Why Taekwondo is good for you

Taekwondo burns approximately 730 calories per session and helps improve fitness levels, balance, coordination and flexibility. For those not wanting to take part in combat, the moves involved in the sport can still be done as conditioning and strength-building exercises.

The moves involved in taekwondo often require your arms and legs to work together in unison, while using a number of different muscle groups at the same time. For example, upright kicking moves require flexibility in the legs, plus core and spinal strength.

The strikes and evasive manoeuvres involved provide an effective form of self-defence training. It also lowers peoples risk of sustaining serious injury in other sports as taekwondo teaches people how to fall in a safe manner.

Although it is an individual sport, taekwondo is an excellent way to develop communication skills and learn to work effectively with other people as you train in groups. Clubs also offer a variety of social events beyond simply playing the sport.

Taekwondo is good for the mind as well as the body. Specific rules ensure you will build self-confidence, self-discipline and respect for yourself and others.

Lil' Leaders

Taekwon-do-Wales.Com launched a new programme designed especially for 4-6 year old children. Master Peter Kent-Marrast instructor, 7th degree explained that for many years children have had to cope with a very diverse and challenging grading syllabus and yet meet exactly the same grading criteria as an adult to pass.

The new Lil' Leaders programme is designed to test the children without them feeling out of their depth. The new structure concentrates on fundamental key skills that are presented to them in a more simplified manner. This allows the children to demonstrate their ability and style in a more relaxed atmosphere without compromising quality and standards.

The programme is comprehensive and rewarding for the student who if successful will receive a belt and certificate from TKD Wales. The new Lil' Leader’s uniform is fun to wear for the children, with its bright animated monkey at the back and front of the suit and yet is consistent with the uniformity of the club. The suit worn by the children are unique and separate them from the TKD Wales more senior students.

The main objective with the new programme is to help the student build a strong character and promote self confidence. Young children often suffer in their early years with lack of confidence & social skills sometimes as a result of bullying. Students also have the opportunity to develop their focus, co-ordination, learning skills & self control. If you think this program would benefit your child then please come and see us for your FREE trial.

The club is friendly, welcoming and family orientated. Package family memberships are available on request.

Classes for Juniors

At taekwondo there are junior classes nearly every night of the week at Aberbargoed we have beginner classes so new students do not feel pressure from high belt students and the level of training has a lot more fun to it. We have classes that are mix abilities also have classes that we speicalize in the belt groups.

Classes for Adults

Taekwon-do-Wales has a very large and growing adults class. At Aberbargoed on a Sunday, Monday, Thursday & Friday evenings we have a number of men and women and families. The classes are exciting and a balance of fun and serious training promoting quailty taekwon do and fitness. There is a great social feel to our classes.

Ladies Only Classes

September 2009 Patricia started our Ladies only classes with female instructors by request of the mums who came to whatch their children learn Taekwondo. They wanted a class that had no children and no men. The class is now a great class and now the ladies in this class are looking great, feeling fitter, more confidence and there taekwondo is as good or better than there children and husbands.

TKD Wales Elite Team

Students who want to excel in the world of National and International Tournaments we have elite junior team taekwondo training on Friday Nights with fight school and Sunday mornings with field and patterns training. Over the pass few years our students have entered tournaments in Bulgaria,Croatia, Netherlands, Estonia, Czech Republic, Ireland as well as all over the U.K. The students in our team is as young as 9 train as part of ITF Wales National Welsh team in Cardiff.

Most Popular Questions from New Joiners,

Parents & Students

A question I've been asked is whether our Instructors/Assistants hold the necessary qualifications to teach adults and children.

The simple answer is absolutely, YES.

Taekwon-do is a martial art and as such, comes with inherent risk. It is our opinion that it would be negligent towards our students and their parent to not put in place the relevant measures to protect ourselves and our students in such an environment. This includes:

Master Peter Kent-Marrast, Mrs Patricia Kent-Marrast, Mr Anthoni Fieldhouse, Miss Lauren Wynn, being Registered All Instructors has a current, valid Enhanced Disclosure Certificate from the Criminal Records Bureau (DBS), a official International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF) Black Belt Certificate and Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurances covering the teaching of Martial Arts based fitness activities.

I've also been asked if we hold frequent gradings for our students in Aberbargoed, Trelewis, Caerphilly?

The simple is absolutely, YES.

Obviously, in order to be eligible to grade, a student must have completed the requisite number of training hours AND be considered to be of the requisite standard by his/her instructor. However, for students that meet this criteria we hold regular gradings 4 times per year (every 3 months).

One question that I have been asked is whether our club is all about competitions/tournaments?

The simple answer is NO.

A Parents View

It is certainly true that Taekwon-do Wales has a great record of producing students that go on to compete successfully in a wide variety of competitions, from local grass-roots events to national and international tournaments. For these students, the buzz of competition is what they strive for and their training is representative of that. However, there are significantly more Taekwon-do Wales students that train for very different reasons, do not take part in competitions and go on to achieve many other things in Taekwon-do. The choice as to whether to compete or not fundamentally lies with each student individually. If the desire to compete exists, we will encourage you and provide you with the opportunities to do so. If it does not, you will benefit from being part of a school that places the needs of each INDIVIDUAL student at the heart of what it does.FROM A PARENT
One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do Tae Kwon do?" Well I have a confession to make, I don't pay for my kids Tae Kwon do. Personally, I couldn't care less about Taekwon-do.
So if I am not paying for Taekwon-do what am I paying for?

I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don't. 

I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are "too tired" to go their clubs but go anyway. 

I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined. 

I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body. 

I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates. 

I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that belt they'd hoped for, but still have to work hard in the grading. 

I pay for my kids learn to make and accomplish goals. 

I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create a black belt, and that success does not happen over night. 

I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships. 

I pay so that my kids can be on the mats instead of in front of a screen...

I could go on but to be short, I don't pay for Taekwon-do, I pay for the opportunities that Taekwon-do provides my kids to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!