What to Expect at Your First Taekwondo Class: A Beginner's Checklist
Your First Taekwondo Class in 30 Seconds
Your first Taekwondo class is a beginner-friendly introduction - no experience, uniform, flexibility or fitness needed. You’ll do warm-up, basic stances, punches and kicks, and simple partner drills. No hard sparring on day one. Wear t-shirt and joggers, bring water. At Artos Taekwondo Portsmouth we train Wed & Fri 6:30pm at Portsmouth Grammar School, PO1 2LN. Free taster for 8+ including adults and families.
In this guide:
What to Expect at Your First Taekwondo Class: A Beginner's Checklist
Starting a martial art can feel intimidating. You’re walking into a room where everyone else seems to know what they’re doing.
At Artos Taekwondo Portsmouth, every class is designed so complete beginners 8+ can start safely, including adults and families who have never trained before.
Here’s exactly what to expect.
Do I need anything before my first class?
No. You don't need experience, a uniform, flexibility or fitness.
Taekwondo is designed to be taught progressively. A structured programme allows beginners to build balance, coordination and confidence step by step, regardless of age or fitness level (British Taekwondo, n.d.; World Taekwondo, n.d.).
You just need to book your free taster. We’ll send you the gate code for free on-site parking at Portsmouth Grammar School and where to find us.
What should I wear and bring?
Wear: T-shirt and joggers or leggings. Bare feet - no shoes needed. No dobok (uniform) for your first class.
Bring: Water bottle. Tie long hair back. Remove jewellery and watches for safety.
We provide all equipment for beginners.
What happens in your first class - step by step
A typical beginner class at Artos lasts 90 minutes as our usual class and follows the following structure:
1. Welcome and warm-up (~10 mins): Light cardio and joint mobility. Not a fitness test - just to get warm.
2. Balance, mobility and Flexibility training (~20 mins): Balance, mobility and Flexibility exercises. All aimed to support basic fundamentals of taekwondo.
3. Basic stances, hand and foot techniques (~30 mins): You’ll learn attention stance, ready stance, front stance and how to step and turn with balance. These are the foundation for everything else (Kim, 2024). Straight punch, low block, front kick and turning kick - taught slowly, with demonstrations. You’ll practise in the air and on pads.
4. Partner drills and application (~20 mins): Simple distance control exercises with a partner. No hard contact.
5. Poomsae introduction and cool-down (~10 mins): A short sequence to practise memory and coordination, then stretching.
You won’t be asked to do head-height spinning kicks or remember everything. The goal is to have fun first, then leave knowing a few basics and wanting to come back.
Do I need to be fit or flexible?
No. You get fit and flexible by doing Taekwondo, not before.
Beginners start at different levels - some exercise regularly, some work at a desk, some return after years away. A good beginner class allows you to work at an appropriate level while developing technique.
Reviews of Taekwondo training suggest potential improvements in flexibility and aerobic capacity, though outcomes vary between individuals (Bridge et al., 2014).
Is there sparring on the first day?
No. There is no free sparring (kyorugi) for complete beginners on day one.
Beginners focus on technique, pad work and controlled partner drills. Protective equipment and sparring are introduced gradually once you have basic control and understand safety rules, as recommended for recreational training (British Taekwondo, n.d.).
FAQs - First Taekwondo Class
Can I start Taekwondo as an adult? Yes. Adults 30, 40, 50+ start regularly at Artos. Research on hard martial arts in adults found potential benefits may be obtained regardless of the age you start (Rios et al., 2018).
What age can kids start? At Artos we take 8+ in our mixed family and adult class. Families can train together in the same session.
Do I need to be flexible to do Taekwondo? No. Flexibility improves as part of training. You start where you are.
How often should beginners train? 1-2 times per week is ideal to start - for example Wed & Fri 6:30pm. Beginners often train 2-3 times per week while advanced students may train more (Taekwondo Forge, 2024).
Is Taekwondo good for complete beginners? Yes. Taekwondo is designed to be taught progressively with structured belt progression, etiquette and basic techniques taught from day one.
Thinking About Trying Taekwondo in Portsmouth?
You don’t need to be athletic, flexible or experienced - just willing to learn.
Artos Taekwondo Portsmouth: Portsmouth Grammar School, High Street, Portsmouth PO1 2LN - entrance via Museum Road. Free on-site parking. Gate code sent with your booking confirmation.
Wed & Fri 6:30pm — Beginners, Adults & Families 8+ welcome.
Book your free taster here.
References
Bridge, C. A., Ferreira da Silva Santos, J., Chaabène, H., Pieter, W., & Franchini, E. (2014). Physical and physiological profiles of taekwondo athletes. Sports Medicine, 44(6), 713–733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0159-9
British Taekwondo. (n.d.). About Taekwondo. https://www.britishtaekwondo.org.uk/
Rios, S. O., Marks, J., Estevan, I., & Barnett, L. M. (2018). Health benefits of hard martial arts in adults: A systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(14), 1614–1622. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2017.1406297
Taekwondo Forge. (2024). Q & A — How often should I train? https://sites.google.com/view/taekwondo-forge/q-a
World Taekwondo. (n.d.). About World Taekwondo. https://worldtaekwondo.org/
Written by Steven Temperley-Chapman, 5th Dan Master, Head Instructor at Artos taekwondo. British Taekwondo qualified instructor, DBS checked, first-aid trained and safeguarding certified.
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