What can I expect at my first class?

We’re so glad that you’ve decided to take that all-important first step onto the mats and begin your Taekwondo journey. We know that your first lesson is coming up and that you’ll want to feel prepared. So here’s a run-through of what to expect during your first session.

What should I wear to my Taekwondo Lesson?

For your first trial lesson, it’s best to wear comfortable activewear. If you have long hair you might like to tie it back so that it doesn’t get in your way while you train. All shoes and socks should be removed whilst training (we’ll get into why we do this a little later in this article). The important thing is to be comfortable so that you can move about. We all wear a uniform, called a Dobok which you can purchase when you join our wonderful club.

Comfortable activewear is a great choice for your trial lesson, you want to be able to move freely.

Your first lesson

Arrive at your booked lesson

Arrive at your booked lesson, there is parking out the front and in the nearby streets. Arrive a few minutes early to complete any forms before we get started. Depending on when your lesson is there may be another class prior to yours still running. Once this class is complete your instructor will come over and introduce themselves. They will be expecting you.

Fill in forms

There are some necessary items of paperwork to complete when you arrive for your first lesson. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions that you might have before the lesson begins. So let your instructor know if you have any questions that you need help with.

Remove your shoes and socks

The mats are a no-shoe zone. Please remove your shoes and socks before stepping onto the mats. In many parts of Asia, it is considered inappropriate to wear your shoes indoors and this may have contributed to the tradition. But there are also many benefits to training barefoot such as being able to have more instructor visibility to correct your form, building stabilising muscles in your body, and getting better feedback from your body than when you are wearing shoes

Tour the Dojang

We’ll give you a tour of the Dojang so that you can get familiar with where everything is located. We’ll explain where to find the bathroom and change rooms as well as what the different sections of the Dojang are used for. We’ll show you where we store the pads, can get a drink if you have forgotten one and which way we face during the class.

Lesson run through

Then we’ll run you through what a typical class looks like. There is a format for each class and what you might learn. Each class starts out with a greeting and warm-up, and then we’ll move into the formal part of the lesson. Your instructor will give you a bit an idea on what to expect for this class so that you know what’s happening.

Bow in and warm up

Before you step onto the mats, students Bow in. Bowing in many martial art, including taekwondo is considered to be part of standard etiquette. It’s a sign of respect, not just to your teachers and seniors, but also to the Dojang, the place of practice, and the art itself.

When you do a standard bow, put your hands on your sides with your fingers kept together. You should also keep both heels of your feet together. Touching your heels together will square your hips and have you facing forward, your body should be slightly stiff and proper, lean forward the top half of your body at a roughly 30-40 degree angle. You should lower your eye contact at this point and make a straight and proper bow.

Your instructor will greet you, you will bow as above and then begin your warm-up. This will include some exercises to get your heart rate up and stretch your muscles in preparation for training. Now get out there and enjoy your lesson!

Let us know how you went

Your instructor will check in with you after your lesson, so make sure you hang around and let them know how you went. We hope that you’ve loved your class so much that you’re ready to get in there and really give Taekwondo a go.