Taekwondo gyms in Bengaluru

• You start at white belt and move through coloured belts. These steps are called gup grades. Black belt is the first dan grade, and further dan grades come after that. Some schools add extra stripes or half steps in between, so colours and counts differ.
• Some schools give children a junior black belt until they are old enough for a full one. Ask how your school handles it.
• A grading usually tests patterns, kicking and punching technique, and sometimes sparring and a board break. Schools charge their own grading fee. Ask what it is before you join.
• More than one body issues taekwondo grades in India. Ask who certifies the belt and whether it links to World Taekwondo and Kukkiwon (WT style) or to an ITF body (ITF style).

• Arrive a little early. You will usually be asked to take your shoes off and bow when you step onto the mat.
• Expect a warm-up with stretching and kicking drills, then basics: stances, blocks, punches and the front, side and round kicks.
• Beginners practise a first pattern and do pad or partner drills. The class ends with a cool-down. Full sparring and gear come later.
• Wear light, comfortable clothes you can kick in. Most schools let you try a class before you buy the uniform (dobok). Ask when you enquire.

• A taekwondo uniform (dobok) and a belt. Schools usually sell them, so ask before buying elsewhere.
• For sparring you will need a chest protector, a head guard, a groin guard, shin and forearm guards, gloves and a mouthguard. Some schools lend gear for beginners.
• Bring water and a small towel. Training is barefoot on a mat.

• Monthly fees differ by school and by how many days a week you train. Where a school publishes its fee, we show it on its listing. Where it does not, we say Not confirmed.
• Grading fees, uniforms, protective gear and tournament entries are often charged on top of the monthly fee. Ask for the full list in writing before you pay.

• Do you teach WT or ITF style, and who certifies the belts?
• Is there a trial class, and do you have separate kids, teens and adult batches?
• Is there a competition squad, and what does it cost?
• What do gradings, uniforms and sparring gear cost on top of the monthly fee?

Yes. Many academies run adult beginner batches next to kids' and teens' batches. You start at white belt. Ask for a trial class to check the pace.

WT is the sport and Olympic style, with point-based sparring in body protectors and patterns called poomsae. ITF style uses patterns called tul and different sparring rules. Ask your school which one it teaches.

No. Flexibility grows with practice, and classes usually include stretching and kicking drills at a beginner level.

Yes. It has been an Olympic sport since 2000. If you want to compete, ask whether the academy has a competition squad.

It varies by school and by how often you train. Most take several years of regular classes with gradings along the way. Be wary of promises of a fixed short timeline.

It depends on the academy. We only show a fee when we found it on the academy's own page, otherwise the listing says Not confirmed. Gradings and gear are usually extra.