Is Taekwondo Hard for Beginners?

You probably already recognize taekwondo as a popular martial art, but you are unsure if it would be an easy art to learn as a beginner. So, is taekwondo hard for beginners?

When compared to other forms of martial arts, taekwondo is relatively easy for beginners to learn and achieve proficiency. However, mastering the art requires time, dedication, consistency, patience, and passion.

“No martial arts is easy as they require a lot of hard work. However, some are a lot easier to learn than others.”

Martial Arts Republic

Taekwondo is undoubted one of the best beginner-friendly martial art out there.

The fact that it is easier to learn when compared to other martial arts such as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is probably why its popularity has grown so much in the world today, especially among parents and kids.

I mean a martial art that has quite a large number of kids and teen’s membership cannot be classified as difficult to learn, right?

So, with your question, I want to assume you trying to know how easy or hard it may be to earn a taekwondo black belt and become proficient in basic taekwondo techniques.

If this is the information you are looking for, come with me as I dive deep into this topic.

Is It Hard to Learn Taekwondo?

It is not hard to learn taekwondo and become proficient in some of the basic techniques. However, every single set of moves, strike, and stance takes a lot of discipline to master.

You must know that taekwondo is a beginner-friendly martial art that is good for anyone (including kids) to learn and master.

And when you compare it to most martial arts out there, it is relatively easy.

I honestly feel that if you find taekwondo difficult to learn, you may likely find other martial arts even more difficult.

It’s just a lot easier to learn this art both in terms of achieving proficiency and earning your taekwondo belts.

In terms of proficiency, a study has already shown that only an average of 29 hours of training is needed for beginners to become proficient in 21 defensive and offensive martial arts techniques.

And while this is a generalized study not specific to taekwondo, I can tell from my experience that becoming proficient in the art also takes this much amount of time or even less, as long as you are putting in the work.

So, the amount of time it takes to learn taekwondo basic techniques and achieve proficiency is approximately 6months to 1 year.

However, as mentioned earlier, it could take several years to achieve mastery.

As it relates to how difficult it is to earn a taekwondo black belt, you should be rest assured that compared to other martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a taekwondo black belt is one of the easiest to earn.

With discipline, hard work, and dedication, you should earn a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo within 3-5 years.

Other martial arts can take up to 10 years.

So, unless your goal is to become a legit taekwondo master with multiple black belt degrees, you should get into decent enough shape to pull off any technique you’ll have to learn just by regularly attending class.

Remember, however, that just like any other physical activity, you get out what you put in.

If you work on techniques only during class, you won’t see as much progress as someone who practices on their own time outside of class.

But you should be fine as long as you show up ready to learn.

The big question is this; do you have the time, patience, and passion to put in the amount of work needed to master the techniques required for each belt level?

I must be honest, as a beginner, I did struggle to master certain techniques at some points, but with enough practice, I was able to eventually learn them.

See: Is Taekwondo Good for Beginners?

How Long Does It Take To Learn Basic Taekwondo?

The amount of time it takes to learn basic taekwondo and achieve proficiency is approximately 6months to 1 year. However, it could take several years to achieve mastery.

Please know that becoming proficient in basic taekwondo techniques early enough depends on the mentoring and type of lessons you receive as well as your ability and willingness to learn.

However, becoming a Taekwondo master is a different thing altogether.

First, different organizations allow the title of a master at various levels but it’s usually between 5th and 7th dan.

Also, the training time between awards can vary.

One organization, for example, may allow just one or two years between the second and third dan, while it may be three to five years further along before an individual is ready to take the test.

It could take over 20 years to reach the master level, which is why you need a lot of drive and commitment to keep training and progressing.

So, taekwondo is a way of life rather than just a sports practice, especially for people who have achieved black belt master status.

Is Taekwondo Harder Than Karate

Neither taekwondo nor karate is harder than the other. It all just depends on your athleticism, talent, and how much time you are spending in the dojo.

As stated earlier, it’s not easy to learn any martial art and reach a black belt rank.

Both Karate and Taekwondo are no different and you must spend many years working hard in the dojo to succeed.

While a Taekwondo student needs around 3-5 years of training to reach a 1st-degree black belt, a serious student in karate can earn a black belt in 5 years.

Which one is harder to learn depends on your talent, athleticism, and how much time you are willing to spend in the dojo.

As humans, our genetics, levels of athleticism, and overall talent for fighting sports are different.

So while Karate is harder than Taekwondo for some people, others may find Taekwondo to be harder as they find karate to suit them better.

But one thing is for sure, becoming a black belt in both arts requires a lot of hard work.

These are styles in which you can’t earn anything without sacrifice and hard work.

So, the difficulty of any of these arts depends on what suits you.

Taekwondo and karate will both give you a full-body workout, as well as teach you discipline and patience.

Depending on the individual style of karate or taekwondo you choose, they each have different variations in how they’re practiced.

So, karate might be an easier and better choice if you’re interested in learning more balanced, full-body moves.

Taekwondo is an easier option if you are interested in learning fast and more elaborate kicking moves.

Taking beginner classes in both disciplines is a good way to find out which martial arts style is best for you. None is harder than the other.

Conclusion               

While martial arts are generally not easy to learn, Taekwondo is a lot easier to learn when compared to other martial arts.

However, as with everything else in life, some people may have to work harder than others and some people will have things come naturally.

Sometimes you might get discouraged and feel like giving up, but if you stick with it you won’t regret it.