When you think of Taekwondo, you might only think of it as a skill or a form of exercise. However, Taekwondo offers many more benefits that aren't necessarily obvious at first glance. Not only is Taekwondo beneficial on a physical level, but on a mental and spiritual level as well. No matter your age, you are bound to be positively impacted by practicing Taekwondo. Let's take a look at ten different benefits of Taekwondo.
Though Taekwondo has evolved into a competitive sport, its original purpose was self defense. Taekwondo also teaches dodging and evasive maneuvers meaning that you’ll have a better chance of avoiding a would be attacker. Also, using your legs as opposed to your shorter arms means that you can keep attackers further away.
At W1 in Portland, we pride ourselves in not only training great martial artists, but encouraging our students to be great individuals. Students are encouraged to help and teach one another to reach goals as a collective. This process not only creates leaders, but reveals natural born leaders and nurtures their talent.
In general, Taekwondo can improve muscle tone and definition, build strength and stamina and benefit cardiovascular health. At W1 Taekwondo, we offer training and fitness routines specialized for kids, teens and adults.
Kicking requires a lot of usage of the body’s joints, especially the hips. Taekwondo improves flexibility, mobility and agility simply by practicing the martial art. Taekwondo also places a strong emphasis on stretching to improve flexibility in order to kick higher, faster and stronger. Flexibility is a huge part of Taekwondo and leads to fewer injuries, improved posture and better balance, just to name a few.
Practicing a martial art is actually one of the best ways to relieve stress. The physical release of punching and kicking a pad or bag can instantly alleviate pent up stress.
Practicing Taekwondo is a surefire way to improve focus, coordination, and overall mental sharpness. Sparring is a complex game of strategy, and on top of having a viable skill set, you need to be able to make fast analyses and decisions. Taekwondo sparring is essentially like a much more active game of chess.
A big part of learning any martial art is learning from failure. When you first begin, you may not have the balance, strength or flexibility to perform some of the exercises. You may fail, and fail again to perform a certain kick or do a certain amount of push-ups, but eventually, after hard work and dedication, you’ll be able to perform it with ease. Sometimes, progress can only be made through failure. This understanding extends beyond Taekwondo.
Discipline is a huge part of Taekwondo. Even the act of coming to class on time builds discipline and promotes structure into the lives of our students. At W1, we believe that great leadership comes from great discipline.
The skillset and workout that you receive in Taekwondo will not only make you physically stronger, but mentally as well. As we mentioned earlier, learning from failure is a huge part of martial arts. Knowing that you have the power to withstand pain and overcome obstacles is bound to make you feel better about yourself. Also, knowing that you have the power to defend yourself against bullies can provide a huge boost to your self esteem.
Taekwondo rests on a foundation of five tenets: Courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. This is an oath that students of Taekwondo are required to learn and uphold. Moral development is just as important as physical development. Taekwondo was birthed during the age of Confucianism (an ancient philosophy which focus on ethics, morality and social harmony) and inevitably takes cues from it.
While we've given ten different reasons why Taekwondo can positively impact your life and well-being, it doesn't stop there. Whether you practice martial arts as a pastime or aim to do it competitively, you are guaranteed to notice positive changes whether internally or externally.
Have you practiced martial arts before? If so, how have you been positively impacted?
Master Adrian is a fantastic teacher and is always willing to help his students become better martial artists. He puts in the work to give his students the best opportunity to succeed, and I think anybody who commits themselves to W1 and Master Adrian will reap the benefits.
My daughter started W1 Taekwondo with a trial class offered for a month. She liked it very much and wanted to go back to the regular class. And yes she never stopped herself from attending W1 Taekwondo class. She gained lots of skills in a very short time. I can see how much confidence she is now! Master Adrian is a very respected person and we can rely on him to build my daughter's Taekwondo skills. Master Adrian focuses not only on Taekwondo skills but also on behavioral skills that are required for a student. All the teachers are wonderful and very friendly. If you are looking for a Taekwondo class for your child this is the place that I can strongly recommend without any hesitation. Thanks and best wishes!
Master Adrian is a dedicated and skilled martial artist, leader, and coach. We enrolled our three kids, ages 5, 6, and 7 this past April and they have come such a long way in skill and in discipline. Master Adrian is both gentle with the kids and tough on them at the same time- the perfect combination for our family. Our kids have learned so much from him, on and off the mat. Master Adrian's whole team is fantastic. Highly recommend!