Can I really start Taekwon-Do?

Absolutely.

You don't need previous martial arts experience and you don't need to get fit before you start.

Warwick & Leamington TKD welcomes adults and children from 8 years old, from complete beginners through to experienced martial artists and black belts.

People join us for many different reasons. Some want to improve their fitness. Some want to learn practical self-defence. Some enjoy competition, while others are looking for greater confidence, discipline, personal development or simply a challenging activity they genuinely enjoy.

You don't have to decide where Taekwon-Do will take you before you begin.

Start from where you are. We'll help you progress from there.

TRY YOUR FIRST CLASS FREE

Why choose Warwick & Leamington TKD?

Not all martial arts clubs are the same — and neither are all instructors.

At WLTKD, we combine traditional ITF Taekwon-Do with modern training methods, proven competition success and a practical approach to self-defence.

Our Chief Instructor, Martin Noddings, is a 7th Degree Master Black Belt with more than 45 years' martial arts experience. A former England Taekwon-Do Team Captain, Great Britain representative, European Champion and eight-time British Champion, his experience extends beyond Taekwon-Do into multiple martial arts and combative systems.

Martin's British military background and continuing professional career in international security and Close Protection bring another dimension to WLTKD's approach to self-defence: practical experience of situational awareness, threat recognition, avoidance, conflict management and personal protection — not simply theory.

But a strong club should never depend upon one person.

WLTKD has an experienced team of black belts and assistant instructors who continue to train, develop their knowledge and maintain the high standards we expect throughout the club.

We believe the quality and experience of the people teaching you matter just as much as the martial art you choose.

MEET OUR INSTRUCTOR TEAM ON OUR INSTRUCTOR PROFILE PAGE

Martial arts for children aged 8+

At Warwick & Leamington TKD, we accept children from eight years old.

That's a deliberate decision.

There are excellent activities available for very young children that combine movement, games and basic martial-arts skills. That's simply not what we set out to provide.

We teach Taekwon-Do as a genuine martial art and self-defence system, and we believe students need sufficient concentration, discipline and maturity to begin learning it properly.

Training should still be enjoyable and engaging, but enjoyment doesn't mean lowering the substance or expectations of what is being taught.

We don't expect an eight-year-old to train like an adult. We do expect to teach them a real martial art in a way appropriate for their age.

Children progressively develop coordination, fitness, confidence, concentration, discipline and resilience while learning skills they can continue developing throughout their teenage years and into adulthood.

Can families train together?

Yes — and this is one of the things that makes WLTKD different.

Parents often spend years taking their children to activities and sitting on the sidelines watching.

At WLTKD, you can train too.

Our class structure allows children and adults to train at the same time, making Taekwon-Do an activity that families can enjoy together while still receiving age and ability-appropriate instruction.

You may join because your child wants to learn martial arts and discover that you enjoy training just as much as they do.

What can Taekwon-Do do for you?

Practical Self-Defence

Self-defence is about much more than learning how to fight.

At WLTKD, students develop practical physical skills alongside situational awareness, avoidance, positioning, conflict management and de-escalation.

When physical intervention becomes necessary, the objective is simple: protect yourself, create an opportunity to disengage and get to safety.

Fitness & Wellbeing

Taekwon-Do provides a challenging full-body workout that develops cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, mobility, balance and coordination.

You don't need to get fit before joining us.

Training is part of how you become fitter.

Confidence & Personal Development

Confidence isn't something we simply tell students to have. It develops through experience.

Learning new skills, overcoming challenges, improving fitness, progressing through grades and discovering that you're capable of more than you thought all contribute to genuine self-belief.

Taekwon-Do also develops discipline, resilience, concentration and the ability to keep working when something doesn't come easily.

Competition & Excellence

Competition isn't compulsory at WLTKD, but for students who want the challenge, we provide opportunities to compete and develop their skills under pressure.

Our students have achieved considerable success at regional, national and international level.

Competition develops timing, movement, composure and the ability to perform against somebody who is equally determined to succeed.

We value competitive martial arts — we simply understand the difference between competition and self-defence.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT TRAINING AT WLTKD 

CHOOSING A SCHOOL

The following are a list of things you should look for when choosing a school or instructor:

• Be very wary of franchised or template-based martial arts clubs, the so-called “McDojo” model! These businesses may recruit people with limited martial arts experience, give them a brand, marketing systems and pre-written lesson plans, and encourage promotions regardless of whether students have truly earned them. We are not a frachise, we have decades of experience with a Master 7th degree black belt leading the classes from the front.

• When you call the school, are all your questions answered, and answered honestly and openly.

• A school should offer a free trial class before you sign up. How else can you determine if you want to train there! We do offer a free introductory class.

• When you visit the school, is the practice safe, or are students allowed to train in dangerous ways or without proper supervision, are the members enjoying themselves? We have numerous highly proficient Instructors at every class.

• Do students and teachers show respect toward each other? This extends beyond formal bowing and address to making sure everyone is learning and nobody is being abused. Respect in class and discipline is ingrained in to our students from the start, it is the foundation of our ethos.

• Be prepared that many schools these days require a contract like a health club. Make sure you are clear on the terms of the contract if you do decide to sign one, and do not be afraid to walk out if you are uncomfortable with the terms.  We do not have any such contract.

• Be very wary of cult-like schools that try to up-sell you to intensified black belt programs and the like. There are many scam artists and fake black belts out there. You should be very clear about what you are paying for up front. A quality art or self-defence system can not be learnt and effective in a short amount of time, belts should not be bought but earned, you will earn your belt at our clubs.

• Are the Instructors experienced, do the instructors and senior students display a lot of skill in the art they are teaching? This may be hard to determine since great martial artists are often very subtle. However, the teacher and students should display knowledge and skill, which might be more obvious, not all black belts are equal!! Please take a look at our Instructor profiles which demonstrates the vast experience at our club.

• Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something about the school doesn’t sit right with you, then it probably isn’t right. Look out for the fast talking salesman who tries to sweep your concerns under the rug.

If you choose a school that you enjoy, you study with a teacher you like, and train with students that inspire you – you are likely to stick with your martial art. The longer you stick with it – the better you’ll get. Hopefully you will discover a very positive lifelong journey.

If you still choose our club after reading the above and after your research, we very much look forward to meeting you and hopefully assisting you in your aspirations and your journey to a converted Black Belt and beyond.

Is Taekwon-Do effective for self-defence?

Yes — when it is taught with practical application in mind.

Taekwon-Do develops powerful striking, movement, speed, balance, distance and timing. But learning physical techniques alone doesn't automatically make somebody effective at protecting themselves.

That's why our approach goes further.

Students learn to recognise potential problems, understand distance and positioning, manage confrontation and, where possible, avoid physical conflict altogether.

We also recognise that no single martial art contains every answer. Our approach draws upon decades of experience across Taekwon-Do and other martial arts and combative systems, combined with professional experience of personal protection.

Effective self-defence isn't about proving which martial art is best. It's about understanding what works, when it works and when the safest decision is not to fight at all.

SAFETY

By fundamental nature, martial arts are contact sports. Due to their inherent dangers, martial arts should be practiced with care and responsibility, following proper guidelines and ensuring a safe environment.

We aim to make our training and environment as safe as we can.  We do this by only having the best people teaching the classes who are fully qualified with many years of experience.  As well as practicing safe technique with a high level of supervision, we also ensure that when sparring that all students wear full safety equipment including head guards to minimise as much risk as possible, we also don't tolerate any bullying or aggressive behaviour. We also invest in the training location by training in quality locations such as leisure centres and community centres.

PHYSICAL PREPARATION

For a normal healthy person there should be no reason why you can’t take up Taekwon Do with no issues at all.  

As with any sport, it is highly recommended to consult with a physician before beginning participation if you have a clinical condition. Some conditions may be prohibitive or require a certain degree of management prior to training.

We ask every new student to complete a PARQ (physical activity readiness questionnaire) which will act to screen any potential risks, our Instructors are also trained in first aid should an accident occur.

1. YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE: Regular exercise reduces the risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. It also reduces the risk of having a stroke. In one eight year study of more than 20,000 men, those who were lean but unfit had twice the risk of death as those who were lean and fit.

2. YOU’LL HAVE MORE ENERGY, STRENGTH AND STAMINA: People who complain that they don’t have enough energy to exercise fail to realize that working out gives you energy. In one study, middle-aged women who lifted weights for a year became 27% more active in daily life than before they started lifting weights. Regular exercise also increases your strength and stamina, allowing you to better handle common activities such as carrying a heavy bag of groceries or climbing a flight of stairs.

3. YOU’LL KEEP EXCESS BODY FAT OFF: If you try and lose weight simply by dieting, you’ll lose some muscle along with any body fat you lose and you’ll slow down your metabolism. If your weight loss program includes exercise, you’ll lose body fat without losing muscle and without slowing down your metabolism. If you’re currently at a healthy weight, regular exercise will help you avoid putting on excess body fat in the future.

4. YOU’LL KEEP YOUR BONES STRONG: Both men and women start losing bone mass around age 35. Impact exercise can not only stop the loss of bone mass, but in some cases it can even reverse it. This drastically reduces the risk of osteoporosis. 

5. YOU’LL PREVENT OR REDUCE LOW BACK PAIN: Strengthening your abdominal and lower back muscles can help prevent low back pain, and it can also reduce discomfort if you already suffer from this pain. In one study, 35 of 38 people who had been recommended for back surgery were able to avoid surgery by following an aggressive strengthening program.

6. YOU’LL GET SICK LESS OFTEN: Exercise has been proven to strengthen the immune system.

7. YOU’LL SLEEP BETTER: People who exercise regularly fall asleep faster, have a deeper sleep and wake up less often during the night than people who are sedentary.

8. YOU’LL KEEP YOUR MIND SHARP: Multiple studies have confirmed that regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mind. Regular exercise improves brain function, which helps prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

9. YOU’LL IMPROVE YOUR MOOD: A large amount of research shows that you have a better sense of well-being following a workout. Thanks to chemicals released in the brain during exercise, feelings of depression, anxiety, stress and anger are diminished during a workout.

10. YOU’LL ENJOY LIFE MORE: Life is much more enjoyable when you’re fit and healthy. You look and feel good and you’re more productive in everything you do.

Why is physical fitness important? Because many of the problems commonly associated with aging are often the result of a sedentary lifestyle and can be minimized or prevented by improving your physical fitness.