Even if you have never visited South Korea, you have probably heard of taekwondo, which is where the sport originated from.
You can learn more than just knowing how to defend yourself through taekwondo. It's a fantastic way to exercise and build stamina, while also being a platform to meet others and create friendships!
After reading up on the benefits of taekwondo below, we're certain you'll want to learn the sport.
#1: This sport is one of the best martial arts to boost your physical health.
Keeping your body in tip-top condition is essential to mastering taekwondo.
Perhaps you can go for as long as five minutes practising your kicks without feeling tired. Now, turn that into an hour-long training session including punching, sparring, jumping and taking falls. You'll be quickly humbled by the stamina and energy it takes to be an athlete in the martial arts!
You can effectively boost your cardiovascular health through taekwondo. Apart from keeping your body moving during practice, there is also the added complexity of striking, blocking and performing other moves which is great for strength training. Top that off with circuit training and running laps as part of your lessons, and you'll get your heart pumping in no time.
This means you can reduce potential health risks like high blood pressure!
Strengthening your muscles is also a big part of this combat sport, especially the muscles in your legs. Kicking is second nature to taekwondo practitioners since there is a lot of emphasis placed on this particular area of the body. As you'll also need to be able to perform other exercises like push-ups and sit-ups in taekwondo, you can quickly build stronger muscles that will also assist you in your daily life.
Another area of fitness that you can improve through taekwondo is flexibility. Taekwondo will help increase the flexibility of the body through a routine series of stretches, reducing the chances of injury during practice and helping one to increase their range of motion when performing certain moves.
Here are some other interesting facts about taekwondo to help you know more about the sport.
#2: You will learn how to protect yourself with taekwondo.
Self-defence is one of the reasons many people take up taekwondo and you too can learn to protect yourself in various situations.
The term used for self-defence in South Korea is hosinsul, or techniques designed to protect the person and disarm the opponent as quickly as possible. Linear techniques in taekwondo, such as punching and kicking, seek to disarm the opponent in one blow. On the other hand, circular techniques like locks and holds aim to redirect or manipulate another's attack.
In this combat sport, you will be taught to finish your attacker with one blow. Naturally, this type of training requires a lot of concentration, bodily control and muscular power! You will also improve your situational awareness as you need to be able to "read" your opponent's movements to prepare your body for the next move.
Some taekwondo moves that serve to protect the body are:
- Saju makgi, the four-direction block
- Chookya makgi, or "rising block" to defend against overhead attacks
- Kwan jyel sul, which are joint locks or joint manipulation
Check out famous taekwondo practitioners who can perform these moves effortlessly.
While this is one of the benefits of taekwondo, you should know that all taekwondo students are taught early not to use knowledge of the martial arts for attacking or hurting others - but rather to use it only in sport or for self-defence. Outside of sports, you should only use the defensive tactics that you've learned if you are facing serious threats or harm!
#3: Your ability to focus will improve through this combat sport.
Have you ever struggled to focus on one thing at a time?
One of the benefits of taekwondo is that it promotes a person's degree of concentration. Whether it is learning how to perform a kick, following a master's instructions or guarding yourself against a teammate, all of these abilities require a student to focus on the task at hand without getting distracted by other elements in their environment.
You might just be surprised at the level of focus you have gained through taekwondo as compared to when you first started learning this combat sport.
This benefit can be applied outside of your dojang, too. You could be studying for your upcoming exam, preparing for next week's work presentation, or assembling a new cabinet at home: taekwondo has already helped you expand your capacity to focus and all you have to do is tap into the same concentration to get your things done.
How to improve your taekwondo moves
If your target is to build focus and progress in taekwondo, look no further than Superprof.
Any student who is learning taekwondo for the first time would benefit from knowing who their coach is before attending the lesson. Why regret later when you can learn about your taekwondo master on Superprof? Find your preferred taekwondo coach by reading their profile on the Superprof Tutors page which details their hourly rates, pack rates and lesson description.
Other important information such as the target age groups for each taekwondo coach and reviews from previous students are also available exclusively on Superprof. You can also look for tutor labels such as Super Tutor and Ambassador which represent taekwondo coaches who have received positive feedback and recommendations from their students.
You are encouraged to sign up on Superprof if you want to ensure your slot with the best taekwondo coach. Go from good to great at taekwondo with Superprof!
#4: Taekwondo is a platform for building long-lasting friendships.
In addition to individual practice, you will often train with your fellow teammates and instructors in taekwondo.
Many taekwondo athletes, like USA taekwondo teammates Kay Poe and Mandy Meloon, have shared that they have made friends for life through the sport. One of the unique benefits of taekwondo is that you will learn in an environment that is highly supportive and encouraging since camaraderie and teamwork are valued in the martial arts.
In this way, you know that you will always be encouraged to get up even if you fall during practice.
Whether you are learning this sport to become someone who is amazing at martial arts, going for a taekwondo class even once a week can do wonders for your social health and help you build friendships with others.
You can progress in your taekwondo belt ranking while meeting new people!
Taekwondo also gives you the opportunity to participate in various training courses, events and competitions. Special taekwondo events don't just happen in South Korea: you can attend various tournaments or showcases throughout Malaysia as a complete beginner. These could be opportunities to improve your social skills!
You may think that you need to be excellent at this combat sport to connect with others in your dojang, but the whole point of the community is to support each other in good and tough times.
Like Olympic Solidarity Refugee Athlete Scholarship-Holder and Iranian taekwondo athlete, Ali Noghandoost once said:
"It doesn't matter who you are, where you are from, what language you know - through sport you can make lifelong friends."
#5: Through taekwondo, you will find success in other areas of your life.
We can essentially narrow down the benefits of taekwondo to include the life skills of discipline, perseverance and resilience.
It's said that people who practise taekwondo tend to become better people overall, and we couldn't agree more. Beyond following the instructions of your taekwondo master, respect and self-control are characteristics one will develop through the sport. These characteristics translate to respecting the opponent in front of you, managing your emotions and being in control of your actions - all of which teach discipline for building healthier habits and behaviours.
How well you persevere can also be enhanced through this combat sport. To perform any punch, kick or block successfully, it takes more than just a year of practice to perfect one's moves. In fact, taekwondo emphasises a life of learning so it is not as easy to earn the status of taekwondo grandmaster as you may think. Naturally, you will also become better at perseverance outside of the sport, such as when you have specific academic or career goals that you want to achieve.
The ability to never give up is priceless, and that is why you will become a person who can effectively bounce back any time you are faced with an obstacle. You will likely make countless mistakes and take numerous falls in taekwondo, but you will also be reminded of the times you have succeeded during practice.
See your resilience grow for yourself - join taekwondo on Superprof today!
Summarise with AI:
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
