TKD sparring

[Archimoto]

Hi everyone:

I am a long time JKD and Muay Thai practitioner that recently took up TKD along with my very young children. The experience has been wonderful and learning a new art is simply fascinating. I've spent a lot of time over the years sparring and competing, especially in Muay Thai, and very much look forward sparring in TKD eventually. Even as a TKD newbie I can already see big obvious differences between the styles and can only imagine how it manifests in sparring. For example, in TKD the body mechanics for the first ~50% of a round house kick, snap kick, and in some part the side kick are nearly identical making them very hard to individually identify until it's almost too late.

Curious if any of you have made a similar transition and whether you have thoughts or comments you'd be willing to share.

[bushido_man96]

I've never made any style transitions, but I have done TKD in one facet or another for over 20 years. Right now, I do more of an Olympic style of sparring, whereas before I did the ATA point system of sparring.

Within the TKD styles of sparring, you can see lots of different methods. In point systems, you can see more lead leg kicking, without putting the foot down. In Olympic style, you see more rear leg kicking and combinations and counters, because there is no stopping to call points. Some will be counter fighters, and others more offensive. You just never know what you are going to get.

I'm not sure if that helped you out at all, but I'd be willing to try to answer any other questions you'd have.

[Archimoto]

Very helpful thank you !!!

In Muay Thai we would normally go (in competition) for 3 5-minute rounds and all sparring was geared toward that. The goal was to wear down your opponent in hope of winning by decision at least but better by KO or TKO. I've read about point sparring and was concerned about how different it would be from what I'm used to. Since reading your post I looked up Olympic Style sparring and learned that it's completely different from point sparring. Is that right? Stylistic differences aside it seems similar to the structure I'm used to. Does that sound right?

[Archimoto]

Bushido_man?

[bushido_man96]

Sorry for the delay here; I've been busy lately.

The Olympic style of sparring is geared for 3, 3 minute rounds, and although there isn't a lot of punching that goes on, the contact is a higher level, and usually "body displacement" is required for a technique to score a point. Points are still scored, but you can win by knockout, as well. It is a kick/counterkick type of sparring, with lots of footwork as well.

Hopefully, that helps.

[Archimoto]

Very helpful!

Thank you !!

[sensei8]

Sorry for the delay here; I've been busy lately.

The Olympic style of sparring is geared for 3, 3 minute rounds, and although there isn't a lot of punching that goes on, the contact is a higher level, and usually "body displacement" is required for a technique to score a point. Points are still scored, but you can win by knockout, as well. It is a kick/counterkick type of sparring, with lots of footwork as well.

Hopefully, that helps.

We all know...our kicks can reach further than our punches in order to attack or defend. So, I can see why Olympic style of sparring is the way it is; more kicks than punches.

GM Young Ik Suh was very able to punch and grapple and so on and so forth, a TKD GM to be reckoned with!!

[ninjanurse]

Getting in on this a bit late. I have sparred many different styles and I will have to say that once you look beyond all the criticism of Olympic Sparring (those who don't know have a lot to say about it) you will find that because you must hit hard enough to cause visible shock, and you can win by knockout, it can condition the body to take a hit, survive a crash better, get up from a bad fall, etc., It also enhances agility, speed, flexibility, timing, endurance, etc.

I originally took up TKD with the specific purpose of making my kumite better-and it changed my whole perspective and the course of my marital path. I find no problems with the applicability-it's a training tool just like kata.

[karatekid1975]

You hit the on the head with that one ma'am (ninjanurse). I agree. I switched from TSD to TKD. I did find some things similar, but also some stuff was a bit different. Heidi is now my instructor in TKD. I love the way she mixes styles. TKD being the big part of it, but we also learn karate kata and Jujitsu in TKD classes. There is also Jujistu taught in separate classes. I love it.

I used to be big into competing. But not so much anymore. I learn martial arts for self defense and to do something fun for fitness (instead of the same boring stuff LOL) mainly, so I would be the wrong person to get advice about competing.

[bushido_man96]

Getting in on this a bit late. I have sparred many different styles and I will have to say that once you look beyond all the criticism of Olympic Sparring (those who don't know have a lot to say about it) you will find that because you must hit hard enough to cause visible shock, and you can win by knockout, it can condition the body to take a hit, survive a crash better, get up from a bad fall, etc., It also enhances agility, speed, flexibility, timing, endurance, etc.

I originally took up TKD with the specific purpose of making my kumite better-and it changed my whole perspective and the course of my marital path. I find no problems with the applicability-it's a training tool just like kata.

All very good points. The footwork one can learn in Olympic TKD is very valuable. The footwork is akin to Tai Sabaki in a way. You react to movement with movement, and use movement to set up an opponent's movement. The footwork can be a whole game in and of itself.