Leisure Kicks - The essencial sport and leisure guide

It wasn’t until the Olympic taekwondo competition at London 2012 that Britain really knew the depth of talent that they had in this dynamic martial art. Jade Jones’ gold medal, for one, surprised and enthralled the country, but she was also backed up by a talented national team that are only getting better. In addition to this, taekwondo is an ever evolving sport and rules brought into it in recent years have helped it become a more exciting sport to watch and play than ever before.

Taekwondo is Korean martial art characterised by powerful kicks. Punching is also used, but the more spectacular combat aspects of the sport involve spinning back kicks and the like. The technique is based in a balance of self-defence and combat. Competition in the sport is based on a point system that is often measured with electric sensors. Like many other martial arts, taekwondo is a surprisingly accessible sport and training facilities can be found in every city. It is also an ideal sport to cross into from another martial art or other combat sport such as kickboxing.

Taekwondo is a sport best suited for people who are interested in strict discipline, dynamics and who love the mental challenge of going up against a single opponent.

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GB Taekwondo on getting kids into the sport