The benefits of Taekwon-Do for children

All parents have a strong desire for their children to grow up safely, becoming strong, confident and respectable adults. However, in today’s society exist many negative forces which adversely affect a child’s mental and physical growth. Taekwon-Do can serve as a positive influence upon a child’s development, by encouraging social interaction, self-expression and providing an excellent form of exercise, all within a safe, disciplined environment.

To put it simply Taekwon-Do is a version of unarmed combat designed by General Choi, Hong Hi, in 1955 for the purpose of self-defence. It is more than just that, however. It is the utilisation of the body in a scientific way which makes it a truly modern art. Taekwon-Do is renowned for its devastating and dynamic kicks, which, combined with its hand techniques provides an excellent all round self-protection system. Its philosophy is based not only on physical development, but also on mental conditioning, with a strong emphasis on the cultivation of moral culture as a way of life. Taekwon-Do has in recent years become one of the fastest growing martial arts in the world, with over 70 million practitioners in 190 countries.

The UKTD – United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Dojang’s has been instructing children in the art of Taekwon-Do for over 35 years, during which time it has attracted a large following. Children as young as four attend lessons regularly – all developing their self-confidence and abilities. Due to a child’s sheer abundance of energy, coupled with a limited concentration span, the UKTD seeks to structure lessons to be fun yet still teaching students the art, according to the requirements of the structured International Taekwon-Do Federation’s syllabus, as laid down by the founder of Taekwon-Do – Gen. Choi Hong Hi.

The grading system utilised in Taekwon-Do ensures all children are taught to their own level of ability. Belts give children targets which, when achieved, results in a high level of personal satisfaction symbolising the recognition fortheir hard work and effort. The growth in confidence a child achieves through training often transcends into normal life. This can be seen in the form of greater self-confidence, improved co-ordination, and increased concentration – all of which contributes to greater academic success.

Simon Edel 4th Dan Black Belt ITF – UKTD