Taekwondo Mirfield

Taekwondo is generally a lot more demanding physically than for example Tai Chi, so unless you are pretty fit and nimble you may prefer to partake in something a little bit gentler to boost your fitness in Mirfield. Children are certainly the perfect participants for Taekwondo classes in Mirfield, with lots of fast paced movements going on and a great deal of high kicking.

Taekwondo started in Korea in 1945. In Seoul, a group of Korean martial arts enthusiasts founded some schools which they called "kwans", practicing a blend of martial arts techniques. The main focus of the discipline was on kicking manoeuvres, especially jumping/spinning kicks, head kicks and rapid kicking strategies, and it was later given the name; Taekwondo, roughly meaning "the way of the foot and fist". Today Mirfield Taekwondo classes observe this tradition.

Taekwondo has become very popular in Mirfield and all around the world, with over 60 million practitioners worldwide. Joining a local Mirfield Taekwondo club or class is a good way to get involved in this sport which has even featured in the Olympic Games since the Sydney Games of 2000. 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.

People in Mirfield take up Taekwondo for many reasons but it is the self-defence aspect that appeals to most. And in these days of increased violence, especially in town and city centres, it is no surprise that this features high on people's list of priorities. Learning to defend yourself while at the same time applying self-restraint and a respect for others is a key benefit of Taekwondo.

There is a pretty good likelihood that your newly mastered Taekwondo skills will never have to be used in the outside world, but it will undoubtedly give you self-confidence knowing that they are there should you need them.

What to Expect From Your First Lesson

Different Taekwondo clubs in and around Mirfield will have different viewpoints on what pupils should cover on their first class, but to give you a perception of what you can expect most first Taekwondo classes will include a warm-up, a bit of sparring, learning Poomse (forms), an introduction to stances, kicks, blocking techniques and hand attacks (practical training) and a warm-down to relax weary muscles and return the body to a state of balance.

Any individual wanting to join a Taekwondo class in Mirfield must also register with British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in Great Britain. By visiting British Taekwondo's official website you'll be able to find details on safe practices, events, equality and safeguarding, members and clubs, first aid, beginning a new club, news, coaching courses, coaches and referees, and a lot more Taekwondo related issues.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

The benefits that may be achieved by taking part in Taekwondo sessions in Mirfield are countless, among the most significant are: Lower stress using advanced breath control, Improve flexibility, agility and stamina through intense cardiovascular exertion, Improve feelings of self-esteem by sharpening both physical and mental health, More self-discipline by extensively educating your body and mind in the concepts and strategies of Taekwondo, Learn self-defence strategies by showing you how to realize circumstances in which self-defence may be necessary, and allowing you to control such situations to your advantage, Empower your body and mind by means of improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Grow in confidence by encouraging you to succeed and to seize control of your life.

Safety Equipment

Tournaments regulated by British Taekwondo rules require various pieces of protective gear to be worn, these include: shin pads, forearm protectors, hand guards, a groin protector, a blue or red head guard, red/blue trunk armour and a mouth protector. This is necessary because of the potent kicking attacks being practiced.

Taekwondo Belts

In relation to ranking, promotion and belts there's not actually any real standardisation in Taekwondo, as there are various styles of Taekwondo which each have their own unique arrangement. There are however likenesses and they normally comprise two groupings of belts "juniors" and "seniors" symbolized by coloured and black belts respectively. The senior grades generally have nine ranks and the junior, between 8 and 12 levels.

In the UK Taekwondo has a series of ranks which are generally known as "Kup", these ranks range from 10th (lowest) to 1st (highest). If you are curious about the Taekwondo belt order, it's as follows, and is denoted by a range of different colours i.e. 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. Beginners of Taekwondo in Mirfield will start out with the White Belt (Tenth Kup), and progress through the different coloured belts until they attain the First Kup (Red Belt With Black Stripe)

Once this training has been completed, Mirfield Taekwondo trainees advance to "black belt candidates", and they then need to earn a further nine Dans or ranks if they're to achieve the Taekwondo "Black Belt", which of course is the ultimate distinction in this sport. So, Junior Belts, Senior Belts and Black Belts are the three primary groups in the Taekwondo belt order. The Junior group of 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 will involve many years of dedication. (Tags: Taekwondo Belt Order, Taekwondo Promotion Mirfield, Taekwondo Belts Mirfield, Belt Order Taekwondo).

Tournaments

A standard Taekwondo tournament incorporates breaking, patterns and sparring, as far as the Olympics is concerned only sparring is involved. That said there are also some unique categories in certain tournaments such as team demonstrations and self-defence. WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments are solely soft-contact events, whilst International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) contests permit some hand attacks aimed at the head. There are additionally a few multi-discipline competitions.