why dont WTF TKD artist keep their hands up!???

[pegasi]

I totally agree with the hands up policy. That is the way we train at my dojang. My instructor has an emphasis on self defense, even when we spar. Our sparring is "hands up" and we'll get it pointed out to us if we don't. We also tend to do a bit more punching than I understand most TKD schools do. We also practice blocking. It does you no good in the real world to not know how to effectively block someone's attack, be it kick or punch.

Sure, we may not do things the olympic style, but at least one has a better chance of successfully defending oneself in the real world.

My instructor likes to emphasize "follow ups," regardless of whether it's a kick or punch, doing something beyond just one technique when sparring or in self defense.

[aefibird]

I train WTF TKD and we keep our hands up - get a telling off and press-ups if we don't.

[neclos]

I trained in WTF long ago. I had to move, so I joined traditional TKD (my instructor doesn't follow WTF or ITF or anything else). Both styles tell me to keep my hands up during sparring. I got this bad habit of keeping my hands down, but so far I still manage to block and counter incoming attacks with my hands down. Maybe I just need someone to 'remind' me with a tap to the face or something. Sadly, the two best fighters in the dojo only come once in a while (not even once every 3 months). My instructor says he will spar me once he gets new equipments, looking forward to that.

[Akaratechick]

I think most TKDer's are hands up, at our dojang upon our instructors command, we yell 'WE LIKE OUR NOSES!!!!!!" it's probably weird to people coming in or just watching, but as you know a kick to the nose can clear the sinuses for days or bloody it. We do punch alot too, mostly backfist,reverse punch,jab, hook.. I started going to a Gojo fight class on Fridays and learned to punch faster and harder so TKD is an awesome art either way but more effective without a broken nose

[Jiffy]

I'd have to agree with the other people on here. Nearly every clip you see is of a competition and for competition training and if it doesn't score, why bother wasting your effort?

[Jiffy]

As for me personally (and probably most TKD people fighting outside of competitions) I think the hands should definately be up!!

[Zorbasan]

hands up majority of the time, at least 1 anyway. sometimes i try to draw in by openeing up but not often.

[The Kyokushin punisher]

I wondered that myself i watched a Tourtament on tv and they didnt keep there hands up and saw so many openings i was blowin away with no protection for the head.