Taekwondo Great Sankey

Due to its more physical attributes, Taekwondo is possibly more appropriate for the younger generation in Great Sankey and is especially suited to kids because it's fantastic for developing respect for others and self-discipline. Older adults might find it somewhat too demanding unless they're especially active and fit. However, those folks who take up Taekwondo in Great Sankey at a young age will find they can easily carry it on when they are older. The less nimble of you could think about something gentler like Tai Chi.

The name Taekwondo has only been used since the 1950's, although the discipline started life in Korea in 1945. In Seoul, a group of Korean martial arts fanatics established some new schools which they named "kwans", practicing a combination of martial arts techniques. This eventually became known as Taekwondo and the main emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially head-height kicks, jumping/turning kicks and fast kicking methods.Today Great Sankey Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

The total number of Taekwondo practitioners worldwide, now exceeds 60 million. Now an Olympic sport, Taekwondo is accessible to everyone, and joining a local Great Sankey Taekwondo club or class is the best way to get yourself involved. While you may not aspire to Olympic competition, there is no reason why you cannot become a master of this exciting martial art and have some fun along the way.

For the people of Great Sankey who are keen on the idea of learning a martial art, a major priority is the element of self-defence. As this is an important concept of Taekwondo, it is easy to see the appeal of this specific sport. With the extra benefit of developing self-restraint and having a deep respect for those around you, registering for a local Great Sankey Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

There's a very good likelihood that your newly learned Taekwondo skills will never have to be tested in the outside world, but it will unquestionably give you self-confidence knowing that they are sitting in the background should you ever be in need of them.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you have never done Taekwondo before, you might be a little apprehensive as to what can be expected on your very first lesson. This may vary from club to club but will generally consist of all or some of these. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen up muscles, a little practical training involving learning some kicks, stances, hand attacks and blocks, studying some forms, an introduction to sparring including movement, attack timing and timing, and lastly a warm down to stretch and relax weary muscles.

British Taekwondo is the official governing body of the sport within Great Britain, and membership of this organization is compulsory if you wish to join any Taekwondo class in Great Sankey or nearby. By going to British Taekwondo's official website you can find information on coaches and referees, first aid, members and clubs, establishing a new club, coaching courses, news, safeguarding and equality, safe practices, events, and many more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is perhaps most recognized for its spectacular kicking manoeuvres, here are a few of the standard kicks you'll learn as a beginner: Axe Kick, Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick, Back Kick, Front Kick, Crescent Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To defend against and stop an incoming Taekwondo attack, blocks (called Makgi) are implemented. Held in specific positions, they use the hands and areas of the arm. Specific attacks require particular blocks, but blocks can also be transformed into counter-attacking moves by combining retaliatory punches or kicks. The main blocks (makgi) in Taekwondo include: Low Block, Upper Block, Nine Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Double Knife Hand Block and Palm Block.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

Because there are various styles of Taekwondo there's never been any recognised system for assigning belts (levels). What does exist however is pretty similar and is made up of a couple of belt groupings "junior" and "senior" ("colour" and "black"), each one of these groups is split into levels, eight to twelve colours for juniors and 9 for the seniors.

In the UK there are a series of ranks (belts) in Taekwondo that are generally known as "Kup". The lowest (beginners) rank is Tenth Kup and the highest rank is First Kup. As with most of the martial arts, the Taekwondo belt order is indicated by a number of colours, so the ranks are easily identified. These colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with transitional belts with stripes in-between, 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 Great Sankey will commence with the White Belt (10th Kup), and move up through the colours until they earn the Red With Black Stripe Belt (1st Kup).

After succeeding with this challenge, Taekwondo students in Great Sankey are considered to be "black belt candidates" which requires them to move through yet another nine ranks (Dans) until they eventually achieve the accolade of "Black Belt" status. Therefore, Junior, Senior and Black Belts are the 3 primary sections in the Taekwondo belt order in the UK. 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 will involve many years of training and dedication. (Tags: Taekwondo Belt Order, Taekwondo Ranks Great Sankey, Taekwondo Belts Great Sankey, Order of Belts in Taekwondo).

Taekwondo - The Benefits

The benefits that can be gained by taking part in Taekwondo instruction in Great Sankey are numerous, among the most significant are: Improve stamina, agility and flexibility through extreme cardiovascular work-outs, Help with self-defence by coaching you to recognise scenarios in which self-defence might be needed, and allowing you to turn these situations to your advantage, Improve self-esteem and concentration by raising both mental and physical powers, Toughen up your mind and body by way of improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination, More discipline and willpower by methodically training your body and mind in the strategies and principles of Taekwondo, Beef up your confidence by motivating you to take control of your life and succeed, Reduce stress by doing deep breathing exercises.

Safety Gear

British Taekwondo competitions call for certain safety equipment to be worn to protect competitors from personal injury as a result of the forceful kicking that takes place. This safety equipment includes: forearm protectors, a groin guard, a mouth guard, a blue/red trunk guard (hogu), hand protectors, a red/blue head guard and shin guards.

Conclusion

We can practically guarantee that if you participate in Taekwondo you are going to gain self-confidence, improve your levels of fitness and make more friends. If that is all that you get out of it, then all well and good, and you can call it an achievement! We aren't all aiming to be Jade Jones's or Lutalo Muhammad's, but those of you that are, have to begin with the very first step. Good luck on your journey! 👊