Taekwondo

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Qs)

We've had many questions over the year, hopefully this list helps clear some things up. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to send us a message via EMail, Facebook or Instagram.

• Do I have to go to all the sessions?
  • No. We don't have any strict requirements on how often you use your membership. If you are looking to grade, we recommend attending the Tuesday or Wednesday sessions to learn what is expected in the gradings. If you are looking to compete, we recommend training at least twice a week, and attending the Friday sessions if you want to compete in sparring.

• What do you mean by Traditional (ITF) and Olympic (WT) styles?
  • There are two main styles of Taekwondo: ITF (International Taekwondo Federation), and WT (World Taekwondo Federation); they are slightly different styles, founded by different federations. ITF emphasises traditional techniques, whereas WT favours a sport oriented approach is what you will see in the Olympics. The differences are seen in sparring and patterns. We encourage you to try both styles and see which one you like.

• What should I wear?
  • If you own a dobok, you can wear that to training. If not, just come in loose, comfortable sports wear. We are not too strict about uniforms and usually wear a sports top and dobok bottoms.

• Do I need to go to both Tuesday and Wednesday sessions to attend gradings?
  • The Tuesday and Wednesday sessions are in different styles and follow different syllabi. Tuesdays are the ITF style sessions and Wednesdays are the WT style. We recommend you try both to see which is right for you. 

• How often do you compete?
  • We compete in the national BUCS league and there are 3 main competitions across the academic year; the Autumn Championships (November), Winter Championships (February) and the Spring Championships (March).
  • We also compete in the BUTL league, where there is a National or World Uni Championships in March.
  • We normally head to the location the Friday before and compete over the weekend, we tend to travel together as a group so you make loads of memories with the team as well as getting to show off your tkd at the competition! 

• Do I need to buy any equipment?
  • If you simply want to attend our sessions without grading or competing, you needn't buy anything.
  • If you wish to grade or compete, you will need a dobok.
  • You can buy sparring equipment if you wish to have a set to yourself but we can provide 90% of the kit you need. 
  • We also have club merch (fleeces/t shirts) which are optional but we will have group orders for these throughout the year. 

• I did [X] style/martial art. Can I train with you guys?
  • Yes, come and train with us! We never exclude people based on their style or previous experience. In fact, experience in another discipline is quite often a benefit and we love meeting people who have trained in different styles. Some of our members just turn up when they are free, regardless of the style! 

• How much is membership?
  • Once you've purchased the annual SU Sports Clubs membership (£30), annual taekwondo membership costs £10. This gets you unlimited sessions! 

• I'm scared of getting hurt/Will I get injured?/I don't want to hurt people...
  • Taekwondo is a semi-contact sport, so accidents and injuries can occur. We make the safety and comfort of our members a priority and will never force anyone into doing something they don't want to. Our coaches are all experienced and will teach you how to avoid injuring yourself or other people. We are also lucky enough to have a fully matted dojo! There is also much more to Taekwondo than just fighting :)