Fitness
"It is amazing how much crisper the general experience of life becomes when your body is given a chance to develop a little strength." ~ Frank Duff
Will Tae Kwon-Do get you fit? Yes. Will it be hard work? Yes, but it will be worth it! You can expect to gain a higher degree of fitness, become stronger and more flexible, possibly shed a few pounds even (depending how often you train and any other fitness work you do), increase your confidence, and have fun doing it all!
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." ~ Jim Ryun
As with starting any physical activity, it is wise to check with your doctor before taking up TaeKwon-Do. Ours is a very physical art which can put great demands on your body - but can also get you fitter, stronger, healthier and happier!
What to Expect
The first few weeks will be hard work as your body gets used to a new way of moving, but at the end of the first six weeks you will probably be noticing a difference in how long you can keep going, how much stronger and more flexible you are becoming and how much more energy you have generally.
What sort of exercises will you be doing? Every class is different, but fitness is a very important part of Tae Kwon-Do - there will always be an element of fitness work in every session.
In every session you can expect a warm up which will include some jogging (on the spot or around the hall), exercises such as sit ups/push ups/star jumps/squats, shadow boxing exercises, some kicking to loosen off the legs, sometimes we play games - you're never too old for stuck in the mud, and there's our favourite, 'Ninja touch'!
Some sessions will include pad work where we punch and kick pads which provides not only an excellent way to improve your technique, but also a great fun workout. As much as possible I try to make fitness work skill orientated, so you are learning TaeKwon-Do technique at the same time as developing strength and cardio-vascular fitness. It's less boring that way as well!
What Then?
Once you are more proficient you will be able to take part in our semi-contact sparring - which anyone will tell you can be incredibly hard work, but also a good deal of fun!
You will never be still for very long in one of our Tae Kwon-Do sessions.
"Six months after starting Tae Kwon-Do I went to a rock concert. I put my daughter on my shoulders and danced constantly for two hours - something I could never have done before doing Tae Kwon-Do" ~ A Bristol South Student.
You will continue to become fitter as more time passes. The initial fitness gain just opens the gate to becoming even fitter; the point with TaeKwon-Do is that it is not just a short sharp shock, but becomes part of your lifestyle - you could still be doing it in ten years time, many people have been with me for fifteen years or more! The TaeKwon-Do gets you fit, and keeps you fit.
