up for a beginners class. Beginners classes are great, because there are no serious demands and everything is done at a slow, casual pace. Having fun while learning is the key goal at the start and students who are having fun have a tendency to learn a lot faster and digest significantly more of what they're being told. Even Taekwondo masters started off as naive novices, so take that very first step and who knows where you will end up!

Final Thoughts

We can practically guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you will make more friends, gain more confidence and improve your wellbeing. If that's all you get out of it, then that is great, and you can call it a success! We're not all vying to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you who are, need to begin with that very first step. Good luck on your quest!