Taekwondo is a form of martial arts which originated in Korea. Recognised as an Olympic sport, it’s great for fitness and personal discipline. Here’s why you should add the Korean martial art to your must-try list!
#1 It teaches self-defence
Taekwondo comes from the words tae, meaning “foot” or “to step on”, kwon, which means “fist”, and do, which means a “way,” or technique. At its core, taekwondo is a mode of self-defence and, knowing how to protect yourself can certainly come in handy in dangerous situations.
#2 It’s a cardio workout
This type of martial art involves punching and kicking movements, and core strengthening exercises, which means an overall body workout that blasts calories. The added bonus? It’s a major stress buster.
#3 It enhances coordination and balance
In addition to being a physically challenging workout, taekwondo can increase physical coordination and balance, says J H Kim Taekwondo Institute’s Master Lai Han Seng, who has over two decades of coaching experience. From developing body and spatial awareness, and learning how to control movements, to improving reaction times and gross motor skills, coordination, balance and flexibility can all be greatly enhanced with taekwondo training.
#4 It improves concentration
Mental strength is crucial to taekwondo, as a lot of concentration is needed to learn, practice and control the various moves. Whether you’re mastering a move or trying to break a board, you’ll need to spend time focusing on perfecting one particular task, thus honing your mental acumen, which can benefit you in your everyday life.
#5 It increases self-discipline
Learning taekwondo takes a lot of discipline and practice, and involves a whole lot of goal setting. According to Master Lai, the structured rank system of taekwondo allows participants to take control of their own progress, giving incentive to set and accomplish goals. He adds that taekwondo helps in “developing self-control and self discipline on a path to achieving inner harmony”.
#6 It builds confidence and self-esteem
In addition to the feel-good factor that results from getting in shape and toned, there’s a sense of confidence that can come from learning and perfecting a skill. Also, knowing you can hold your own in a rough situation doesn’t hurt!
It’s for kids, too!
In addition to adult classes, J H Kim Taekwondo Institute offers Taekwon Tots for three-to-four-year-olds, T-Kids for five-to-10- year-olds, and “Teenkwondo” at its locations in Bukit Timah, Toh Tuck, Woodlands and Sembawang.
J H Kim Taekwondo Institute
#02-02/03 The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Road
6463 0323 | tkd-bukittimah.com
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This article first appeared in the August 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
