Taekwondo Rishton

Taekwondo is an ideal sport for children in Rishton, because it encourages self-discipline and a respect for others. Its more physical aspects make it more suited to younger people. It can often be too taxing for older adults except when they are exceptionally fit and active. People in Rishton who take up Taekwondo when they are young find it easy to continue when they become older. If you are less nimble you could always try something a bit less strenuous such as Tai Chi or Yoga.

Based largely around high-kicking manoeuvres like head-height kicks, jumping/spinning kicks and rapid kicking methods, Taekwondo was created from the techniques of various martial arts, by a group of Seoul martial arts specialists in new schools known as "Kwans" during the nineteen forties and fifties. These "Kwans" were given the names Changmu Kwan, Mooduk Kwan, Jido Kwan, Chungdo Kwan and Songmu Kwan.

Nowadays an Olympic sport, Taekwondo has more than 60 million enthusiasts all around the world, and even though you may not have any ambitions to be an Olympic Games medalist, you're still able to register for a Taekwondo class or club to master what will no doubt turn out to be a fulfilling and interesting activity.

In these modern times of escalating violence, it is no surprise that people in places like Rishton are enrolling in self-defence techniques like Taekwondo to help them to feel safer in their everyday life. The self-defence aspect is one of the primary benefits of Taekwondo but it also promotes self-restraint and a respect for those around us, which are traits that are frequently missing in modern day life.

Such self-defence techniques may in due course come in handy in your everyday life, although it's more likely that you will solely be using them within a controlled class environment. Nevertheless it's a reassuring feeling knowing the fact that you will always be able to defend yourself when you have to.

Your First Class

If you've never tried Taekwondo before, you could be a little apprehensive as to what to expect on your very first lesson. This can vary from club to club but will generally comprise some or all of the following. A 15-20 minute warm up to increase heart rate and loosen muscles, a bit of practical training including learning some blocking techniques, stances, kicks and hand attacks, learning some forms, a brief introduction to sparring which will include movement, timing and the timing of attacks, and lastly a warm down to relax and stretch weary muscles.

The body regulating Taekwondo in the UK is British Taekwondo and anybody wishing to join a Taekwondo class in Rishton must also become a member of British Taekwondo. You can read about safeguarding and equality, coaches and tournament referees, news, first aid, clubs and members, coaching courses, events, health and safety, beginning a new Taekwondo club, and more on the official British Taekwondo website, and get the latest news stories on their Twitter or Facebook page.

Beginners Taekwondo Rishton

It matters not who you are or what you're standing is in Taekwondo, at one point you were a complete novice, fearing failure and knowing practically nothing. We've all started like this and are only able to improve and learn through practice. Beginner Taekwondo classes in Rishton are the place to start that learning journey and to acquire the fundamentals so that you can build self-confidence and move forward in your exciting Taekwondo adventure. Most beginner classes are created to be fun and friendly, providing a gradual introduction to the fundamental Taekwondo values and developing a solid base moving forward.

Safety Equipment

Safety equipment such as forearm guards, hand guards, a blue/red head guard, a gum shield, a groin protector, shin protectors and a blue/red body guard (hogu) have to be used in all contests overseen by British Taekwondo. Protection from injury is paramount thanks to the potent kicks that are an integral element of this sport.

Taekwondo Patterns (Forms)

Forms are a key part of Taekwondo and are crucial if you're going to master this exciting sporting activity. Several basic "forms" should be grasped from the beginning and more advanced forms will have to be perfected so as to advance through the various levels. A Taekwondo form is categorized by various aspects such as stance, technique and direction.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

In the art of taekwondo there's not really any standardization in regards to belts and ranking. It all hinges on what style you are considering, since there are such a diversity of Taekwondo styles. They are however, generally divided into 2 groups "junior" or "colour" belts and "senior" or "black" belts. The junior/colour rankings consist of white to red, with from eight to twelve grades, while the senior/black belts typically have nine levels.

In the UK Taekwondo has a set of ranks that are generally known as "Kup", these ranks go from 10th (lowest) to 1st (highest). If you're interested in the Taekwondo belt order, it is as follows, and is portrayed by a range of colours i.e. white, yellow, green, blue and red, with intermediary belts with stripes, 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. Beginners of Taekwondo in Rishton will start out with the 10th Kup (White Belt), and move up through the different coloured belts until they reach the Red Belt With a Black Stripe (1st Kup).

Taekwondo students in Rishton become "black belt candidates" after they've succeeded with this challenge, and they'll then be faced with progressing through yet another nine ranks (called Dans) if they plan to achieve the consummate accolade Taekwondo Black Belt. So, to put it simply, there are 3 main groupings in the Taekwondo belt order, namely Junior, Senior and Black Belts. The Junior group of Taekwondo Belts are; 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.

Competitions and Tournaments

Tournaments and competitions are a significant element of the Taekwondo experience, and all of the diverse styles all over the world hold competitions and tournaments where Taekwondo exponents get together to compete. Hard contact is rarely permitted in any of these tournaments which mainly comprise sparring, patterns and breaking. Sparring only is permitted in Olympic and WT tournaments, while specified hand attacks are permitted in ITF events.

The Many Benefits of Taekwondo

The benefits which can be acquired by participating in Taekwondo sessions in Rishton are countless, amongst the most noteworthy are: Boost confidence by encouraging you to succeed and to take control of your life, Lower stress and anxiety by doing deep breathing exercises, Augment flexibility, agility and stamina by way of intense cardiovascular work-outs, Strengthen your body and mind by means of enhanced physical coordination and mental discipline, Enhance feelings of self-esteem by maximizing your mental and physical powers, Teach self-defence by training you to recognise scenarios in which self-defence might be necessary, and enabling you to turn these scenarios to your advantage, More discipline by thoroughly training your body and mind in the concepts and tactics of Taekwondo.

In Conclusion

So, what do you want from Taekwondo? Well, that's an excellent question, and the answer to that will vary for different people. The majority of participants will simply wish to gain more confidence, improve their fitness and meet new people. We are definitely not all going to reach the dizzy heights of Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, although perhaps you will, you never know? 👊