Team Players Tae-Kwon-Do

The Advantages of Tae-Kwon-Do

Many people, because of what they have seen on television or in the movies, have a preconceived idea that Taekwondo is all about fighting. Nothing could be further from the truth. Taekwondo offers a multitude of benefits including physical, mental and social development, in addition to self-defense.

Today more children are enticed to spend their free time watching TV, playing video games, talking on the phone or chatting on the computer rather than exercising. According to the American Council on Exercise, “by the time a teen reaches high school, 63% are no longer physically active. Physically active children have fewer chronic health problems than kids who are sedentary”. Physically speaking Taekwondo develops cardiovascular fitness and increases muscle strength. Practitioners have a heightened sense of balance and are often able to avoid injury by employing specific skills, such as falling properly (from a bike, while running or off skates, etc.) Team Players Taekwondo Center is one of only a handful of schools who teach Judo techniques (falling, rolling, etc.). Students also increase their energy levels, improve their coordination and motor skills, heighten their sense of balance and flexibility, and improve their muscle development, toning and enhancement.

Taekwondo is more than physical. It also offers mental focus. Students learn to concentrate under pressure while directing their energy in a positive manner. Carefully planned instructional techniques, utilizing repetition, lead to memorization skills for the muscles and the mind, increasing a student’s ability to learn. By increasing a student’s ability to learn a student is empowered mentally, leaving them with a more positive self-image and personal gratification. This increases self-esteem, generating more capable, able and confident students. It often carries over outside the training center, creating more receptive students academically. It is for this reason that many pediatricians encourage children with ADD and ADHD to enroll in martial arts.

In Taekwondo the student comes to understand that anything worth having is worth working hard for. With this mind-set, students are able to set goals and achieved them. While the ultimate goal is earning a Black Belt, along the way the student masters the values of patience, self-discipline and dedication. They also discover the true meaning of camaraderie. Training together week after week brings students (and parents) together, which tends to form strong, lasting genuine relationships. You soon feel a sense of family. And just the same as with a successful loving family, respect is the key. Respect is something that is earned. Students quickly recognize and respond accordingly to those who earn their respect.

As the standard for what is shown on TV, in the movies, on the news, in video games and even in the music we and our children are subjected to, drops each year, the need for teaching and learning effective self-defense skills is essential. In Taekwondo the first line of defense is always avoidance. Students are taught to be aware, to escape potentially dangerous places and situations and to deter violence whenever possible. They learn methods to evade, block and move out of the way quickly, allowing them the utmost control over an opponent. Taekwondo students are taught to fight back as a last resort. Self-defense training allows the student to learn and to practice in a controlled and safe environment, skills and tools to defend themselves when necessary. Equipping students with this knowledge gives them peace of mind, making them more capable of avoiding, evaluating and dealing with threatening situations.

Taekwondo is also a sport. In 2000 it became the only martial art to be included in the Olympic Games. Children and adults are able to compete locally or on a national level in forms and/or sparring.

With all that Taekwondo has to offer it isn’t surprising that it is the fastest growing sport in the world today. Getting started is easy. Just give us a call to schedule a month of free classes. There is no obligation to join, nothing to buy and no hidden costs.