Once you have finally made the decision to start training in the martial arts to improve your health and fitness, the next step is to choose the right art for you. While all martial arts combine mind and body techniques for better body awareness, fitness and mental sharpness, Taekwondo, a Korean self-defence art, has some definite advantages.
The Korean word Taekwondo comes from the words Tae, or “foot” or “to step on;” Kwon, which means “fist” or “fight;” and Do refers to a “way,” “art” or “discipline.” The combination of these words embodies the essence of the sport – essentially Taekwondo means “the way of using all parts of the body to stop fights and help to build a better and more peaceful world.” Taekwondo differs from most other oriental martial arts in that it is very dynamic, with active movements that include a huge variety of kicks and footwork.
Is Taekwondo a good way to lose weight?
If your goal is to lose weight but you want to do something more exciting than jogging on a treadmill to keep you motivated, perhaps you should definitely consider Taekwondo. Taekwondo training at school like Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy is high intensity and usually lasts for at least an hour. It burns the maximum number of kilojoules or calories per workout and is great for anyone who wants to lose weight and lose it fast.
Losing weight comes down to simple mathematics – burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. The average person can burn anywhere from 500 – 900 calories per Taekwondo class at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy, which is between one quarter and one third the average daily calories consumed for an adult. The combination of Taekwondo with a good diet will help you to lose weight and keep the weight the off! By focussing on eating good food in moderation and doing 2-3 training sessions a week you can expect to kick and punch those extra kilograms away!
Does Taekwondo build muscle?
A typical taekwondo class at Perth’s Premier Academy involves dynamic punching and kicking drills, technique applications, poomsae (patterns), self-defence, body weight and core-strengthening exercises, plus stretches to improve your flexibility. You will find that your stamina and strength will improve dramatically through these active movements. Taekwondo athletes tend to develop long, lean and toned physiques rather than big bulky muscles. A 2014 study published in Sports Medicine noted that taekwondo athletes demonstrate high peak anaerobic power, flexibility and high dynamic upper- and lower-body strength and good core endurance.
An added bonus – Taekwondo teaches you how to defend yourself!
Training in Taekwondo classes in Perth or elsewhere will give you a solid foundation of skills that are useful in both self-defence and combat sports. The powerful kicks and dynamic footwork taught at Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy can be applied in a range of different combat sports, from Olympic Taekwondo to Kickboxing to MMA. The physical training and fitness alone that you will get from regular training in Taekwondo classes at Perth’s Premier Academy may just give you the edge in any fight!
Many UFC fighters credit their training in Taekwondo with giving them the fast footwork and dynamic kicking that has made them successful. This is the reason that Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy bases its Freestyle MMA curriculum around the core Taekwondo in its Perth classes. Some well-known UFC fighters with Taekwondo backgrounds include:
- Daron Cruickshank is a light weight featured on the Ultimate Fighter and is known as one of the division’s most dynamic strikers. He comes from taekwondo family with his parents both fourth dan Black Belts in the martial arts. Cruickshank himself is a second dan Black Belt in Taekwondo.
- John Makdessi began his Taekwondo training at the age of six, and started his MMA career in 2008, reeling off eight straight wins before debuting in the UFC in 2010.
- Edson Barboza, currently ranked in the top five in the lightweight division, is also a Taekwondo Black Belt and might just be the division’s most feared striker. Barboza made his UFC debut in only his seventh professional fight!
- Anderson Silva is considered by many to be the best striker in the history of the UFC middleweight division, winning the title in 2006 and remaining undefeated as champion until 2013. Silva started training in Taekwondo at the age of thirteen.
- Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis began training Taekwondo and by the age of eighteen he had attained a third dan black belt. Pettis is the man responsible for the most famous kick ever thrown in MMA competition, and has been a division champion in the WEC and UFC.
Where can I find Taekwondo training in Perth?
Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy has been offering taekwondo training in Perth for over 10 years in its current location, and the Academy’s instructors have been teaching and training in taekwondo in Perth for over 20 years. The Academy offers taekwondo classes seven days a week at its purpose-built, fulltime martial arts centre. Students at Premier Academy learn Taekwondo kicking and footwork as it is embedded in our Freestyle Mixed Martial Arts system. Our Junior students learn traditional Taekwondo poomsae (patterns or kata) to improve their focus and discipline. Training in Taekwondo poomsae is optional for students in our Teen and Adult programs. Premier Academy also has a very active Sports Taekwondo team, and these students compete successfully in both sparring and poomsae at local, state and national levels.
Our Principal Instructor, ZlatanJovanov, is a 7th Dan Kukkiwon Black Belt, and is authorised to grade students up to and including 6th Dan. All of our instructors are Kukkiwon-certified, and all of our students are eligible to have their rank recognised by the Kukkiwon. This Kukkiwon certification means that all belts issued are valid and recognised world-wide and our students are able to compete in all sanctioned events.