Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Qs)

We have had a lot of questions over the years; this list may help clear up some things! If you can't find the answer you're looking for here then please do send us a message over to us via email (su-taekwondo@bath.ac.uk), Instagram or Facebook. 

  • Do I have to go to all the sessions?
    • Nope. We don't have any strict requirements on how often you use your membership. The only times when your attendance will matter is if you want to grade or compete. Those looking to grade will need to attend the Tuesday or Wednesday sessions as often as possible in order to learn what they need to for the gradings. Those looking to compete will need to train at least twice a week to make sure that they're prepared. 

 

  • What do you mean by Traditional (ITF) and Olympic (WT) styles?
    • There are two main styles of TaeKwon-Do. We have called them Traditional and Olympic so it's easier to understand. The traditional, or ITF, style is the original martial art, whilst the Olympic, or WT, style was formed slightly later and is an event in the Olympics. The main difference between the styles is the sparring side and we encourage you to try both and see which one you like, especially if you're new to martial arts in general. 

 

  • What should I wear?
    • If you own a taekwondo uniform, you can wear that to training. However, we are not too strict about uniforms and usually wear t-shirts and dobok trousers. If you don't have a dobok, just wear comfortable sports clothing! 

 

  • Do I need to go to both Tuesday and Wednesday sessions to attend gradings?
    • The Tuesday and Wednesday sessions are in different styles which means that they follow different syllabi. Tuesdays are the traditional (ITF) style sessions and Wednesdays are the Olympic (WT) style. If you're new, we recommend you try both to see which is right for you. 

 

  • How often do you compete?
    • We compete in the national BUCS league and there are 3 main competitions across the academic year; the Autumn Championships (November), Winter Championships (February) and the Spring Championships (March).
    • We also compete in the BUTL league, where there is a National or World Uni Championships in March.
    • We normally head to the location the Friday before and compete over the weekend, we tend to travel together as a group so you make loads of memories with the team as well as getting to show off your tkd at the competition! 

 

  • How expensive is it to compete?
    • BUCS entry fees are £85-105 for the whole year, and through this fee the SU subsidises all your entries and transport fees. 
    • Other competitions such as BUTL or smaller ITF competitions cost about £25-30 each to enter. 

 

  • Do I need to buy any equipment?
    • If you simply want to attend our sessions without grading or competing, you needn't buy anything.
    • If you wish to grade or compete, you will need a dobok and we will do a group order towards the start of the year. 
    • You can buy sparring equipment if you wish to have a set to yourself but we can provide 90% of the kit you need. 
    • We also have club merch (fleeces/t shirts) which are optional but we will have group orders for these throughout the year. 

 

  • I did [X] style/martial art. Can I train with you guys?
    • Yes, come and train with us! We never exclude people based on their style or previous experience. In fact, experience in another discipline is quite often a benefit and we love meeting people who have trained in different styles. Some of our members just turn up when they are free, regardless of the style! 

 

  • How much is membership?
    • Once you've purchased the annual SU Sports Clubs membership (£30), annual taekwondo membership costs £10. This gets you unlimited sessions! 

 

  • I'm scared of getting hurt/Will I get injured?/I don't want to hurt people...
    • Taekwondo is a semi-contact sport, so we take every precaution, and will teach you how to avoid getting hurt and avoid hurting other people. We are also lucky to have a fully matted training hall! Accidents and minor injuries do occur as in any sport, but we do our best to look after our members' safety, and we will never force anyone to try anything they don't feel comfortable doing, and there is much more to TKD than just fighting :)