GTI Swindon Taekwondo

Your initial classes will begin with a group warm up and stretch, this is to prevent injury, by preparing the body for the new and unfamiliar activities involved in the class.

Your training will then continue with a designated instructor, separate from the main class.

In this way you will learn new skills which focus on co-ordination exercises, blocking and striking sequences and learn the initial theories of generating power through reaction speed and implementing correct technique.

As you progress we introduce exercises which develop your memory skills and require you to change directions, whilst performing a set sequence of events.

All exercises are practiced on both the right hand and left hand side of the body to ensure strong development of both physical and mental muscle memory. You will always have one side of the body more dominant than the other; our role is to make both sides of the body and the mind work as one.

When you have started to develop these skills we integrate you into the class where you can work with the intermediate students on kicking techniques and self-defence routines. Working with the other students helps you to see what you can achieve, all the other students started in the same place that you are now.

In Taekwon-Do kicking is very important and kicking drills are introduced that cover the different types of kicks and the technique involved in each kick, which makes it the most effective.

Another important aspect of Taekwon-Do is self-defence; in our modern world just having the confidence in your own abilities can be a huge benefit in a confrontational situation.

As your training progresses still further, you will learn sequences of movements in combinations referred to in Taekwon-Do as patterns (Tul), as well as partner work, which involves set attack and defensive combinations to help the student to develop reactions, distancing and focus on their techniques. After the initial four-directional punching exercises, the patterns covered are Chon-Ji (19 moves), Dan-Gun (21 moves) and Do-San (24 moves)

The above techniques are the martial art side of Taekwon-Do, however there is also the sporting side which involves sparring. Sparring skills are developed over a longer period of time and begin with set sparring routines, ringcraft, blocking and kicking exercises with a partner, but strictly with no contact being made. After a student has purchased sparring safety equipment, then the sporting side of the art can be enjoyed more fully, but Taekwon-Do in the Dojang remains a semi-contact martial art.

This is a brief outline of the first 9 months of training (10^th kup to 7^th kup), if you want to see photos of sample classes please refer to the photo gallery tab or the outline of training tab.

How you and your training will develop between 9 months and two years.

Once you have achieved your green tag (7^th kup) training will become a little more challenging.

Semi-free sparring is introduced, which allows the further development of timing, distance and focus, in order to prepare the student for free sparring. Your kicks will develop greater accuracy and control. The speed of your technique will begin to improve. Your blocking techniques will also develop in line with your kicking ability.

At this grade all students should have purchased a full set of safety equipment. Further introduction to ringcraft is taught, along with blocking/guarding skills and attacking techniques.

Patterns become a little more complex as the number of techniques and movements increases. After Do-San the patterns learned are Won-Hyo (28 moves), Yul-Gok (38 moves) and Joong-Gun (32 moves). We also begin to look more deeply into uses for the pattern moves and ways to incorporate them into self-defence. Some of you will want to develop this further and start to understand where the different strike, press and rub points are on the body and how the patterns previously learnt work in conjunction with the areas of the body.

Multiple jumping techniques are introduced. You will develop jumping skills and incorporate the kicks previously learned. These kicks are generally better practiced on hand held focus bags or our wall hanging bags. You will continue to develop power with defensive kicks and kicking combinations, this is not the same as your sparing techniques where control and focus must be maintained at all times.

Your confidence will be developing and your fitness will now be greatly improved, your flexibility will have developed according to your own personal development, please remember, everyone has a different hip formation so everyone will have a different degree of hip flexibility.

Finally you will run through various exercises to help you cope with the affects of adrenaline on your body and how you react and cope with these pressures.

By now you will be able to have lessons with the advanced class and will have the option to train both in the intermediate class and the advanced class.

You will only fully understand how far you have come by working with the new beginners in the class. When you have to explain something to a new student it makes you think about it in a different way; you will also learn coaching skills. Your time in the advanced class will also demonstrate how you still have many more challenges to face and just what can be achieved when someone sticks to their task to reach their goal.