Taekwondo Hednesford

While people of all ages in Hednesford can of course participate in Taekwondo, it is particularly suited to the younger generation since it can be quite physically demanding, children can especially benefit from its teachings of self-discipline and the respect of others. It could prove too taxing for some older adults, but shouldn't be a problem for those who are already fit and active. However those who take up Taekwondo in Hednesford at a young age will find they can easily carry it on into older adulthood. The less agile of you might find that Tai Chi which is a bit softer is more suitable.

Taekwondo was only developed fairly recently in Korea (1945). This combination of various martial arts techniques were practiced in some new schools in Seoul called "kwans", founded by a group of Korean martial artists. This eventually became known as Taekwondo and the main emphasis of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, fast kicking styles and head-height kicks.Today Hednesford Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Taekwondo has grown to become really popular in Hednesford and around the globe, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. Signing up for a local Hednesford Taekwondo club or class is an excellent way to get involved with this sporting activity which has even been a feature of the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games of 2000. Whilst you might not have any ambitions to be involved in Olympic competition, there is no reason why you shouldn't become a master of this challenging martial art and have some fun along the way.

For many people in Hednesford, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo that has the most appeal. You shouldn't be surprised by this, when you bear in mind the high incidence of violence seen in today's town and city centres. Learning to defend yourself while at the same time applying self-restraint and a respect for others is a key benefit of Taekwondo.

While it is useful to practice and master these self-defence skills in the controlled environment of your local Hednesford Taekwondo club, with luck you'll never be required to use them in the wider world.

Your First Lesson

If you have never had a go at Taekwondo before, you might be a bit anxious as to what to expect on your first lesson. This can vary from school to school but will generally comprise some or all of these. A fifteen to twenty minute warm up to loosen up muscles and increase the heart rate, a little practical training involving learning some kicks, blocks, stances and hand attacks, learning some forms (or Poomse), an overview of sparring including movement, timing and the timing of attacks, and lastly a warm down to stretch and relax weary muscles.

The body regulating Taekwondo in the UK is British Taekwondo and anyone wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Hednesford must also register with British Taekwondo. You can learn about health and safety, clubs and members, coaching courses, safeguarding and equality, first aid, establishing a new Taekwondo club, events, news, coaches and competition referees, and more on British Taekwondo's official website, and find out the latest news on their Facebook or Twitter page.

The Eight Basic Taekwondo Kicks

One of the main features of Taekwondo is kicking, here is a small selection of the best known kicks: Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Front Kick, Crescent Kick, Side Kick, Back Kick, Axe Kick. Blocks: To divert and stop an incoming attack, blocks (known as Makgi) are used. Engaging the hand and sections of the arm, they are held in particular positions. Every "block" can be coupled with a punch or kick to create a counter-attack, and each one is appropriate for a specific attack. The main "blocks" include: Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Palm Block, Upper Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Rising Block, Low Block, Single Forearm Block and Knife Hand Block.

Taekwondo Belts

With there being various different kinds of Taekwondo there has never really been any recognised arrangement for assigning belts (levels). What exists is however relatively similar and comprises a couple of belt groupings "junior" and "senior" ("colour" and "black"), each one of these groups is split into ranks, eight to twelve colours for juniors and nine "blacks" for seniors.

Taekwondo Tournaments and Competitions

Tournaments and competitions are an important element of the Taekwondo legacy, and all the diverse styles across the globe stage tournaments where Taekwondo exponents get together to battle it out. Hard contact is rarely permitted in any of these competitions which primarily comprise patterns (forms), breaking and sparring. Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments, while some hand attacks are permitted in ITF events.

Conclusion

So, what are you hoping to get from Taekwondo? Well, that's an excellent question, and the answer will be different for individual people. The majority of participants will purely look to meet new people, gain more self-confidence and improve their fitness. We're certainly not all going to scale the dizzy heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although perhaps you will, you never know? 👊