Confidence boosting ... taekwondo

This week we are focusing on taekwondo!  As many as 70 million people practice this Korean martial art globally and it is a sport that has weathered lockdown well.  Many classes have been able to continue online thanks to their format and content.  If you’re looking for something new, this might be the sport for you.

We have some great interviews – one with Paralympic taekwondo athlete Amy Truesdale and one with British rising star Alice Foster.  Both stories are great examples of how sport makes you feel good and can lead to amazing things!

But first, some facts:

TAEKWONDO FACT FILE

Taekwondo is a fairly modern sport, only officially recognised in 1955, originating in Korea.  It is a sport but it was created as an art of self-defence.

Translated literally, ‘tae’ means jumping or flying, to kick or smash with the foot; ‘kwon’ signifies the fist – chiefly to punch or destroy with the hand or fist.  ‘Do’ means an art or a way.   

There are two ‘schools’ of taekwondo – ITF (International Taekwondo Federation) and WTF (World Taekwondo Federation).  Their differences are listed here.  It is the WTF format of the sport that you see at the Olympics and Paralympic Games.

As you progress through the sport, you can attend gradings where you perform patterns and spar i.e. fight against someone else.  You wear protective padding around your feet, hands and head.  If you’re successful you will be given a coloured belt – the colours are different as you progress with black being the best! 

I have given taekwondo a go as an adult but sadly had to give it up due to an ankle injury – the training sessions are great for your fitness levels whilst the fundamental moves that you learn are very physical and dynamic.  I can see how it would be great self-defence!

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Welsh Paralympic taekwondo athlete Amy Truesdale was born without her left hand and forearm.  Aged eight, her parents encouraged her to try several different sports and they took her to her first taekwondo class with her sister.  They thought that taekwondo would help them gain some life skills such as discipline and resilience and also make them stronger.

Amy was made to feel welcome straightaway and she fell in love with taekwondo!  She was training twice a week and progressing through the taekwondo belts easily.  Amy enjoyed having a new skill, something that she was really good at – she enjoyed standing out from the crowd.    

She took part in semi-contact taekwondo and by age 21, she had won every title in able-bodied semi-contact which is a fantastic achievement.  She went on to become the World Champion at semi-contact taekwondo and from then on, she wanted to participate in full-contact able bodied taekwondo which is what you see at the Olympic Games. 

It was a bit of a shock, then, when she was categorised as a Paralympic athlete - Amy found that hard to deal with after competing in able bodied competitions. 

However, her respect and love for the sport meant that she just wanted to be a part of it, no matter what, and can now call herself a professional athlete with the Paralympic Games 2021 in her sights.

What does she love about taekwondo?  She likes being fit and healthy and that you can easily see results and progression.  It makes Amy feel positive and has taught her self-discipline and respect.  She has found something that she’s really good at which gives her confidence.  She really enjoys being ‘special’ and not ‘average’.

Alice Foster is ten and from Leicestershire in the UK

1.      Alice, how old were you when you started Taekwondo, and how did you discover it?

I started taekwondo when I was six years old. My parents took me to our local taekwondo club, which was purely for children aged 4-10, hoping it would boost my confidence, and I would enjoy it. Luckily for me I loved it!

2.      How would you describe Taekwondo to someone who’s never heard of it? 

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and an Olympic sport. Your Instructor teaches you how to defend yourself against others. There are physical exercises involved, you will also learn a sequence of self-defence and counter-attack movements (punches, blocks, guards and kicks) which come together to form a pattern. 

There is a belt system; you start as a white belt, then go through various colours until you reach black belt. 

It teaches you respect, discipline and courtesy. It can also improve your self-esteem and confidence. If you want to, you’ll have the opportunity to participate at competitions too.

3.      What are your achievements to date?  (Belt, competitions etc.) 

Currently I am a 3rd Kup / red stripe (three belts away from black). I respect my belt and I take pride in wearing it.

In the early days, I formed a team with some talented girls from my club and started to enter competitions. We had great success performing synchronised patterns. This was the beginning of my journey as a TKD competitor. Our greatest achievement as a team was becoming 3x national champions. 

We won Team of the Year at our district sports awards and were runners up for our county sports awards. It took a lot of practice to succeed as a team, but it was fun, it gave me the courage to believe in myself and go onto fighting at competitions.

I’ve competed at 26 championships and won 45 medals. I am a British, English, Welsh, Scottish and International Champion,…and a 2x vice World Champion!

4.      You are obviously passionate about this sport: what do you love about it? 

Taekwondo has boosted my fitness, strength and control. It pushes me to my limits, physically and mentally. I’ve found it helps my concentration, focus and confidence in everyday life. When I’m at taekwondo It feels like we’re all one big happy family and I’ve made some amazing friends of all ages and abilities along the way. 

5.      Have you tried other sports? If so, which ones and did they appeal? Or what didn’t you like about them compared to taekwondo?

My parents made me persist with swimming for 3 years as it is an essential skill to have.

I tried other sports too, but no other sport apart from taekwondo felt like it was meant for me. 

6.                Who are your role models?

That’s easy. In everyday life, it’s my mum and dad.

In the world of taekwondo I’m inspired by the Team GB Athletes, and every martial artist who persevered with achieving their goals and dreams. 

7.                What would you say to any other girls considering trying taekwondo? 

Go for it girls! What do you have to lose? Go, have fun, get fit and kick some boys! LOL

 (Girl power!)

Are you feeling inspired after reading that?  I am!  Both Amy and Alice describe how taekwondo makes them feel and how it has boosted their confidence, self-esteem and resilience.

Let’s be more Alice, “Go for it girls!”

Wherever you are in the world, you can find your local taekwondo club by emailing the relevant country’s email found here on the ITF website or here on the WTF website. 

Let us know if you have a go!

Give them a follow!

Amy Truesdale on Instagram - @truesdaleamy

Alice Foster - @aliceintaekwondoland with underscores between each word! For some reason it won’t let me do it but I will investigate!