Taekwondo Langdon Hills

Since Taekwondo has pretty high physical requirements, it is perhaps more suited to the younger generation in Langdon Hills. That's not to say that elderly people can't participate in this popular activity, but merely that there might be alternative martial arts that are more suited to the less agile among us. Tai Chi would be a perfect example.

The sport was developed in Korea in 1945, though it wasn't named Taekwondo until the 1950's. A group of Korean martial arts enthusiasts in Seoul established some innovative new schools called "kwans", where they practiced a mix of martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which it eventually became known as, mainly involves kicking movements, especially rapid kicking styles, jumping/turning kicks and head-height kicks. These days Langdon Hills Taekwondo classes follow this tradition.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Langdon Hills and all around the world, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. This sport has even featured in the Olympic Games since 2000, and if you want to get involved, joining a local Langdon Hills Taekwondo club or class is a good place to start. 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 men, women and children of Langdon Hills who like the idea of learning a martial art, a top priority is the element of self-defence. As this is an important principle of Taekwondo, it is easy to see the attraction of this unique sport. With the added bonus of learning self-restraint and having a deep respect for others, getting involved in a local Langdon Hills Taekwondo class seems to be an easy decision.

Whilst it will give you peace of mind being aware that you have these self-defence skills tucked away inside you, the chances are you'll never be required to test them outside of an organized Taekwondo class.

Your First Taekwondo Class

If you have made up your mind to learn Taekwondo and are preparing for your first class, you'll be wondering what will happen. This may vary depending on which Langdon Hills school you go to, but will generally involve the following. 15-20 minutes of warm up exercises to loosen stiff muscles and increate your heart rate, some technical training comprising some blocking techniques, stances, hand attacks and kicks, an introduction to forms or patterns, a few tips on sparring including timing, movement and the targeting of attacks, and last but not least a warm down to relax and stretch muscles.

Anyone wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Langdon Hills must also register with British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in the British Isles. By heading to British Taekwondo's official website you'll be able to obtain details on news, events, health and safety, coaching courses, starting a new club, equality and safeguarding, coaches and competition referees, first aid, members and clubs, and a lot more Taekwondo related issues.

Beginners Classes

Even the very best exponents of Taekwondo in Langdon Hills set out as rookies, therefore it is no shame to be a beginner at Taekwondo, or for that matter any other activity. The goal of a Taekwondo beginner class is to provide a few basics, boost self-confidence and build a solid foundation moving forward. Most importantly of all is that it must be enjoyable, students having a great time will learn faster and be more committed.

The Benefits of Taekwondo

There are of course, a lot of benefits to be had from practicing Taekwondo, and the following are just a few which may be tempting for you: Boost your confidence by encouraging you to seize control of your life and succeed, Strengthen your mind and body through enhanced mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Learn self-defence by training you to recognise circumstances in which self-defence might be necessary, and allowing you to control these types of situations in your favour, Turbocharge stamina, agility and flexibility by means of intensive cardiovascular work-outs, More self-discipline by methodically schooling your body and mind in the tactics and concepts of Taekwondo, Increase concentration and self-esteem by heightening your mental and physical fitness, Reduces stress by doing deep breathing exercises.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

With there being various different disciplines of Taekwondo there's never really been any uniform arrangement for allocating belts (grades). What exists is however relatively similar and comprises two belt groups "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each one of these groupings is split into levels, eight to twelve colours for juniors and nine for the seniors.

In the UK Taekwondo has a series of ranks which are referred to as "Kup", these ranks range from 10th (lowest) to 1st (highest). The Taekwondo belt order, similar to the vast majority of the martial arts is portrayed by a range of different colours, these colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediary 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. The White Belt (10th Kup) is what Taekwondo novices in Langdon Hills will start off with, they will then progress through the different coloured belts, finally attaining the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (1st Kup), which will probably take around 3-4 years of training and lessons.

After this training regime has been completed, Langdon Hills Taekwondo trainees advance to "black belt candidates", and they then need to earn an additional 9 Dans (ranks) if they are to become a Taekwondo "Black Belt", which of course is the ultimate distinction in this sport. Therefore, Junior Belt, Senior Belt and Black Belt are the 3 main groups in the Taekwondo belt order. 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 group 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 demands many years of dedication and training. (Tags: Taekwondo Ranks Langdon Hills, Taekwondo Belts Langdon Hills, Taekwondo Belt Order, Taekwondo Black Belts).

The Popular Taekwondo Kicks

Taekwondo is renowned for its wide range of kicking techniques, over and above any other martial art. Here are just a few: Roundhouse Kick, Push Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Hook or Whip Kick, Back Kick, Crescent Kick, Axe Kick. Blocks: To fend off the various kicks and hand attacks there are a similarly diverse array of blocks (Makgi). They are held in particular positions and employ the hands with areas of the arm. Every "block" can be merged with a punch or kick to create a counter-attack, and each one is appropriate for a specific attack. The most used "blocks" include: Upper Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Low Block, Rising Block, Double Forearm Block, Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Nine Block and Palm Block.