Taekwondo Ockbrook

It needs to be asserted that Taekwondo can be pretty challenging physically, which could unnerve the older and less nimble folks in Ockbrook from taking this up. To be completely honest, the most common people participating in Taekwondo classes are kids and younger people, but of course older people who are in decent physical health can easily take part and get benefits from this activity.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently formulated of the martial arts, with its beginnings in Korea, South-East Asia in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul established some new schools known as "kwans", merging a variety of martial arts practices. Taekwondo, which it eventually became known as, mostly involves kicking manoeuvres, particularly turning/jumping kicks, head-height kicks and rapid kicking strategies.

Taekwondo has grown to become really popular in Ockbrook and all across the globe, with over 60 million participants worldwide. Joining a local Ockbrook Taekwondo class or club is an excellent way to become involved in this activity which has even been included in the Olympic Games ever since the Sydney Games in 2000. Whilst you may not have any dreams to get involved in Olympic competition, there's no reason why you shouldn't become a maestro of this enjoyable martial art and have some fun in the process.

For the people of Ockbrook who like the idea of learning a martial art, a big priority is the element of self-defence. Because this is a central principle of Taekwondo, it's not difficult to see the appeal of this unique sport. With the extra reward of learning self-restraint and having a degree of respect for other people, registering for a local Ockbrook Taekwondo class seems to be a no brainer.

Your eagerly mastered Taekwondo skills will most likely never have to be put to the test outside the regulated setting of an organized Taekwondo class, however knowing that you have them will instill you with self-confidence.

Your First Lesson

For those of you who have never done Taekwondo before, you will no doubt be interested to know what to expect from your first class. The following will give you an idea, but this may vary from school to school. A warm up of fifteen to twenty minutes to increase your heart rate and reduce stiffness in the muscles, a bit of technical training which will involve learning some hand attacks, stances, kicks and blocks, learning some forms (or Poomse), a look at sparring including movement, timing and attack targeting, and lastly a warm down to stretch muscles and relax.

Any individual who joins a Taekwondo class in Ockbrook has to also register with British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in the UK. You will be able to find a lot of information on equality and safeguarding, events, coaching courses, referees and coaching, first aid, members and clubs, news, health and safety, establishing a new club, and more, by exploring British Taekwondo's website.

The Basic Taekwondo Kicks

Kicks play a key role in the art of Taekwondo, here are a small selection of the more basic ones: Front Kick (Ap Chagi), Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi), Push Kick (Meereo Chagi), Roundhouse Kick (Dollyo Chagi), Crescent Kick (Bandal Chagi), Hook or Whip Kick (Huryeo Chagi), Side Kick (Yeop Chagi), Back Kick (Dwo Chagi). Blocks: To defend against the various kicks and hand attacks there are an equally diverse assortment of blocks. Held in specific positions, they use the hands and sections of the arm. Every block can be merged with a punch or kick to produce a counter-attack, and each is appropriate for a particular attack. The main "blocks" include: Single Forearm Block, Knife Hand Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Rising Block, Nine Block, Double Forearm Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When you are registering for Taekwondo classes in Ockbrook you will be aiming to get some benefits to make the entire venture worth the effort. And so let us consider a few of the many positive benefits that you may acquire by learning and doing Taekwondo. Improve self-esteem and concentration by maximizing your physical and mental fitness, Supercharge agility, stamina and flexibility through intensive cardiovascular effort, Boost confidence by pushing you to take control of your life and succeed, Lower stress and anxiety using advanced breath control, Toughen up your body and mind via improved mental discipline and physical co-ordination, Better discipline by comprehensively training your mind and body in the concepts and techniques of Taekwondo, Teach you self-defence tactics by helping you recognise instances in which self-defence might be required, and empowering you to manipulate these kinds of scenarios to your advantage.

Taekwondo Forms

People just starting their journey in Taekwondo do not need to worry too much about forms (patterns, Poomse) in the early days, but they'll have to learn some standard ones to begin with and move on to more intricate forms as they move up the belts (grades/dans). A "form" is denoted by specific elements of Taekwondo including stance, direction and technique. Getting to grips with such sequences is a key part of perfecting Taekwondo.

Beginners Taekwondo Ockbrook

With any activity or sport we've got to start someplace, and Taekwondo is no exception. Even the the most brilliant Ockbrook Taekwondo masters were total newbies at one time. So, what can you expect as a total novice at Taekwondo? A beginners class should give its enrollees sufficient coaching to give them the fundamentals and enable them to build self-confidence as they move forward. A perfect beginners class must be fun as well as educational, when people are having fun they're far more invested and are going to learn quicker.

Safety Equipment

Contests governed by British Taekwondo guidelines demand that specific pieces of protective equipment be used, these include things like: a red or blue head protector, shin protectors, a gum shield, forearm protectors, hand guards, a groin protector and a red or blue body protector (hogu). This is important due to the forceful kicking moves being employed.

Final Thoughts

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I guess we don't all want to be. Taekwondo is not solely about Olympic medals and National Championships. Most of us are happy to make new friends, improve our fitness and meet different people, and that's how it ought to be. However, as with most matters in life, what you get out of it will be determined by what you put into it. Good luck!