Planning on going back to TaeKwonDo after 7 years without practicing, Is it ok?

I practiced for 2 years until I got my green belt. I would like to go back but don%26#039;t know if I should do exercise before going back to TKD. I was 15 when I started now I%26#039;m 24.|||If you want to go back then just do it.





The biggest thing you might notice is your cardio. I don%26#039;t have any idea if you have been doing any other exercise. The toughest part of TKD for me was cardio. We used to refer to TKD as Korean Aerobics as the heart rate is kept up through the whole class while the other styles I studied were mainly sprints. I think TKD is a very good style for overall fitness.





Now, they probably have different levels of classes so you might want to start in the beginner class at first until you get your wind back. You might be surprised at how much you remember over time though.





Just do it.|||Take things slow and easy. Nothing more than half speed and power the first week and 3/4 speed and power the second and maybe even the third. The reason why is muscle memory and age. Your body and muscles may remember better than what your body will tolerate and accept and before you know it you may pull or tear something or even worse dislocation can also occur. That way you will best avoid nagging injuries and undue discomfort.


I always do this with students who come back after a layoff and they have a much better transition back into working out and doing martial arts.|||Just go back. You will probably have to start all over as a beginner again, but you have probably forgotten almost everything anyhow. The best excercise for Tae Kwon Do is Tae Kwon Do.|||Happy to hear you%26#039;re interested in getting re-involved with martial arts. Personally, I would do some light-conditioning and re-aquaint yourself with the techniques that you have been previously taught. Fortunately, most martial arts are just like %26#039; riding a bike; you never really forget how to do it, you just lose your edge. It will come back to you in no-time.





I%26#039;m not sure how Tae Kwan Do schools belt systems work, as I am a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, but I would look around for a good school that you feel you will be comfortable with. So to answer your question, yes, I would exercise a bit. Light conditioning, leg work, stretching, balance, etc. Make sure you strengthen your core and well, and focus heavily on form, as that is the basis of nearly every martial art on the planet.





Any questions, feel free to IM me at MACH2000 via AOL Instant Messenger.|||I can relate, Idid kempo when I was 14 - 16, I got my geen belt in kempo also, and did not go to a kempo school in almost 10 years, ....I went back a couple of weeks ago and I find becoz we do the basic movements in kempo so much my muscle memory is still there, the more complicated movements are not so easy to remeber but Im getting there so yeah...and I had to restart from the beginning again, but its all good....





it would probably be the same for you and tae known do,your muscle memory will still be there, maybee some of the movements are a little fuzzy, but u will click to it like learning a bike, you will always be able to get your balance.|||Congrats on choosing to return to TKD! At our school, we have a good number of adults who are returning to Tae Kwon Do after years away. Some trained in college, some as kids. Many of them retain the muscle memory of a technique, but forget the actual technique until it is demonstrated for them.





If you were coming to my school (we are Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan), I would ask to see your portfolio (your training record). I would also ask you to wear a white belt until you had met my school%26#039;s requirements for rank through the rank you had earned elsewhere. I would have one of my assistants take you to the side and run you through the checklists for 10th Gup up through your testing rank, to get a better feel for how much you need to catch up on and how much you have retained. Once your evaluation is done, I would place you in the appropriate training group.





Exercise never hurts. Stretching and flexibility exercises like dynamic stretching help, as do running or swimming to build endurance for sparring. But it is not necessary that you prepare prior to taking class. We have adults who%26#039;ve come to us never having exercised, or coming straight from a very sedentary lifestyle or even chemotherapy. They are now very fit and active, thanks to TKD -- the kicking and techniques done in class should be enough to help you regain your flexibility and more.





Will you be returning to your prior dojang or going to a new one? If you are going to a new one, be sure to call to set an appointment, so that you can speak one on one with the school owner and get evaluated then. Good luck!|||yes you should go back.





but yes if it were me i would stat stretching and stuff like that before hand so the work out wont drain you so much. your muscles will be sore either way because you haven%26#039;t used them that way in a long time.





and you probably will have to start over again and all but it would be good either way.





hope ever thing works out for you, good luck on your new endeavor|||Go easy. Be careful you don%26#039;t tear any ligaments or muscles.|||woop! 7 years? ok.. yeah you should! make sure you have proof that you are a green belt though or they might out u in white belt again!