A good example of this experience is what you learn during Taekwondo training.

 Taekwondo trains you to be an achiever inside and outside of the training hall.

When you make a commitment to learn Taekwondo, you adjust your mindset. You might not realise it at the time but you’re making a decision to be consistent and to show up, even when you don’t feel like it. You start to build up the mental strength you will need to push through the hard days:  The ones when you just can’t seem to get it right no matter how much you practice.

Traditional Taekwondo training is very much about the character of the individual doing it. It teaches many lessons, and that makes sense when you see it as a training ground for daily life.  

1) Showing up is half the battle

Consistency is the difference between refining a skill to perfection and ‘dabbling’ in it. This applies to Taekwondo as well. If you plan two lessons a week in the branch and one practise session at home, show up for both sessions and set a day and time for your home practise. It is the only way to build up the momentum you need to learn, practise and become proficient enough to continually improve.

When you skip training sessions and your home practise, you lose momentum, which reverses what you have already gained. It causes your rate of progress to slow, so you lose motivation.

The art of sticking to a routine also carries over to life outside the training hall. Being successful at anything, from school exams to building a career or running a business requires you to put in the work, consistently. It is the hard, repetitious effort that creates the type of success that so many people admire.

2) Talent is great, but it’s hard work that leads to success

Natural talent seems like a bonus and it can be. But if unworked it is useless. It needs to be trained and polished before it makes a positive difference.

So, it is understandable that a naturally talented person will lag behind a person with less talent and more discipline. The outcome is that showing up for training, consistently regardless of if you feel like it or not, is a far better formula for success than relying on untapped talent.

The rule applies across the board. Even the most talented musician needs hours of practice in order to nail a performance.

3) Master the basics to master the art

This applies to every skill that you can perfect. When you take up Taekwondo, the first few lessons will teach you the basic kicks that are the building blocks of Taekwondo. Once you have a good grasp of these, your instructor will slowly ease you into simple combinations. You will progress and learn to execute more complex moves, but you will always go back to the fundamentals.

Even the best martial arts practitioners spend time perfecting the most basic of techniques. They practice them to improve precision and they practice them to improve speed. They also practice these basics to build power.

So, take this useful training tip and use it in other areas of your life. Get back to basics, not because you are a newbie but because you want to be good. Nothing adds an edge to your skills like infusing them with more speed, more power, and pinpoint precision.

4) Be light on your feet

Both figuratively and literally, because in sparring and life, you do not want to be caught flatfooted. Whether you take up dancing, running, or Taekwondo, your instructor will always remind you to move lightly, shift you weight using the balls of your feet.

You will also learn to think on your feet. Sparring with a training partner who interacts with you is different from practicing on a punching bag. As you spar, you must anticipate your opponent’s move. You also need to make a split-second decision on whether to block or move your partner’s techniques. In that split second you are trying to find a way to counter your opponent’s attack, if possible.

You can use the same principle in the real world. For starters, use the quick mind that you (will surely) develop from Taekwondo training to solve unexpected challenges. Learn how to read a situation and anticipate what’s coming at you and deal with it in a way that minimizes your exposure.

5) Fear is a natural response that you can use to your advantage

Taekwondo teaches you to control your emotions. This one is for everyone that is attracted to Taekwondo but is put off by the idea they may be hurt during partner training.   

When you begin your instructor will ease you into sparring gradually. You start off with practising on pads and shields and learn how to move forwards, backwards and sideways. By the time you begin sparring you’ll feel confident that you can move around and avoid your opponent.

Life’s challenges are pretty much the same. You prepare for a given challenge and worry whether you’ll come out on the ‘’winning’’ side. But on the big day, you use the fear to propel you. Whether it is a case of nerves before a grading or the uncertainty that comes with sitting an exam, fear can be the fuel you need to exceed your own expectations.

The best part is that the nerves go away once your ‘battle’ gets underway.

Gain the skills you need to navigate life successfully. The sacrifice, commitment, and training that you need to become a good Taekwondo practitioner are versatile assets. They help you to live a fuller and more successful life outside of the training hall. Take up Taekwondo and watch yourself transform.

The post 5 Life lessons you learn from Taekwondo training appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

As people, we believe in others so easily. We learn to put our faith and our trust in people from an early age; from our parents and teachers, to the leaders that guide our country. But when it comes to self-belief, we are often lacking. The younger generation, especially, have low self-confidence levels and very little self-belief. For many their sense of drive is at an all-time low. It has nothing to do with laziness, but rather, the way the world has changed around them. It’s hard to believe in yourself when you feel that you’re not quite up to scratch much of the time, and you lack the way to show you what you are truly capable of.

Believing in yourself is not a skill that you are expected to cultivate alone. And it is a skill! Right up there with time-management and organisation; self-belief is just as necessary in the world of work as any other employable skill. By learning it at a young age it can become part of your mind-set.

What does it mean to believe in yourself?

This is a question that many people have asked. If you don’t have self-belief already maybe it doesn’t seem too important. It’s one of those qualities you don’t know you’re missing until you have it. To believe in yourself means to trust your own abilities, trust yourself, and ”go for it”. Believing in yourself means trusting yourself to deal with things you may not have experienced before. For example riding a horse for the first time, even when you’re scared. It is trusting yourself and others enough to know that you’re safe – and that, even if something does happen, you can manage it and you’ll be fine.

It’s the day when you realise that you’re saying “yes” to more opportunities and activities with those around you. It’s taking a leap of faith and knowing you’ll be alive at the end. It’s one of those qualities that removes limitations that may have held you back and gives you a brighter future.

Self-belief sits right alongside confidence. Without confidence in yourself, you will never believe in yourself.

Thankfully, these skills can be instilled into you. You aren’t alone.

How can I train to believe in myself?

Many activities can help you become more confident and believe in yourself. Any activity that is designed to make you feel rewarded as you progress is a great start. Activities that go up in levels as you get better mean that you know exactly where you stand, and you will slowly have more faith in yourself.

In an obviously rewarding sense, there are activities like Taekwondo. Taekwondo is perfect as it is in levels and classes are extremely welcoming to beginners. You’ll start as a white belt so not be expected to know anything. Instructors show you exactly what to do right from a basic punch and kick. You’ll find that a good instructor can make things fun while also ensuring that you are able to start believing in yourself and be more confident in your moves. The training you receive will translate into your everyday activities; making you feel more at ease and safer. You’ll be surprised how many smiles are thrown around in the training hall. Regardless of how fit you think you are, your instructors will make it their mission to help you become the best version of yourself.

If you’d like to give it a try Pacific International Taekwondo has classes in 13 locations around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. For a free trial click this link and we’ll get back to you with details of your nearest branch.

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This is something that more experienced students of martial arts will already understand. The idea of your subconscious helping you isn’t anything new; subconscious decisions are something we make each and every day. As a quick example, think about fight or flight. Recall the last time you felt the urge to argue or to turn away, to defend yourself or to run. Fight or flight is one of the most basic defence mechanisms we have, and the decision we make in a situation that calls for that mechanism is entirely subconscious.

It’s very similar in the world of martial arts. As a beginner, your instructor will spend time teaching you movements within your range of expertise. He or she will make sure that you understand each movement and how to use it effectively to restrict or stop an opponent during training, or to use it in a defense situation. The underlying focus is always on your safety, so your subconscious only applies techniques it knows you feel confident using. Unless you consciously and deliberately apply a new technique your subconscious mind won’t allow you to put yourself at risk. It has stored the tools you can use effectively and applies them when you need them.

Basic movements are drilled into beginners. You are given a move to learn, and you repeat it. Eventually, the movement becomes a part of your muscle’s memory, and you are able to perform it almost flawlessly (flawlessness comes with more practice, after all!).

What is muscle memory?

When we repeat an action we’ve learned, specific cells in our brains – called neurons – join other neurons which help your body control that action.  This creates a neural pathway, and the more you repeat that action, the more neurons join together; helping your subconscious mind and your muscles remember the action. It’s your brain that does all the work, though! Sending signals to the right muscles, telling them exactly what they need to do.

Fight versus flight

When you need to defend yourself, your conscious mind focuses on the present threat. Although your conscious mind is focusing on what’s right in front of you, your subconscious mind is doing most of the work; filling in the blanks in information that your conscious mind is not focusing on.

Your subconscious mind will be looking for a solution to the situation. Can you run? Talk yourself out of it? Is there a weapon nearby? What have you been trained to do in this situation? When you can’t get away from the danger, you will choose fight over flight. This is where muscle memory kicks in; all of those defensive actions you’ve been drilled in, every movement your instructor taught you to remember and execute, all of those come to the surface.

At that point, it’s pure instinct. It takes practice, and you might still be scared – whether you’re in a situation on the street or training with your instructors – but with martial arts training, you’re more likely to be able to handle a threat and neutralise it.

Of course, it’s not just about the movements your body can make, but also training your mind to read an opponent’s actions and the type of threat they are. This is why your subconscious is important; and why it can help you.

The post How your subconscious mind can help your martial art training appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

Traditional martial art training is among the most popular health and fitness training programs for teens available out there. Practitioners learn a variety of skills not available in most other activities, and while mainstream weight training gyms are an option, more people are moving towards fresh and resourceful ways of putting their bodies and minds in the best shape.  

There are many styles of martial arts to choose from. While they all offer great benefits, the structure and discipline behind traditional martial arts is perfect for teens. It teaches them effective defence skills balanced with self-control and personal discipline, plus it offers the stimulation and excitement that teens want, all in a friendly and nonaggressive environment. As parents, it is highly valuable to realize the influence this way of training can have on our children’s lives.

Taekwondo for teens is highly beneficial as it not only tones the body and resets the mind after the pressures of a school day, but also builds a positive outlook on life. These positive changes are paramount in helping children become the ideal human being they have the potential to become.

Let’s see what some of the most prominent reasons are behind choosing traditional martial arts such as taekwondo for teens rather than mainstream gym training programs.

It’s the perfect after-school activity

Parents become more concerned about the safety of their children as they want more independence and socialize with new friends outside of the home. This calls for immediate action that can enable your children to help themselves whenever they face a challenging situation.

We are undeniably a product of our habits and to ensure that our children develop sensible habits, it is beneficial for them to spend time in activities where they can learn how to be safe. Traditional Taekwondo can be one of the best after school activities for teens.

The classes offer a comprehensive approach in making your kids resilient and more motivated.  Taekwondo for teens is especially exciting as it improvises many skills and tactics that would empower them to become stronger and more self-confident. These include jumping and flying techniques, discipline inducing drills and stamina enhancing pad work. These are all the activities that teens will enjoy as it gives them an opportunity to unwind and reset their mind after a hectic day at school.

Learning traditional Taekwondo can provide teens with goals and motivation that enable them to be more productive with their time. They will be training towards their next Taekwondo belt while becoming fit and toned, building new confidence and learning a useful skill that will help keep them safer.

One of the concerns that parents have about martial art training is that learning those skills may lead to teens into violent behaviour. That’s why traditional martial arts is the way to go for young adults. It teaches martial arts skills in a non-aggressive, structured environment. Students don’t simply ‘’do’’ a technique, they learn, train and gradually transform both mind and body to become resilient, level-headed young adults, capable of looking after themselves, not reckless fighters.

It helps them acquire good intra-personal values

Teenagers can easily adapt to any value and habit since their minds are programmed for learning new things. So the teen years are the perfect time to introduce them to values integral for life as an adult. Traditional martial art training is not just about the physical training, when you dive deeper you see that it includes many values such as, humility, discipline, respect, courage and compassion. Learned and experienced in the martial art environment these values can have a positive impact on teens. (Discipline is a key trait that most parents agree their teens lack. Learning martial arts is an enjoyable, meaningful and results-oriented way for them to experience the value of discipline).  

It provides a good platform for a healthy social interaction

Social interaction and the feeling of belonging is important for teens. Martial arts is a fun activity to enjoy with friends as it helps in building harmony among people. Your child can learn better when practising skills in the company of people belonging to same age and interests.

Teens can train themselves to be a better human through practising martial arts regularly and incorporating it into  their daily routine. Martial arts can benefit your kids and their friends as it provides a cumulative approach to learn highly valued traits and skills through a more positive social interaction.

In addition, practising with friends becomes a highly enjoyable experience as well as a way to better stick to the routine. This ultimately makes learning a lot easier.

Martial arts have a tremendous positive influence on our lives, and it is undoubtedly a fantastic way to inculcate valued traits in our children.

Brisbane Taekwondo

You can help your child learn taekwondo with Pacific International Taekwondo, where highly experienced instructors will make sure to bring out the best in your children as they teach them this amazing martial art.  There are 12 branches around the Brisbane suburbs and another located in Nambour. For a free 7-day trial pass contact Pacific International Taekwondo on: enquiry@pitkd.com

The post 4 Reasons Why Taekwondo Is Perfect For Teenagers appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

However much you love your job, eventually the daily routine begins to wear you down. You feel restless, life has become ‘samey’…..work all week and the same diversions every weekend.  You’re in a slump! It’s not about finding a new career path, it’s more about injecting something fresh and different, something you look forward to, into your working week.

If you can relate to this, consider adding something physically and mentally engaging to your life: Taekwondo.

Taekwondo for adults not only injects some needed energy into your life, but it also keeps your body fit and your mind enlivened while teaching you effective self-defence. Even if you have never done any martial arts before, you can get started now with a quality taekwondo teacher.

Renew Your Mental Energy

Studying traditional Taekwondo adds more to your life than other physical activities like jogging or gym training. The practical purpose of every technique adds meaning to the training so there is a reason to try to kick fast or punch with strength. That kind of reality is missing from gym training. That awareness invigorates your mind and improves your cognitive function. Another big plus in Taekwondo training is the ongoing learning….not simply ‘watching and copying’ but understanding how to carry out each movement correctly. It’s interesting, challenging and satisfying and teaches you so much about yourself that you otherwise may not have learned.

Boost Your Physical Energy

Get your heart rate up and exercise all your major body parts with a full taekwondo workout. As you get older, and your career takes up a lot of your time, you may find yourself feeling weary and sluggish after a long day at work. Your metabolism starts to slow down, and you naturally have less get-up-and-go than you used to have. It’s time to do something about it, stop the downhill slide! Getting active is one of the best ways to ensure health in your adult years. You may also get an extra spring in your step because you will look better, too.

Taekwondo Even Improves Emotional Energy

Physical exercise releases endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals naturally made in your brain. Also, when you succeed with a new activity and successfully complete something you have never done before, you get a burst of self-confidence and joy. Taekwondo provides both of these things if you dedicate part of your time each week to attending classes regularly. Plus, you get the benefit of hanging out with other adults also learning a new activity or perfecting one they have studied for a while. All of these things work together to improve how energetic and positive you feel. Stress? Knock it out with your new taekwondo moves.

If you feel like your stores of energy are running down as you get older, do not take this as a sign that it is time to put your feet up and relax. Take control of your life and sign up for one of the most beneficial things you can do for your mental, physical, and emotional energy levels. Taekwondo for adults will help you reimagine your lifestyle as you move forward into your older years. Do not take stress, fatigue, and lethargy lying down. Get going and fight back.

Try it for yourself – you’ll find 12 branches teaching adults groups here in Brisbane and another in Nambour. You’re invited to have 2 free trial classes to check it out and discover if Taekwondo is for you, so there’s nothing to lose – and alot to gain.

The post In a Slump? Renew Your Spark with Traditional Taekwondo appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

When people conjure up images of martial arts Brisbane classes, they may default to kids learning karate after school, or super-fit professional looking fighter types attempting to recreate movie fight scenes. However, Taekwondo for adults falls outside either of those two stereotypes, it presents a fun, accessible, and different opportunity to improve fitness beyond your 30^th birthday, – and maybe go on to achieve a unique goal.

Instead of looking at 30 with a sense of dread and a mistaken belief that your most athletic years are behind you, open your mind to new experiences. These three reasons to start Taekwondo in your 30’s should make the decision simple.

Get a Great Physical Workout

Taekwondo for adults is an active and energetic way to fitness that you can make your own. It offers a great balance of cardio workout that gets your heart rate up in a controllable manner and purposeful technique training that builds your mental focus. Also, it offers flexibility and strength training possibilities as well. This full-body workout strengthens your arms, legs, and important core muscles. These are the ones that will keep you walking tall as you reach your golden years. One of the best things about the best type of martial arts Brisbane has to offer is the instruction. This is so much more than a fitness class, your instructor is there to teach you how to carry out every movement and help you overcome every challenge.

Boost Brain Power Through Skill Learning

The simple act of exercising can feed your brain and improve mental clarity and focus.[i] The process of learning a new way of being active and focusing on the unique kicks, blocks and strikes can actually make brain cells grow. Things like eye-hand coordination, reflex time, and planning strategic approaches to counter your opponent keeps your mind agile at any age.

Classes Help Your Social Life, Too

After the school years are done and your life revolves mostly around your career and family, making friends not associated with either of those things presents a challenge for many adults. Joining a Taekwondo for adults class gives you the opportunity to make new acquaintances over a shared interest. Classes become like teams that all work and train together for shared goals. Things like weight-lifting at the gym or spinning classes do not have this type of interaction that fosters bonds.

A dose of friendly competition, support, and the boost of confidence you get from accomplishing every new technique helps you forge friendships, improve your own self-esteem, and help you destress from the tough stuff in life. All of these things help your mental and emotional state considerably in your 30’s or at any age.

Throw away your preconceived notions of martial arts in movies or the idea that only kids take karate. Taekwondo for adults offers people in their 30’s a great opportunity to improve their lives in three amazing ways. Boost your fitness level, health, flexibility and strength to carry you into middle age. Exercise your brain power, improve focus, and build new neural pathways. Alleviate stress, network, and make new friends that improve your quality of life in these adult years.

For a list of locations and more information email us at: enquiry@pitkd.com

[i] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110

The post Taekwondo in Your 30’s appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

People have many different reasons for taking up Taekwondo. Some do it to get fit and lose weight. Others do it to learn how to defend themselves and build their confidence. Some do it to learn stickability and self-discipline. The great thing about Taekwondo for adults is that from the day you start training it begins teaching you life lessons that can enrich every aspect of your life, from day to day working or studying to your relationships and even for future personal goals.

Whatever their initial reason, many practitioners find that Taekwondo for adults changes them both physically and mentally in unexpected ways. If it has changed them for the better, it could do the same for you! Let’s explore some of the more surprising lessons you will learn in Taekwondo training hall.

1. Your Brain is Stronger Than your Body

Make no mistake, Taekwondo for adults is challenging both physically and mentally. It will work your entire body – your arms, legs, midsection, and your mind. There will be times when it feels like it is too difficult and all you want to do is give up.

But you won’t. You will push through and come out the other side and be stronger for doing so. You will soon come to understand what people mean when they say ‘mind over matter’. This ‘true grit’ can seep into life outside the training hall, and help you push through whatever challenges life may throw at you.

2. Your Physical Capabilities

Taekwondo for adults will teach you what your physical capabilities truly are. Breaking boards will show you just how hard you can strike, whilst jumping kicks will show you just how agile and athletic you can be. You may find you are stronger than you know. And if you commit to training regularly your capabilities will only increase over time. You will find your body changes for the better and training sessions will start to feel physically easier. Of course, once training starts feeling easy it is time to turn it up a notch and reach the next level.

3. You Never Stop Learning

Practice, practice practice! Regular training will consist of repeating techniques over and over until you can perform them without thinking. That’s why Taekwondo for adults is so effective for self defense. The instilled defensive counter attacks react when you need them. You will be learning and improving all the time. Even if you do not realise it, others will! Your techniques will become crisper, your instincts more perceptive and your reflexes lightening quick.  This learning and development never stops. Even grand masters will strive to improve their skills. Indeed, the best masters are those that remember that sometimes they too are a student. This humble humility is something else Taekwondo  will teach you.

4. With Power Comes Responsibility

Someone once said “With great power comes great responsibility.” Taekwondo for adults will not have you swinging between skyscrapers, but it will teach you how to look after yourself. With this knowledge comes the responsibility to defend both yourself and those around you. Fighting should always be the last resort of course, and it is your responsibility to use your Taekwondo abilities responsibly, and only when it is appropriate.

You are also responsible for your own training. It is your responsibility to turn up, pay attention and train hard. It is your responsibility to keep your uniform clean and your fingernails trimmed. It is your responsibility to live healthily and be the best version of you that you can be. Regular practitioners of Taekwondo for adults often find this self-discipline leaks into other areas of their life, changing their life for the better.

Do these sound like the lessons you would like to learn first-hand? If so, please come join us at Pacific International Taekwondo Brisbane, all are welcome. Take a look at our kids, teens and adult classes timetables to discover your first lesson, we are looking forward to meeting you.

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You have probably heard the phrase ‘practice makes perfect’ more times than you can count. Why is it used so often? Because it is true! It doesn’t matter what you are doing – from baking a cake to running a marathon, to improve your game long-term takes practice. Lots and lots of practice.

Taekwondo is no different. Black belts don’t grow on trees, and they don’t give them out just for showing up, there is no such thing as a ‘participation blackbelt’. If you want to wear a black belt and genuinely BE a black belt you will have to earn it. How? By training consistently and committing to reaching the goal regardless of how long it takes.

How to Become Outstandingly Good at Taekwondo – or at Anything Else You Choose To Do

On your Taekwondo journey with Pacific International Taekwondo you can expect to be practising and correcting the same techniques repeatedly. I know this might sound dull, but it’s just the opposite. When you’re involved in your training working on techniques can be inspiring. Even something as fairly straightforward as a back kick can be exciting to carry out when you know you have practised each part of the technique, so it is honed to perfection, dynamite fast and visually amazing. You made that happen by practising repetition.

But the real reason for the repetition isn’t to exercise your ego… it’s to instill techniques, so your body and mind are trained to carry them out instinctively when they are needed. And as we said earlier, it separates your level of ability from being average to being outstanding, and isn’t that what we all want, to be not just average but outstandingly good in whatever we choose to do in our life?

The Real Reason for Repetition in Taekwondo

It has been said that performing a technique 1000 times (or 10,000 times depending on who you ask) will turn it into a reflex. Whilst this is not 100% technically accurate – a reflex does not involve the brain whereas martial arts techniques do – it can make the action instinctive. This means being performed without input from the conscious mind. This is important since the subconscious mind works faster than the conscious one. If you had to stop to think about performing a technique the target will probably have moved by the time you executed it, or if your target is a person – hit you first. Think of animals with the fastest reactions, such as the blow from a mantis shrimp or the strike from a viper. They are acting on instinct, not conscious thought, which is one of the reasons they are so quick.

You will probably have noticed that martial artists tend to learn techniques as part of a combination and perform them one after another. Why do they do this? So that the combination as a whole becomes instinctive. This prevents the phenomena of having a brain snap – or ‘forgetting which move I’m supposed to do next’. In a grading, this is embarrassing but in a real-world fight, it would be painful! Your opponent will probably have hit you in the second it takes you to work out what to do next.

Use Your Taekwondo Training to Build Good Habits for Life

When performing these techniques, it is important to do them correctly with precision and control. If your techniques are sloppy in training then they will remain sloppy when it comes to use them in gradings or in a real-world defense situation. It is easy to pick up bad habits, which is why it is so important to train with experienced instructors who will correct and tweak your techniques, such as the great team we have here at Pacific International Taekwondo – Brisbane. Make ‘perfect practice makes perfect’ your new mantra and you will be on the path to grading success – most of the time.

However, passing a grading is not guaranteed for any student at any level. The occasional set back or mishap on the day is inevitable, but the worst possible thing you can do is to become demoralised and quit. Instead, use it as a learning curve and grow all the stronger for it. Perhaps you hadn’t been training regularly enough or hard enough in the lead up to it. If so, you know what you will need to do to be better prepared next time.

Perhaps you were unable to take part in the grading due to events beyond your control, such as illness, injury or your house burning down the night before, (seriously, we know of someone this happened to!)  

Life can be both unfair and unpredictable, but you must learn to roll with the punches (pun intended), dust yourself off and keep going. Training with us at Pacific International Taekwondo here in Brisbane will help you to toughen up, enabling you to meet life’s challenges head-on and overcome them.

Has your interest been piqued? Then get in touch and find the time and place of your first lesson.

The post How Taekwondo Can Help You Become a Standout appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

Becoming focused and disciplined.

Do either of these sound like you?

“I drift through life without any clear long-term goals.”

“I set long term goals, but I never achieve them because I keep getting distracted or demotivated half way through.”

If so, then what you need to succeed are healthy doses of focus and self-discipline. Luckily for you, teaching these two attributes are central to Taekwondo training.

Once you have caught the ‘Taekwondo bug’ you will find you want to push yourself harder so you can progress regularly through the gradings and ultimately attain that coveted blackbelt. These are perfect examples of mid-term and long-term goals. To achieve these, you will need to make a long-term commitment to train consistently, to be focused whenever you’re practising, and to stick with it through the high’s and low’s even when there are other distractions in your life.

What’s more, you will gradually see Taekwondo not as a way to exercise but as a new addition to your life that you can’t wait to get to. The blend of challenging physicality, the camaraderie with other students together with the mental focus and discipline stretches you, so you leave training feeling recharged and refreshed – and physically tired.

Many practitioners find this focus and discipline bleeds into other aspects of their life, with positive results. It worked for them so it can work for you too!

The meditative aspects of Taekwondo can help clear your mind and cope with life’s challenges, whatever they may be. We know of someone who used martial arts meditation to cope when their halls of residence at their Uni burnt to the ground!

• Adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Do you have any bad habits you wish you could ditch, such as smoking, eating too much junk food or out of control drinking? Many regular practitioners find that Taekwondo training was just the right ‘kick’ (pun intended) they needed to quit these habits for good.

Do you have trouble sleeping? If so, Taekwondo training can help you. A good training session will leave you feeling great due to the endorphins, and will also leave you feeling relaxed and fatigued. This will encourage a restful and refreshing night’s sleep.

Would you like to get fit in other ways too, but find you cannot get motivated to do so? Again, Taekwondo training can help. Regular practitioners will often wish to take their training ‘to the next level’. Some will train every opportunity they can. Others may take up ‘ancillary training’ such as running, weight training etc. to improve their all-round fitness and make them a better Martial Artist.

• Grow in confidence.

Regular Taekwondo training is fantastic for building self-confidence. For a start, you will feel more confident in confrontational situations, since you will know how to defend yourself. Secondly, you will feel more confident in your body, as it will be healthier, fitter and stronger than ever before. You will also know what your bodies limits are and how to push them. This could be a life saver in an emergency situation. Remember that fire from earlier? You are far more likely to escape from something like that if you are healthy and in shape.

Moreover, you will feel confident in your competence, ‘true grit’ and hard-won achievements. You will know that you can achieve difficult goals when you put your mind to it. You will also know you have the staying power to endure the tough times and come out smiling at the other end. These are very positive traits, and they can translate to more confidence, staying power and success in business, education and life as a whole.

If you liked the sound of this, then contact Pacific International Taekwondo for a free trial and get training.

The post 3 outstanding ways that Taekwondo can change your life appeared first on Pacific International Taekwondo.

If any of them do, then you are not alone, many people feel this way. The biggest barrier to exercise for many is that doing it is a painful chore. They would be far more motivated to exercise if they actually enjoyed doing it.

This is where Taekwondo comes in. Unlike most exercise options, many people find Taekwondo is actually exciting and enjoyable to do. Getting fit whilst learning a practical skill and enjoying a new challenge doing it!

Training at a Taekwondo club has the social aspects of a team sport but is still focused on self-improvement as an individual. For many practitioners, this is the perfect middle ground between the camaraderie of team sports and the individual achievement of solo training. Training is always done inside too, so the weather is never a problem.

Taekwondo is, of course, a martial art. The term ‘martial art’ comes from the Latin and means ‘The arts of Mars’, Mars being the Roman God of War. Therefore, Taekwondo will teach you how to look after yourself, an important skill to have these days when it comes to protecting yourself and others. But martial arts also teach responsibility, discipline and self-control so you will learn how to restrain yourself, and only use your skills when it is truly necessary. This combination of capability and self-control is fantastic for increasing self-esteem and building confidence, which can positively impact your life outside of the training hall.

Unlike most forms of exercise, Taekwondo has a clear system of progressions through its grading system. The pride and sense of accomplishment you get when you pass your first grading is intoxicating, and the thirst to experience it again will keep you motivated to keep training month after month, year after year.

But passing a grading is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one, especially when it comes to memorising ‘patterns’, the prearranged sequences of Taekwondo techniques designed to both clear and focus the mind. Many find this is as good for their mental wellbeing as it is their physical.

Speaking of physical, martial arts, and the highly dynamic Taekwondo in particular, are a fantastic form of whole-body training, that will build muscular strength, muscular endurance, balance, flexibility and both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Therefore regular training will ‘tick all your fitness boxes’.

Does Taekwondo sound right for you? Pacific International Taekwondo has classes in 13 locations in Brisbane and Nambour. The school offers a free introductory block of 3 sessions to help you find out if Taekwondo is for you. Reach out to your local branch to find out more….call: 0414252255 or email: enquiry@pitkd.com for more information.

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