Any Adults Do Taekwondo?

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lukeout007
lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How is it? Good exercise? Fun?

Someone I know owns a Taekwondo school and offered to give me a discount...I've been thinking about doing some sort of Martial Arts for awhile...just wanted to see if there were others out there who are doing it and could offer some insight on what to expect and whether or not it will aid in my weight loss.

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  • tonsofun101
    tonsofun101 Posts: 1
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    I do Muay Thai, and it is a lot of fun. If you're wanting to learn how to throw really cool, fun-to-do kicks, Taekwondo is excellent. From what I hear, it's a good work out. It depends on the instructor, though. I think if the instructor is willing to give you a discount, go for it.

    If you're looking to actually mix it up, martial arts like Jiu jitsu ( or even catch wrestling), boxing, and muay thai are great workouts, AND you learn how to really mix it up with people (fight - if that's what you're looking for). Taekwondo is a little more user friendly, and it's not as daunting. Contact is usually light, if it's incorporated at all (entirely contingent on the school, though... Some TKD guys can throw down - others... not so much).
  • drewbird911
    drewbird911 Posts: 120 Member
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    TKD is fun and a good work out, but i found it too hard on my old body.
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 835 Member
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    When I started my journey, I got into taekwondo and kickboxing for the self-defense aspect. I do think the class helped me with my confidence which in turned helped me try new things to help with my weight-loss.

    For the class, It increased my flexibility and my cardio since we did jogging and stretching at every class. My favorite part of the class was the teaming up with a partner with the pads to practice the punches and kicks. Really needed that at the point in my life.

    I do recommend it, expecially if you are getting a discount. You will meet some good caring and understanding people that really helped me over come my situation.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    Nope but my son does lol. They offer adult classes at the place that he goes as well but I haven't talked to any of the older taekwondo-ers there so I don't know. I imagine it would be fun, though!
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    Thanks for the responses everybody! I think I'll give it a shot...probably not for another month or two as I don't really have much disposable income but once I can free up some money from bills I think it'll be a good idea.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    I've done it...

    If you love your body and don't want to hurt all the time - Do Take Kwon Do!

    If you are looking for harder conditioning, and are more interested in hurting people until they fall over instead of tapping them for points, look into something more like Muay Thai.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    I've done it...

    If you love your body and don't want to hurt all the time - Do Take Kwon Do!

    If you are looking for harder conditioning, and are more interested in hurting people until they fall over instead of tapping them for points, look into something more like Muay Thai.

    Hmmm...Interesting...maybe I'll do Taekwondo and then look into muay thai once I'm a little more in shape.
  • mphotdol
    mphotdol Posts: 7 Member
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    I did TKD with my teenaged son until he got his black belt and I was in my fifties. I broke a record every time that I entered the place because i was the oldest for that group. There are older folks participating in this sport. You start out conditioning, getting used to the program while the lower belts build up the process for you. Most places in the US are kind to the elders and younger late bloomers. You will find yourself getting into amazing shape over time. I stayed away from heavy sparing though. It was a great experience where I stayed with full attention until I was up to a blue belt when my son became a black belt. Travel and business took me away but I still work out on a regular basis.
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
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    I used to do it.

    I ended up stopping because it got in the way of me bulking from weights (too much cardio in a week when I was doing that 2 or 3 times, and football 3 times and weights 3 times).

    It was really fun. It improves flexibility, core strength and sparring is amazing.

    I Would say, if you want to do something where it really gives you street skills, Tae Kwon Do isn't necessarily the best as it focuses quite a lot around kicks, which in a street fight a lot of the time you're just going to get swept - which isn't allowed in TKD sparring.

    However, depending on which you join will determine how it focuses. I was with AIMAA which I can recommend highly as they are quite a progressive organisation. Grand Master Hee Il Cho wanted to push it forward and so it includes aspects from boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and others, so it is more like MMA with a heavy TKD slant.

    Here's a video of Cho training, he was mid-late 60s at the time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkPGvlimGdI
  • heymom93
    heymom93 Posts: 65 Member
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    I have a black belt in traditional Karate. The type and amount of exercise you get from it will depend on the school, its focus and the instructor. I think the absolute best thing about the martial arts however is that it takes people out of their comfort zones and encourages us to grow. Good luck - if you have a discount I say go for it :)
  • sixela0827
    sixela0827 Posts: 28
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    i will be starting in October, my daughters just got their yellow belts last night, they enjoy it so much and it looks like something i can actually do, not as intimidating as other martial arts, seems to me anyhow! i'd be curious to hear how you find it.
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
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    I'm a purple belt in TKD (halfway between green/blue), and I love it. I've had to drop out for awhile due to knee problems...miss it so much! Aside from fantastic discipline, control and core strength, it's a great workout as well. Thirty minutes of sparring burns about the same number of calories for me as a one hour run! The biggest benefits for me, though, were psychological. I love to feel powerful and capable. I love mastering a difficult technique, or breaking a thicker board than expected during belt tests, etc. There's a great comraderie as well because in the adult's class, we are all there because we desire to be there; there are no parents forcing us into it! :laugh:

    One thing to be aware of is that a lot of TKD schools are more like "McDojos" or "belt factories" where they are basically trying to crank you through as quickly as possible to get testing fees out of you and stuff, with less care given to technique and ability. If the school promises 1 or 1.5 years to black belt from white belt, that's a warning sign. That may not be as much of a worry if you know the instructor, of course!!
  • MatthewRL
    MatthewRL Posts: 2
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    I am a high red belt, testing for Bo Dan this month (right before black belt). I am also an assistant instructor.

    As some other people have said, it's less about hurting people than many other martial arts. That being said, you still learn how to incapacitate an attacker.

    As far as a workout goes, its a great lower body workout. I had my BMI tested with the skin pinch technique (I forget what it is called exactly), I have no fat on my legs - they couldn't find anything to pinch.

    You can typically burn 500-800 calories an hour, depending on how the class is structured that day. Message me if you have any specific questions.

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