sparring stances... to bounce or to not bounce

[sensei8]

This is true, if someone bounces for no reason then it's Ashi Barrai Party Time!

Yeah baby...party on!!

[Rateh]

As a wtf taekwondo practitioner, we ALWAYS bounce at our school for sparring. The reason being, that wtf style sparring is all about footwork and kicking. Bouncing helps keep you light on your feet so you can react and counter quicker. When practicing self defense, takedowns, boxing techniques, etc...we NEVER bounce.

[Harkon72]

Yes, Tae Kwon Do... can I ask you a question?

Have you ever heard the term "Kick Fighting" with regards to Tea Kwon Do?

I saw a reference to this as a style of kick sparring in competition back in the 90's. Basically, it was semi contact continuous with only kicking techniques allowed. I didn't give it a second thought until I watched the Tae Kwon Do bouts in the Olympics. That's what I thought they were doing. Bouncing and Kicking. Is it because a punch has little value points wise? That was my hope. I think we have one TKD school here in North Wales; I asked this question to one of the parents there and he said that punching and striking techniques are used a lot more in his son's school. Is it a matter of the specific association? I'm sure they have different rules and styles of TKD of their own. If it's the case that it is mostly kick fighting, then Tea Kwon Do and Okinawan Karate are miles apart.

[Rateh]

I have never heard of the term "kick fighting". Though, up until recently, I trained at schools that did "open" style tournament fighting. Which is general point fighting. So I'm a bit new as to the exact rules of WTF sparring, (the style used for Olympics) as far as points values and warnings and the like. But I do know that there is no punching to the head, just kicking to the head (including the neck and face), and punching and kicking to the body. In order for it to count, there must be a "trembling shock". Contact for young children is generally lighter, and for adults it is full contact. It is much easier to get points through kicking, because of the power requirement. Also, you get warnings for not attacking. It is not a stop for points type of fighting either, they are counted as the fight goes on, and displayed for everyone to see (only tournament I have been to thus far had big tv screens for it).

During training, we train to move very quickly from one place to another, bouncing and sliding mostly. If you place your foot solid on the ground after moving, then you will not be able to immediately kick. There is like a 1/8th of a second pause. But that is enough, during a match. Just last night I was working with the adults on sliding back (so right foot back, slide back and land a stance distance back with still having right leg back), and then immediately firing a right leg roundhouse kick. We also worked the same, but with turning back kicks. A large part of our training is dedicated to kicking with excellent technique, power, speed, and accuracy. As a result, the students are way better at kicking then any previous school I have been to, although other schools were a little better technically.

We are very clear that sparring and self defense training are NOT the same thing in our school. Sparring is for sport, and not required to advance. Self defense training is much more serious, and involves a much greater variety of techniques (mostly strikes, knees, throws, locks, chokes, etc). We also incorporate boxing into the curriculum so that our students know how to punch correctly and hit targets properly.

[Harkon72]

The system that you have sounds well rounded and sound. The rule that you cannot punch to the head makes sense in one perspective; in our style of fighting it is allowed, you can make forefist and backfist strikes to the face and head. There is a penalty for excessive force used to the face, especially if you draw blood, the idea is to score, not to knock them out. All techniques with the hand must be a closed fist, unless you take hold to take them down or pull an arm to make a hit for example. In our Kumite, thigh kicks are not allowed, but knee and elbow strikes to the body are; as I said the idea is to score, not to incapacitate. We do not follow the opponent to the ground; if both fighters are off their feet, then the bout restarts. There are no set number of points for a win, this is not Traditional Kumite; the fighting is continuous for 2 or 3 minutes and the judges and referee flag for the winner. I really enjoy the sparring, especially in the gradings. I have done Traditional Kumite a few years ago,this is where you end the bout at a full point and stop at each increment when each technique scores, in a similar scoring system to Olympic Judo. I feel that if your body can sustain it, then each sport or art is there to be enjoyed.

[bushido_man96]

Not much punching is done in the higher levels of WTF sparring because it just isn't considered enough to score. This should be fixed with the electronic scoring they have now, but the training methods haven't changed. So, you end up with more kicking and counter kicking, which will score more points anyways. So, the punch falls be the wayside.

That's why I don't like the chest protector.

The ITF style of TKD sparring allows hand techniques to the head, and is not as hard contact as the WTF style is, which tends to allow for more combinations including hand techniques. The ATA allows hand techniques to the body, but not the head, and is light to mid contact levels.

[Harkon72]

Yes, I can see that the school you follow can make a big difference to your style of fighting. We are taught to attack by combinations, single techniques rarely make enough impression on the judges to contribute to your win. Interesting, thank you.

[bushido_man96]

Yes, I can see that the school you follow can make a big difference to your style of fighting. We are taught to attack by combinations, single techniques rarely make enough impression on the judges to contribute to your win. Interesting, thank you.

You're welcome. Our school spars using WTF rules, but I like to punch a lot more than others do. Lots of guys will end up standing right next to each other, trying to figure out a way to either kick away from each other or break away without getting kicked. I stand in there and just punch away at them. Punching is a great way to set up kicks.

[Harkon72]

We train for sparring through our Kihon (basic technique), each combination that students learn is a combination of kicks and punches designed to be used in sparring. This is how our style of Karate can be recognized. Our Masters have studied Japanese Kumite fighters for example and used their technique to compile our set combinations; there's no real mystery to them, they are relatively simple, they are just practiced to a high level of proficiency.

[bushido_man96]

We have some basics like that as well, but some of them I've never been able to pull off in sparring. I think I just need to keep trying. But, I also think its great that basics are built like that, for the students to have something applicable to use, and not just some movements that are particularly random.