Just Starting Out in Taekwondo

Choose the school that suits you

You might not be entirely comfortable in the first martial arts class you attend because it will be something you have not seen before. Remember everyone there should adhere to a code of conduct so there is no reason to feel intimidated.

Students will be doing things you will not be able to do because you have not learned how to do them but remember no one was born a black belt and everyone started with their first day.

Don’t feel self conscious if the other students in that particular class are not all around your age or size. Learning Taekwondo does not depend on having a partner around your size.
All you need to start with is an instructor that is in control and can communicate instructions to the class in a safe training environment.

Get a uniform

Uniforms are inexpensive and cost less than a pair of sports shoes. They help you become part of the class immediately and its much more fun to train in a uniform. You don’t see anyone playing football in a Taekwondo uniform and you shouldn’t see anyone playing Taekwondo in a football uniform. All sports uniforms have a purpose they are not just designed to make you look good.

Getting started

Meet the Master and become a member of the Academy. Prior to attending each class pay your training fees. The rest starts to happen as soon as your first class starts.

Training Hall Etiquette

Rules of etiquette apply to all Taekwondo classes and related activities. They are really just a way to get students to act with common sense and courtesy, so if you are not sure of a protocol just let consideration for others and good manners be your guide. By your first grading (approximately after 3 months of training) you should be aware of the appropriate training protocols.

Here are some rules to get you started :
1. No SHOES are to be worn on the training surface ;
2. No FOOD is to be brought into the training room ;
3. No BAGS are to be placed on the training surface.

Here are some suggestions that will assist you :-
1. Be PUNCTUAL in both arriving and leaving ;
2. Wear your UNIFORM only in the training hall ;
3. Always put EQUIPMENT away that you have used and
4. Never leave it in the training surface ;
5. Keep the training surface CLEAN. This is a student responsibility.

When the class is called to “LINE UP” students should arrange themselves in 4 columns and in rows of 4 in grade order equidistant from the students immediately in front, behind and to the side of you.

Training with a friend

Attending class with a friend or family member is always a good idea because you can motivate and help each other outside training. The Wyllie Academy welcomes and encourages parents to train with their children which gives both a common goal to attain together from an equal footing.

Grades in Taekwondo

As mentioned earlier grading is a very important part of Taekwondo for many reasons. These are the grades up to 1st Dan and the average time it should take a student training continuously, frequently and conscientiously to attain them.

A good master or instructor may be able to teach you the correct technique in a way that is easy for you to understand but that accounts for only half the process of learning.

The other half of the process is the hard work required to be put in by the student in practicing with intensity and constantly refining technique.

Unfortunately if you reduce the frequency of training or leave it for a long period regression usually occurs in the level of refinement you had reached. In addition, there may also be a loss of fitness and range of flexibility is inevitable.

Continuous and frequent training enables students to maintain and improve their overall ability. This can be achieved by training twice per week, obviously progress will be slower if a student only trains once per week.

Noticing your own improvement

Assessing your own level of improvement is very difficult because its hard to remember how you were performing when you started or 6 months later.

The best judge of this is your instructor and students should often consult their instructor on progress and what they need to do to continue to improve.

Generally students will feel a difference when style improves but this will not occur over a short period of training. It is important to persevere because student’s improve with every class.