The warmth oozed over my lips and chin and continued down my neck. I knew something was wrong, but my adrenaline kept me focused. My opponent took two steps back and signaled the referee to address the massive amount of blood that was spilling from my nose and down my chest.
Competition is something that has never been new to me. I've competed in Taekwondo competition, both point style and full contact. I've won several championships. In fact, I just won the State Championship in full contact, Olympic style Taekwondo sparring, about 2 months prior to my bloody match described above.
It was only my third or fourth tournament with WTF (World Taekwondo Federation) rules. Early on, I identified my opponent across the crowded gymnasium. Inconspicuously, I watched him warm up and work the paddles. I watched him exercise with some hogu drills. I watched him dance around a little executing techniques here and there. "EASY..." Those were the words that kept going through my mind. He was skinny and weak looking. He moved so awkwardly, that I thought to myself that if I'm not careful, I could hurt this poor kid.
I'm not sure if knowing this gangly looking kid was a former National Champion would have helped me or hurt me more. Either way, my immediate thought to some of my teammates, was, "now you tell me!" I'm not sure if my nose was broken that day, but it did leave a nice knot on the side of my nose for about a month. I sported butterfly stitches for a few days above my eye as well.
So what the heck happened. Here I am, a successful point style fighter and then getting absolutely creamed. Well, as unfortunate at the time it may have seemed... it was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me in competition. Two words consumed my thoughts during my training sessions for years to come- Never Again!
At this point, I took it upon myself to really examine my Taekwondo training. Since this day, I've incorporated this training methodology for preparation to all competition as well as having all my students follow it.
People will sometimes ask, what does it take to become successful at sparring. The answer is quite simple- it's drive. Drive from the inside. Don't get me wrong... physical training is important, and we'll get to it. But, if you don't have drive, you don't have a chance. Boxers often refer to this drive as heart. In some instances, boxers are fighting something much greater and stronger than their opponent across the ring. They're real opponent is within. I only bring up boxers because many of our great professionals have historically come from abusive households, the ghetto's, the projects, the barrio, and developed a fighting heart the moment they were brought into this world.
Okay, so you're not a boxer and you didn't grow up in the roughest part of town. How do you get that fighting spirit? You develop it. You cultivate it, and then you nurture it. First, you must ask yourself, why do you want to win? If you want to be competitive in Taekwondo, you must have a reason. If you want to spar recreationally in tournaments, then your desire to win is to fulfill some competitive spirit you may have.
If your goal is to go to the National Qualifiers, place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, then go onto Nationals, then your desire must be focused on something much greater than what is taking place at the local tournament. Here are some steps outlined below that will help you prepare.
1. Goal-- Why do you want to win? What is your ultimate goal?
2. Spirit-- Each tournament, each training session, every repetition, every drop of sweat must be thought of as a means to bring you one step closer to your goal. This is the beginning of your fighting spirit or your drive.
3. Remember-- Not a moment goes by with your mind not consumed with your goal, during your training. This goal is being nurtured right here. When you continue to nurture your goal, you will build up that fighting spirit. You'll train harder, you'll get stronger, and your will to win will become more ingrained.
4. Prepare-- Unfortunately, drive or heart is not enough to win a National Title. You need to prepare. The National Champions have both- Preparation & Drive.
Don't hit the road running for miles or doing tons of weight lifting. Often times, we may distract ourselves with senseless training because we don't know what to do or we want to think we're doing something of value. Convert your tournament experience into a training session. See below on how to prepare physically.
Duplicate your competition experience. Take the length of your round- 2 or 3 minutes and use exercises that challenge you for that time length. For example-
Double kick continuously on a bag for 1 minute at a time. Then move for 15 seconds while you catch your breathe, and start again.
Alternate between speed jump roping and push ups (1 minute each).
Choose plyometric exercises that develop strength and speed in the legs (1 minute each).
Perform timing drills with hogus, paddles or shields.
Lastly, ensure you spar, and you spar a lot, preferably with many different people. Practice situational sparring. For example, imagine you're down 2 points and the match has 10 seconds left. If it were competition, would you change your strategy? Hopefully you said, "you bet!" What if you were ahead 2 points with 10 seconds left? How would that change things? Begin sparring backed all the way against the boundary. Think of as many scenarios as you can. Don't get too caught up standing around thinking about stuff, which is easy to do. Just get sparring!
I wish you the best in your Taekwondo competition experience.
Tae Kwon Do is a true martial art, originating over 2000 years ago, with its roots in ancient Korea. Today, it is the world's most widely practice martial art. As the name implies, Tae Kwon Do is more than a sport, it is a way of life. Tae Kwon Do is a modern martial art, characterized by its fast, high and spinning kicks. Tae Kwon Do is now of course, an official Olympic sport.
A cornerstone of Tae Kwon Do is the forms that are used to practice elements of fighting.
Tae Kwon Do is not just kicking (like many people believe). Yes, Tae Kwon Do does mostly involve kicks but one must also learn some things with fists and also how to block.
Tae kwon do is an incredible mixture of stretching muscles to their limits while stressing them to their limits anaerobically. However, the tremendous physical training is only part of the ultimate goal of Tae Kwon Do training. Training in Tae Kwon-do involves both individual and group activities which also help develop communication skills.
Tae Kwon Do is an excellent means of fitness training. Whether you're looking to improve your confidence, improve your fitness, meet new people, or just to take up a new past-time, Tae Kwon Do is for everyone. Of course, you will also have a lot of fun as you improve your fitness, gain self-defense skills and learn the exciting Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Tae Kwon Do training provides students with a positive way of life.
Tae Kwon Do is indeed an art form. The literal translation of Tae Kwon Do is "The Way of Kicking and Punching. While Tae Kwon Do is a fighting art, it does not encourage violent living. Tae Kwon Do, a highly disciplined activity, is used both as a form of self-defense and exercise. It is an effective and great way to unify the mind and body. Tae Kwon Do is a traditional Korean martial art designed to provide the ultimate in unarmed self-defense.
Speed is not always a means of how quickly you can accelerate your Taekwondo technique into your opponent. In fact, speed is based on many things, other than just raw acceleration of techniques. Today, in our sparring class, I noticed a few students with extra movements in their steps just before they executed their back kick.
Students were doing bag drills and I was analyzing the speed at which they began their kick up to contact on the target. I noticed that some of our fast Taekwondo students were executing their back kicks slower simply because they pivoted or stepped just before they kicked. I call this a "prep." A "prep" basically means that you are positioning yourself better to execute a good fast kick.
What I teach my Taekwondo students is that they must learn to incorporate the "prep" into their regular stance. For example, if you tend to bend your legs just before you kick, you are kicking slower than you potentially could. Instead, slightly bend your legs to begin with. Make your stance with bent legs so that you basically skip a step in this process.
Another common "prep", in Taekwondo, is for a student to pivot their foot, then kick. It becomes a 2 step process. In Olympic style competition, this 2 step process is a dead give away to your opponent. I advise our Taekwondo students and competitors to combine the 2 steps into 1 fluid motion. Basically, everything is done at once and the kick is executed faster.
In summary-
1. Pivot supporting foot at the same time you're kicking, making a 1 step process instead of 2. This goes for all kicks, not just back kicks.
2. Find the body or leg position that you make just before you begin your kick. Then, incorporate that position into your fighting stance so you eliminate a step.
The amount of time you save by eliminating these extra steps, or "preps" are fractions of a second. On the other hand, points are scored in Taekwondo by opportunities that last only a fraction of a second.
Good luck with your training!
Tae Kwon Do is perhaps the most widely practiced martial art in the world today. Developed in Korea, is a combination of technology, combat, defense, movement, sports, entertainment and philosophy.
And "the national sport of Korea and an Olympic sports event.
Tae Kwon Do sparring partner is usually in two forms: one step sparring and free sparring.
A step in the Tae Kwon Do sparring partners in advance of the movements made by two participants.
A participant uses techniques fists and joined the others with various combinations of blocking and counter attacking techniques.
One step sparring helps make students acquainted with the basics of kicking, punching, blocking and movement.
Students learn to develop and manage their response to the exact time.
One step sparring is an essential prerequisite for the creation of Tae Kwon Do free sparring partner.
Free sparring in Tae Kwon Do is the practical application of techniques of self defense. The points of contacts, including the band and front.
Full Contact is usually not allowed free Tae Kwon Do sparring partner for the sake of security.
Students are allowed to strike specific areas.
Techniques of hand, for example, can only be used on the front and side of the body belt around his shoulder.
This also means that the technology was not in the month of May in the face or head.
Foot techniques may only be carried out on the front and sides of the body by the band on the head.
Intentionally joined in the back and the back of the head are illegal. Moreover, no steps, knee attacks, Butts head, elbows are allowed.
These rules are usually from the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).
Taekwondo sparring tournaments consist of three towers, each three minutes, with one minute rest between rounds.
In competition, games are played on an area of 8x8 meter competitions at the center of an area of 12x12 meters.
A referee controlled the game and ensure compliance. The event is organized by four corner judges award scores.
years ago when I was younger I made a blackbelt taekwondo and learned of an arsenal of kicks. But much of what I learned is useless when it comes to a fight on one in the street. If you are approached by an attacker, I hope to show you that taekwondo moves are not all cracked up to be what they are.
Taekwondo Kicks Problem # 1 - Most of the techniques of kicks are designed to fight against the tournament point based. When you try to make a jump to the head spinning and kick miss in a tournament, the referee stops the fight until you get on your feet. In the streets, if you miss a kick and head down, you will be attacked when you ask.
Taekwondo Kicks Problem # 2 - Many styles of fighting Taekwondo tournament is completely useless when it comes to the battle in the streets. The documents you are given, including the fight against the lateral position makes you vulnerable and exposed to many types of attacks when it is a fight in the street.
Kicks Taewkondo Problem # 3 - The Taekwondo is a sport-based martial arts. It was never intended to be used outside the dojo. In a reality-based self-defense, all sports-based martial arts, including taekwondo are virtually useless. If your martial art does not throws, locks, chokes and taken you out of luck.
Taekwondo kicks May be fancy and flashy, but in reality they will not help you to a real attack on life or death on the streets. I saw a person sidekick robbery can not be stabbed in front of a nightclub I worked at. Is it useful to Taekwondo? Another thing I recommend is that you download my free PDF 2 self defense combat reports! Inside, I share my battle tested, based on up to two combat techniques easy to read and master the guides, you can download and read them for free, by going too:
Aaaaaiiiiiiiiaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! You cut the palm heel in two after the board ... your Palm explodes with pain after you came to the hands of dead wood on the arrest. Today's board is destroyed, you fail. The teacher smiles and said "hard error" (at least that what I said).
Taekwondo is the destruction of exciting This creates focus, power, control and correct technique. Is one that you are not teaching self-defense. On the other one, no one will ever say.
If you break from the board of the training that you leave these important developments.
One board can break. You can destroy the bad technique and adequate enforcement.
Second board, you must have better technique. Better technical means to deliver more force and force = mass X Accelartion. So if you're good technique you can use your effective mass is rapidly accelerated. The ability to strike with much force as possible with the appropriate distance, weapons, rythymn respiratory incredible focus and precision requirements.
Focus your update that you will increase the number of board you are trying to destroy. You will quickly notice that you are forced to increase the accuracy drops. Practice and continuing accuracy of most of you will contact your force.
I've seen cut knuckles, damaged hands and toes are jammed due to be destroyed in Taekwondo. If you're starting to destroy the board I suggest you start with 1 board, if you're breaking that piece of select pine reality. "Wooden Heart" This is a dark brown stipe running from side to The dark stripe is at the heart of the tree and weakest.
Start simple and be destroyed by solid technique. Students have to learn to break the kick in my college. Kick that strays from the center of the board will have less chance for injury. Tilt and a durable solid.
For hands-only technique I recommend to you or destroyed by a knife-hand palm heel. Again this is durable weapon. Students interested in destroying the knuckles of each chapter and must state their hands before attempting to destroy a punch Students must practice and must be able to strike with first two knuckles (2 knuckles near the thumb).
Board made the same error everytime? But there is no way excited. unpredictability. Unless you're vulnerable for a new board, pine is highly unpredictable. The difference in seed placement and thickness of knots of the wood will change. Exciting and useful perspective to destroy the force varies as The board has "heart wood" will take roughly 35 pounds of pressure to break.
Good solid piece of fresh cut 12 "X10" X1 "pine may take up to 60 pounds of pressure to break.
View Through board Not literally, but mentally. See you through the technical board. Before you will be playing in your mind through those fibers slicing techniques. Is bright as possible on screen. When you're wrong to enact a new error that you just play in your brain, but in real life. Watch the explosion from the central board. Not that feel good?
