Leicester, Loughborough and Syston - Leicestershire, UK
Tae Kwon Do Association of Great Britain (TAGB)
Leicester
Forest East School of Tae Kwon Do
Instructor
Sheryl Potts
Based at
Holmfield School, Holmfield Avenue West (off A47 Hinckley Road), Leicester
Forest East, Sheryl Potts' Tae Kwon-Do club is offering local people
the chance to keep fit, have fun and learn an effective form of self
defence all at the same time.
Sheryl Potts is a 3rd degree black belt and England International, who
highlights the social benefits of Tae Kwon-Do as much as the sporting
ones:
"The training and patterns used in Tae Kwon-Do are very good
for improving fitness, stamina, co-ordination and confidence, but is
also a lot of fun and an activity which is enjoyed by all ages, shapes
and sizes.Many children begin studying when they are only five or six
years old, while there are plenty of pensioners - including black belts
in their mid 70s - who still participate to help maintain fitness and
flexibility."
Sheryl has represented England on numerous occasions and won many trophies
in competitions all over the world in the full contact combat form of
the sport. But participants can choose to study the sport without engaging
in physical contact:
"The
training patterns used in Tae Kwon-Do are both physical and artistic,
and some students choose to concentrate on them, as well as the history
and Korean culture which is learnt alongside the physical activities.
You do not have to be big and strong to enjoy the sport".
The structured nature of the sport's tuition - which is based around
a series of ten gradings leading up to black belt - has also been found
to help children with special educational needs:
"Learning and performing the patterns, which are sets of defensive
and attacking moves performed against imaginary opponents - poses a
mental as well as a physical challenge, and helps both co-ordination
and self-confidence. It is a sport anyone can try and - with the right
mix of dedication and practice - enjoy and excel in. It is also a highly
effective form of self defence, which is another reason that many people
get involved".