Taekwondo Seaham

Since Taekwondo has pretty high physical requirements, it's perhaps more suited to the younger people of Seaham. That isn't to say that elderly people cannot get involved in this popular activity, but merely that there might be alternative martial arts which are more appropriate for the less agile of us. Tai Chi is a perfect illustration.

Taekwondo is a martial art that primarily comprises high-kicking manoeuvres and moves, in particular jumping/spinning kicks, fast kicking methods and head kicks. It started in Seoul, in southern Korea in the 1940's, when a number of martial arts enthusiasts established schools known as "kwans", which mixed together various martial arts techniques.

With more than 60 million fitness enthusiasts taking part in Taekwondo classes all over the world, this has unquestionably become a popular and beneficial pastime, and if you really master this martial art you might possibly one day be eligible for the Olympic Games, of which it's been a part since the Sydney Games in the year 2000.

People in Seaham take up Taekwondo for many reasons but it is the self-defence aspect that appeals to most. This is not surprising when you consider the rising levels of violence seen in town and city centres these days. The ability to defend yourself and at the same time exercising self-restraint and a respect for others is one of the key benefits of Taekwondo.

Your eagerly learned Taekwondo skills will likely never have to be tested outside of an actual Taekwondo class, however being aware of the fact that you have them will give you peace of mind.

Your First Seaham Taekwondo Class

Different Taekwondo clubs in Seaham will have different viewpoints on what students should cover on their initial class, however to give you a notion of what to expect most first Taekwondo lessons will include a warm-up, some sparring, learning basic forms (Poomse), an overview of stances, blocks, hand attacks and kicks (practical training) and a final warm-down to relax weary muscles and return the body to a state of harmony.

Any person wishing to join a Taekwondo class in Seaham must also register with British Taekwondo which is the official governing body of the sport in Britain. By going to British Taekwondo's official website you can obtain details about establishing a new club, clubs and members, news, coaches and referees, safe practices, safeguarding and equality, events, first aid, coaching courses, and lots more Taekwondo related facts.

Taekwondo Belts (Promotion)

Since there are various different kinds of Taekwondo there's never been any standardized system for assigning belts (grades). What exists however is pretty similar and consists of two belt groupings "senior" and "junior" (black and colour), each of these groupings is divided into ranks, 8 to 12 colours in the case of juniors and 9 for seniors.

Taekwondo Competitions

A regular Taekwondo tournament incorporates breaking, sparring and patterns (forms), in the Olympics only sparring is included. That being said there are also a few special events in specific tournaments such as team demonstrations and self-defence. WT (World Taekwondo) tournaments are strictly soft-contact events, whilst ITF tournaments allow some hand attacks towards the head. There are in addition some multi-discipline contests.

Final Thoughts

We cannot all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo is not just about National Championships and Olympic medals. The majority of of us are happy to make new friends, meet different people and improve our levels of fitness, and that is exactly how it ought to be. However, as with many things in life, what you get from it will hinge on what you invest in it. Good luck!