Taekwondo Warlingham

Taekwondo is generally much more demanding physically than for example Tai Chi, so unless you are pretty fit and agile you may prefer to partake in something a little bit gentler to improve your fitness levels in Warlingham. Younger children are definitely the perfect participants for Taekwondo classes in Warlingham, with lots of fast paced movements going on and a great deal of high kicking.

Taekwondo is one of the more recently introduced of the martial arts, with its early beginnings in Korea, South-East Asia in 1945. A number of Korean martial artists in Seoul established some schools which they called "kwans", incorporating a variety of martial arts techniques. Taekwondo, which was ultimately called, largely entails high-kicking manoeuvres, particularly turning/jumping kicks, head-height kicks and fast kicking methods.

The number of Taekwondo enthusiasts worldwide, now exceeds 60 million. Joining a local Taekwondo club or class in Warlingham is a good way to get involved with this activity which is now an Olympic sport. There is no reason why you cannot become a master of this thrilling martial art, even if you don't aspire to Olympic competition.

For the men, women and children of Warlingham who would like to learn a martial art, a big priority is the aspect of self-defence. Because this is a key concept of Taekwondo, it's not difficult to see the appeal of this unique sport. With the extra bonus of developing self-restraint and having a deep-rooted respect for other people, enrolling in a local Warlingham Taekwondo class seems to be a no brainer.

These self-defence techniques may sooner or later come in useful in your everyday life, although it is far more likely you'll only be putting them to the test within a supervised class setting. Yet it is a reassuring feeling knowing that you can always defend yourself if you need to.

Your First Lesson

If Taekwondo is not a sport that you have ever had a go at previously, you will doubtless be curious about what to expect from your initial class should you make your mind up to sign up. Different Taekwondo schools in the Warlingham area have different ideas about this but roughly; you'll participate in a 15-20 minute warm-up, you will do a bit of technical training, you will learn some forms, you will practice sparring strategies and finally you'll perform a warm-down to get your body back into a relaxed state again.

Any person wishing to join a Taekwondo club in Warlingham has to also become a member of British Taekwondo which is the governing body of the sport in the British Isles. You'll be able to read about events, health and safety, coaching courses, referees and coaching, news, launching a new club, safeguarding and equality, first aid, clubs and members, and more on British Taekwondo's website, and find out the latest news reports on their Facebook or Twitter page.

Taekwondo Forms

Taekwondo forms (also known as patterns or Poomse) are identified by specific elements such as direction, stance and technique. From the start you'll be taught a few of the basic forms, and so as to progress through the various rankings (belts) you'll have to learn some more complicated ones.

Taekwondo Kicks

Kicking manoeuvres serve an important role in the art of Taekwondo, here are a selection of the more basic ones: Front Kick, Crescent Kick, Back Kick, Push Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Whip or Hook Kick, Side Kick, Axe Kick. Taekwondo Blocks: To stop and defend against an incoming Taekwondo attack, "blocks" (called Makgi) are used. They are held in various positions and use the hands with parts of the arm. Each type of attack calls for a particular kind of block, counter-attacking movements can be produced by integrating a block with another kick or punch. The most used blocks used in Taekwondo include: Nine Block, Double Forearm Block, Rising Block, Double Knife Hand Block, Single Forearm Block, Upper Block, Palm Block, Knife Hand Block and Low Block.

Taekwondo - The Benefits

When you are signing up for Taekwondo classes in Warlingham you'll be aiming to get some benefits to make the whole project worthwhile. And so let's examine a few of the benefits that you may get by practicing and learning Taekwondo. Improve your self-esteem by raising your physical and mental fitness, Beef up confidence by encouraging you to succeed and to seize control of your life, Empower your body and mind through improved physical coordination and mental discipline, Turbocharge agility, stamina and flexibility by way of intensive cardiovascular work-outs, Reduced anxiety and stress by doing deep breathing exercises, Develop discipline and willpower by methodically schooling your mind and body in the concepts and tactics of Taekwondo, Teach you self-defence tactics by training you to recognise situations where self-defence might be needed, and enabling you to control these circumstances to your advantage.

Taekwondo Belts (Rank)

In terms of promotion, ranking and belts there is not actually any real standardisation in Taekwondo, since there are various styles of Taekwondo which each have their own unique system. There are however likenesses and they generally consist of 2 groups of belts "seniors" and "juniors" symbolized by black and coloured belts respectively. The senior levels generally have 9 ranks and the junior, eight to twelve grades.

In the UK Taekwondo has a series of ranks which are known as "Kup", these ranks range from Tenth (lowest) to First (highest). As with most of the martial arts, the Taekwondo belt order is indicated by a range of different colours, so the ranks are easily identified. These colours are white, yellow, green, blue and red, with transitional belts with stripes in-between, 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 Warlingham will start out with the White Belt (Tenth Kup), and progress through the various colours until they attain the Red With Black Stripe Belt (First Kup)

After successfully completing this challenge, Taekwondo students in Warlingham are considered as "black belt candidates" which sees them proceeding through an additional nine ranks (Dans) until they eventually achieve the distinction of "Black Belt" status. Thus, the Taekwondo belt order can be grouped into three divisions; Junior Belt, Senior Belt and Black Belt. 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 involves many years of dedication and training. (Tags: Taekwondo Rankings Warlingham, Belt Order Taekwondo, Taekwondo Belt Order, Taekwondo Belts Warlingham).

Safety Gear

In all events, competitions and contests being staged under the authority of British Taekwondo, safety equipment like a groin protector, shin guards, a blue or red trunk protector (hogu), a gum shield, a blue or red head guard, forearm protectors and hand guards is mandatory. The fast kicking techniques used in Taekwondo can cause serious injuries and this helps to make the activity less risky for its competitors.

Warlingham Taekwondo for Beginners

Students starting out on their Taekwondo experience in Warlingham will initially enroll in a beginners class. Beginners classes are excellent, as there is not any pressure and things are done at a casual, slow pace. Having fun while learning is the primary aim in the beginning and trainees who are enjoying themselves have a tendency to learn much faster and digest more of what they're being taught. Even Taekwondo masters started off as clueless newbies, so take that initial step and you never know where you will finish up!

To Summarize

We can't all be like Jade Jones or Lutalo Muhammad, and I reckon that we wouldn't all want to be. Taekwondo isn't just about National Championships and Olympic titles. The majority of of us are content to improve our fitness levels, meet different people and make new friends, and that's precisely how it should be. However, as with most things in life, what you get out of it will hinge on what you invest in it. Enjoy!