What if I told you that you could have a fun, healthy, fitness oriented activity that doesn’t need protein shakes or gym memberships or machines? Well then, look no further. I have your perfect fitness glitch.

Taekwondo. It’s taekwondo. Don’t believe me? Here’s why.

Taekwondo is a unique martial art. It’s known largely for having lots of kicks and being very sport oriented. That’s what it’s known for. But there is so much more to it than that. Taekwondo has art, scholarship, and self-defense techniques attached. Board breaking isn’t always just for show!

That sounds scary. I promise, it’s not. A good taekwondo community is a healthy taekwondo community. Not only do you get to learn some cool skills, you also build friendships. If you’re lucky, they might become your life long friends and you might get invited to their wedding! (I was.)

Taekwondo Doesn’t Require Equipment

That’s right. Taekwondo training sometimes uses equipment, but it doesn’t always need equipment. When I’m training, I rarely use the equipment I have. I usually save that equipment for the classes I teach. Or big heavy machines. Nor protein shakes. I don’t even need weights (though sometimes I use them)! I just train regularly. For me, it works!

It’s A Life Long Skill

Taekwondo is many things. One of those things is that it is a skill. Not just a punching/kicking skill either. In taekwondo we learn techniques, sure. But we also learn things connected to it, like stretches, warm ups, and good daily habits! Also, creativity. For example, When your hands are full, why not use your foot? My instructor would joke that a taekwondo person doesn’t have two hands. We have four! He was kidding, of course. Though I will admit, I have used my foot to open a door more than once.

Taekwondo Brings A Community

An important part of exercising is making friends and forming healthy relationships with other people. I’ve found that is much harder to do in a traditional weight gym. In martial arts though? In order to learn taekwondo you need an instructor, and an instructor needs students. With this cycle we create a community over time. Kind of like a martial arts symbiosis. It also helps if you have a community to cheer you on. Exercising can be difficult, but it gets so much easier when you have other people there to encourage you.

Taekwondo Is Motivating

People are motivated by external rewards. In other words, we perform when we have an achievable reward at the end. Take a trophy for example. Playing the game (let’s say basketball) is fun. Winning the game is even more satisfying. If that happens, you’re motivated to play it again. Martial arts is a lot the same way. Learning and training in martial arts, in a good school, is similarly rewarding and fun. Getting your black belt is even better.

As a side note, if you’re wondering, yes, it can feel a little like a rat race sometimes. Some people find this to be disconcerting, and that’s fair. Some people get concerningly engaged in it. If you keep your head on your shoulders, though, it can be quite fun!

You Don’t Need to Think About It (Most of the Time)

The title says it all. With taekwondo training you don’t need to think about the act of exercising. Exercising is simply a part of learning taekwondo. It takes no effort other than actually going to class itself. Going to the gym to lift weights, on the other hand, is a little less motivating and more of a chore (at least for some people). It is not as much about learning and community as taekwondo training is. Combined with the pain, sweat, and stress; it’s not very encouraging.

Conclusion

If all of that isn’t enough of a motivator, here is another. It’s pretty cool being a black belt. Being a black belt has given me many opportunities that I could not, in a million years, have ever imagined doing. Taekwondo is indeed a unique experience. If it is, in fact, an experience you are curious to pursue, join the Taekwondo Tutors community by subscribing down below!

You’ll get access to exclusive content, access to my published writing completely free, and so much more! Just put in your email, and you’re all done! See you in the comments section!

Disclaimer: This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant only to amuse, not replace, the instruction given at your martial arts classes. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a trained martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation of the technique, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions, and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly.