Do you kick to the head?

[koreantiger81]

After 5 months of struggling to choose an affordable martial arts school in my new city, I found one where the master was generous enough to train me for free. It is a W.T.F school, so I knew there would be no punching to the head. (Coming from a style similar to the I.T.F, it was dissappointing to take away my punches to the head.) Anyway, I was further dissappointed to discover on my first class, that there would be no KICKING to the head. Also, sparring would be conducted in a level below "semi-contact". I was choked. I had no idea that a W.T.F school, could further regulate the rules by restricting kicking to the head.

 

The master claimed that kicking to the head causes the potential for injury and fear, thus driving away students of Tae kwon do. (even if you're a black belt.) I strongly disagree with his statement. I believe if you have control, kicking to head is ok. (if you're also sparring in a semi-contact manner, there should be no reason not to kick to the head.) I believe it's mandatory to kick to the head. The W.T.F has imposed too many rules on restriction of techniques, which has made their style of Tae kwon do ,evolve into a sport. This particular W.T.F school that has further regulated restrictions on kicking to the head, is limiting the tools of a tae kwon do ist. What do you guys think? Does your school kick to the head.?

[Bretty101]

...The master claimed that kicking to the head causes the potential for injury and fear, thus driving away students of Tae kwon do....

 

hmm sounds like he's more interested in bringing women and children ($$$$'s) into his club then serious martial artists. (*Edit but then that doesn't make sense if he teaches people for free? maybe your master is just too nice?)

 

Shame, we train with kicks to the head but then we are nice friendly lead leg kicking itf people.

 

Bretty

[SBN Doug]

In KSW, we allow kicks and hand strikes to the side of the head, and forehead. However, we do not encourage it until they get more experienced at sparring.

 

If you're in a black belt class, count on getting a wake up "tap" if you don't keep your guard up. There are controlled "taps" of course.

[monkeygirl]

Nobody in our school is allowed to make contact until they are a green belt. This is pretty much giving them time to get used to sparring gear, movement, throwing techniques, blocking, etc. before they actually hit people. Then it is light contact to the body only, punches & kicks, nothing to the head. At blue belt they begin to make head contact (nothing to the face PERIOD), punches & kicks. The belts past that are periods of growth and increasing power slightly.

 

As far as head contact driving students away...in May, I got kicked FULL FORCE in my EYE!! I was in the emergency room, and had to wear an eyepatch for a few weeks (double vision). I have an orbital blowout fracture now, that may never fully heal. I still have some double vision. I can never be hit in my eye again.

 

But I still came back!! Of course, I was a 2nd degree brown belt at the time, so I had pretty much made my mind up that I wasn't quitting. I wear a facecage on my helmet now (and am the only student who does) so that I don't...y'know, DIE or go BLIND if I get hit again, which is what could happen.

 

Now, mine was a very rare case. Most people in my school will never get seriously hurt in sparring. They are more likely to land wrong from a flying sidekick and twist their ankle.

 

So head contact is ok as long as they're experienced (and even then, the experienced ones need to be kept in check).

[karatekid1975]

You said it right here, Korean.

 

"I believe if you have control, kicking to head is ok. (if you're also sparring in a semi-contact manner, there should be no reason not to kick to the head.) "

 

In my dojang, we do kick to the head, and we are WTF. But we don't try to kill each other or knock each other out. It's usually semi contact in class (no contact for white belts). There is also times we go full contact (sometimes it just happens LOL), but even with full contact, we still only "tap" the head gear. Or at least I do, and the people I have sparred so far.

[hobbitbob]

Depending on the cost of liability insurance in your area, he might be correct these measures.

[Pacificshore]

When I spar or teach sparring to my students, I allow head shots, so long as it is controlled. If they get wild, then they get "tapped" just as hard as they give it.

[sk0t]

If it is a so-called WTF school, then something must be wrong...does he allow head kicks to the head for black belts. and does he allow light contact head kicks to the intermediate and advanced levels (below black)...because calling it a WTF school, and not abiding by the USTU standards is kinda fishy. I wonder what he is thinking....

 

Have you asked him..? Just make sure you ask in a way that is not questioning his teaching methods....

[G95champ]

Only when fighting really short people. I have made many posts talking about the dangers of it in real life. If I throw a head kick its whle they are on the ground. We basically do not teach or practice them in class. They look nice but a kick to the knee will do much more and it is much less risky.

[koreantiger81]

thugtkd. NO, even black-belts cannot kick to the head. There's no kicking to the head period. This rule really doesn't make sense to me. By restricting kicking to the head, you're limited to using the side-kick, front kick, or round kick. It would be difficult to use the axe-kick or hook-kick, if you can't kick to the head which happen to be my best techniques..Grr...I had no clue that a school under the W.T.F could regulate further rules on sparring. I'll have to sit down and think if i should continue at this school.....