Tae kwon do fitness classes

The advantage of Tae Kwon Do is that it can be practised either alone or in groups without needing any special equipment. Sparring itself is only part of the practice of Tae Kwon Do, which includes a training programme made up of high repetition, low resistance exercises, designed to develop longer, leaner and more flexible muscles. What's more, Tae Kwon Do works the body's entire muscle system including the fingers and toes. The abdomen in particular benefits from this form of training, because the trunk is twisted when executing kicking movements and counterbalancing hand movements, resulting in a firm, well-muscled abdomen. The side of the trunk and the inner thigh muscles also benefit from the high leg raises that are characteristic of the kicks in this martial art form.

Thanks to its development of the lower abdomen, hips and inner thighs, this martial art is particularly well suited to women keen to maintain a toned figure. It's especially useful as a training strategy after childbirth, when the hip and abdominal area have been weakened, because the exercises can strengthen muscles in the affected areas, as well as improving the body's appearance.

Training sessions are vigorous, increasing the heart rate and providing a cardiovascular workout at the same time as developing muscle strength.