Taekwondo in Jacksonville
Taekwondo comes from the words Tae, or “foot” or “to step on;” Kwon, which means means “fist” or “fight;” and Do refers to a “way,” “art” or “discipline.” The combination of these words embodies the essence of the sport. Although Taekwondo is defensive in nature, this is only one of the many advantages of a regular Taekwondo practice. You’ll also experience improved fitness, discipline and concentration.
Building Fitness and Character
Zone Martial Arts Taekwondo lessons typically involves punching and kicking drills, blocks, core-strengthening exercises and stretches. Taekwondo drills help improve motor skills and body control – even for our youngest students. In a recent Sports Med study, researchers found that taekwondo leads to high peak anaerobic power, flexibility — especially in the legs and hips — high dynamic upper- and lower-body strength and good core endurance.
Respect and honor are key tenants of Taekwondo. Our students are taught to respect discipline, the dojo or school, your teacher, and your family. Our students are instructed to dress neatly in a clean uniform and adhere to the rules of the school. At the beginning and end of class, you bow to your teacher, and upon entering the class, we say, “Hello Sir, Hello, ma’am,” or “Good bye sir, Good bye, ma’am.” We regularly instruct younger students to give thanks to their parents for the privilege of martial arts training. At Zone Martial Arts character is of paramount importance.
Higher belt athletes are allowed some authority in the studio based on their demonstrated skill, discipline and physical fitness.
In addition to building respect for authority, Taekwondo teaches athletes to respect themselves. Advances in the belts builds self-confidence. The discipline required in learning forms and specific punching and kicking techniques builds confidence and mental focus. It’s common for our younger students to see improvements at school and home too, as grades improve thanks to increased confidence, discipline and understanding that effort spent today to make a person stronger translates into future rewards down the road.