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Taekwondo for Beginners - Frequently Asked Questions
What is Traditional Taekwondo?
Will taekwondo improve my fitness?
What are the benefits of Taekwondo for Children?
What age can my child start taekwondo?
Am I too old to practice taekwondo?
I am a complete beginner, what should I expect?
Will there be opportunities to take part in competitions in the future?
Where can I find more information?
What is Traditional Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is an empty-hand combat form that entails the use of the whole body. Tae means "to Kick" or "Smash with the feet," Kwon implies "punching" or "destroying with the hand or fist," and Do means "way" or "method." Taekwondo thus, is the technique of unarmed combat for self defence that involves the skilful application of techniques using the mind and body in unison. Taekwondo has evolved by combining many different styles of martial arts that existed in and around Korea over the last 2,000 years and today over 30 million people practice it in more than 156 countries.Will taekwondo improve my fitness?
Taekwondo is a fast and dynamic martial art, particularly known for its high kicking techniques. Developing a good level of all-round fitness is an integral part of taekwondo training. As a beginner you will practice a range of exercises to help develop aerobic fitness, flexibility, coordination and strength while also learning basic taekwondo techniques. The progressive nature of taekwondo training allows you to constantly improve and achieve new goals, and with time you may be surprised at what you can do!What are the benefits of Taekwondo for Children?
As well as being a fun way of providing regular physical activity, taekwondo will help develop coordination, strength and discipline. Taekwondo will help children build self-confidence, learn to interact with others and develop team spirit. Taking part in gradings will encourage children to develop mental focus and achieve their goals; they will appreciate each grade earned, and be encouraged to aim even higher. Research has shown that children who practiced traditional taekwondo showed improvements in concentration, persistence and ability in response to a physical task, and showed increased pro-social behaviour (helping others). (Developmental psychology, 25, 283-302)What age can my child start taekwondo?
Taekwondo training by its nature involves a certain amount of concentration and discipline. Our experience shows that it is less suitable for children below the age of 7 years, who may prefer less structured activities. For older children, taekwondo can be very rewarding and a lot of fun.Am I too old to practice taekwondo?
Taekwondo training is about personal development and achieving new goals. As such there is no maximum age limit to practice taekwondo and we welcome people of all abilities and ages (for information about taekwondo for children see above).I am a complete beginner, what should I expect?
A typical class would start with a warm-up, including basic stretching exercises. As a beginner, the first few lessons will focus on learning basic taekwondo techniques such as punching, blocking and basic kicks. There is also a strong emphasis on fitness, with general exercises to build aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility and coordination. With a little more experience you will learn a wider range of kicks, patterns and sparring exercises, which will involve working in pairs with partners of a similar level. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to start with (for example a T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms) and bare feet. After a few lessons you will need to buy a TTA uniform, which should then last you until blackbelt. All gradings in the TTA are conducted in person by Grandmaster T.K. Loh, which ensures that all students and clubs in the TTA are meeting the same high standards. Grandmaster Loh comes to Bristol four times a year for gradings, which are held at Oldbury Court School (usually on a Sunday morning). Taking part in regular gradings will give you well-defined goals to aim for and achieve so that your taekwondo skills and abilities are constantly developing and improving as you progress through the belt system.Will there be opportunities to take part in competitions in the future?
Taking part in competitions may not be in your plans at the moment, but as you develop in your taekwondo practice and begin to see results, you may be interested in testing your sparring with players from different clubs. (It would typically take at least a year's experience to get to a suitable level). The Traditional Taekwondo Association holds national competitions twice a year which are open to all TTA members, as well as outside players (which has included visiting international teams).Where can I find more information?
Click on the link below to visit the main TTA website or visit our links page for links to the other TTA clubs.Training times and contact details for the Bristol club can be found on our home page
Keep Fit ... Self Defence ... Confidence