Taekwondo Innsworth

As Taekwondo has quite high physical demands, it's perhaps more suitable for the younger people of Innsworth. That is not to say that older individuals can't take part in this activity, but just that there may be other martial arts which are more suited to the less agile of us. Tai Chi is the perfect illustration.

Taekwondo is a martial art that primarily comprises high-kicking manoeuvres and moves, in particular head-height kicks, jumping/turning kicks and rapid kicking styles. It began in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a group of martial arts specialists founded schools called "kwans", which mixed together a number of martial arts practices.

Taekwondo has grown to become extremely popular in Innsworth and all across the globe, with over sixty million practitioners worldwide. Joining a local Innsworth Taekwondo class or club is a good way to get involved in this activity which has even been included in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. Although you might not aspire to Olympic competition, there is no reason why you shouldn't become a maestro of this enjoyable martial art and have some fun along the way.

For many people in Innsworth, it is the self-defence aspect of Taekwondo which holds the most appeal. And in these days of increasing violence, especially in city and town centres, it really is little surprise that this aspect sits high on people's priority lists. It is a key element of Taekwondo that you're able to become more confident in your capability to defend yourself while at the same time learning to respect those around you and practice self-restraint.

There's a very good chance that your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will never need to be tested in the outside world, but it will unquestionably give you reassurance knowing that they are sitting in the background should you ever need them.

What to Expect From Your First Class

If you have booked your first lesson but have never attempted Taekwondo before, you may be wondering what to expect. This can vary depending on which Innsworth school you attend, but will typically involve the following. A warm up of 15 to 20 minutes to increase heart rate and loosen stiff muscles, a little technical training which will involve learning some stances, hand attacks, kicks and blocks, an introduction to some forms, a few tips on sparring including good timing, precise movement and the accurate targeting of attacks, and last but not least a warm down to relax and stretch muscles.

Anybody wishing to join a Taekwondo class in Innsworth must also register with British Taekwondo which is the governing body of the sport in Great Britain. By visiting the British Taekwondo website you can obtain info regarding coaching courses, news, safeguarding and equality, establishing a new club, events, referees and coaching, first aid, health and safety, members and clubs, and a lot more Taekwondo related issues.

Taekwondo Forms (Poomse)

Mastering Tae kwon do calls for getting to grips with many disciplines and techniques and one of the key elements of Taekwondo is its forms (also called patterns or Poomse). These are types of direction, technique and stance which have to be mastered in order for students to move through the different dans (belts/grades).

Competitions and Tournaments

There are an array of competitions in Taekwondo associated with all the various styles. They primarily comprise patterns, sparring and breaking with little or no hard contact. International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) tournaments do not permit disproportionate contact but do permit hand attacks towards the head. WT and Olympic contests only allow sparring. Multi-style contests also take place.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When getting involved in Taekwondo classes in Innsworth you will be hoping to get a few benefits to make the whole thing worth the effort. So why don't we look at some of the many benefits that you might gain by doing and learning Taekwondo. Grow in your confidence by inspiring you to take control of your life and succeed, Lessen anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Improve feelings of self-esteem by heightening your mental and physical fitness, Toughen up your body and mind via increased physical coordination and mental discipline, Greater discipline and willpower by exhaustively training your mind and body in the principles and strategies of Taekwondo, Teach you self-defence techniques by training you to understand instances where self-defence might be required, and allowing you to manipulate these types of scenarios in your favour, Improve agility, flexibility and stamina through intensive cardiovascular work-outs.

Innsworth Taekwondo for Beginners

Even the very best exponents of Taekwondo in Innsworth had to start as novices, therefore there is no disgrace in being a complete beginner at this sport, or any other activity for that matter. The aim of a Taekwondo beginners class is to teach a few basics, improve confidence and build a firm foundation for the future. Most importantly of all is that it must be enjoyable, trainees having a great time will learn quicker and be more engaged.

Taekwondo Safety Gear

In all events, matches and competitions being staged under the supervision of British Taekwondo, safety equipment like blue or red body armour (hogu), hand protectors, shin pads, a gum shield, forearm protectors, a red/blue head guard and a groin protector is obligatory. The kicking moves used in Taekwondo may cause harm and this safety measure helps to make the sport less dangerous for its competitors.

Taekwondo Belts (Ranking)

With regards to belts, ranking and promotion there's not actually any real uniformity in Taekwondo, because there are many different styles of Taekwondo which each have their own unique system. There are however similarities and they generally comprise 2 groups of belts "juniors" and "seniors" symbolized by coloured and black belts respectively. The senior grades generally have nine ranks and the junior, eight to twelve grades.

Rankings in Taekwondo in the UK are symbolized by what are referred to as "Kup". The highest rank is First Kup and the lowest (beginners) is Tenth Kup. As with many of the martial arts, the Taekwondo belt order is portrayed by a range of colours, so the ranks are easily recognised. 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. The 10th Kup (White Belt) is what Taekwondo newbies in Innsworth will commence with, they can then advance through the different coloured belts, eventually earning the Red With Black Stripe Belt (1st Kup), which can take about 3-4 years of dedication.

Once this training has been successfully completed, Innsworth Taekwondo trainees are referred to as "black belt candidates", and they then have to progress through an additional nine Dans (ranks) if they're to become a Taekwondo "Black Belt", which of course is the supreme distinction in this sport. Hence, the Taekwondo belt order can be put into three groups; Junior Belt, Senior Belt and Black Belt. The Junior Taekwondo Belts are; White (10th), White With Yellow Stripe (9th), Yellow (8th), and Yellow With Green Stripe (7th). The Senior Taekwondo Belts comprise; Green (6th), Green With Blue Stripe (5th), Blue (4th), Blue With Red Stripe (3rd), Red (2nd) and Red With Black Stripe (1st). The Black Taekwondo Belts go from 1st to 9th Dan which can take a considerable number of years to successfully progress through. (Tags: Taekwondo Belts Innsworth, Taekwondo Black Belts, Taekwondo Rankings Innsworth, Taekwondo Belt Order).