A question about WTF sparring

[SFC JeffJ]

I was looking the the "Official Taekwondo Training Manual" (Soon Man Lee & Gaetane Ricke) and I noticed one of the prohibited acts in competition is striking the face with hand strikes. I am just curious as to the reasoning behind this since kicks to the face are allowed. I'm sure this has been addressed here before, but after trying a couple of searches I just decided to ask.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[ajs1976]

I have an older version of the book. I always wondered what 'official' meant.

Older version: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0806939893/sr=8-2/qid=1155136263/ref=sr_1_2/102-9442127-6021719?ie=UTF8

New version: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402727070/sr=1-1/qid=1155136529/ref=sr_1_1/102-9442127-6021719?ie=UTF8&s=books

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One reason I have been told is that it is easy to punch to the head, but it takes more skill and ability to be able to kick to the head.

I don't know what the official reason is.

 

[Last Fearner]

There has been a great deal of controversy over this, and not everyone agrees with it. Only the individuals on the board for rules and regulations of WTF sparring could say as to exactly why they chose to prohibit hand strikes to the face. I have trained with, and had many conversations with Grandmaster Kowang Woong Kim (Kukkiwon 9th Dan) who wrote the official rule book for the WTF, and served as the Chairman of the rules committee.

It is my understanding that there are several reasons behind this decision. One is that, believe it or not, there tends to be more injuries with hand techniques to the face. Competitors who are allowed to punch to the face tend to throw these techniques randomly, with little control, and it is done way too often at close range causing injury. Even a beginner can punch hard to the face, but will take some time to be able to kick there, and by that time they have learned how to control their kicks.

Also, many tournaments of the past did not use fist protection, thus impact would be much more severe. The type of gloves used in Taekwondo sparring are best for accidental contact, and do not provide enough protection for full contact strikes. Relying on the safety of "Boxing" type gloves would reduce the risk of injury, but then the sport begins to look like a "kick-boxing" match.

This brings us to the next reason. Taekwondo tournaments are intended to look different than other competitions (boxing, kick-boxing, Karate, etc), therefore kicking is the primary goal. Anyone can throw out a hand technique. Taekwondo competition is designed to promote, and enhance one's ability to kick effectively.

Another reason is the very essence of the theory of power behind kicking in Taekwondo. Hand strikes are useful, and we train in them, but a realistic self defense scenario should lean toward using the longer reach, and stronger power of the legs. If a student of Taekwondo learns to do this effectively, the hand strikes become a secondary tool (not to be abandoned though).

Since a tournament is more about control, with padding to protect from injury or death, the kicks are going to be scored on what damage they "could have done" if full impact was allowed to non-protected targets (IE: in the street). It is far too easy for a "boxer" type fighter to ignore the use of feet, and only punch to the face in a Taekwondo tournament. They ignore the potentially devastating kicks that would have kept them at a further distance in a real fight. They charge in and start punching without regard for the fact that the kick which struck them on the way in would likely have prevented them from getting close enough to punch the face. Then, the opponent has no choice but to respond with hand strikes. The match then degenerates into a fist-fight.

In real life, there are no rules, thus I can stop an aggressive puncher by kicking the knee, groin, or severely damaging the unprotected mid-section long before they get close enough to punch. If they take the risk, and reduce the distance rapidly, I will retaliate with rapid hand strikes until I can change direction, distance myself, and regain a safe kicking range. This type of effective self defense is not possible in a tournament, since the kicks are not deadly, and do not break bones. They are simply scored, then we continue to fight. Punching to the face is too easy to bypass this skill, and the danger zone of kicks, and negates the true essence of Taekwondo.

I hope this helps to clear up your question.
CM D.J. Eisenhart

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Thanks for the very comprehensive answer. I have to say I don't care for that rule, but I do have a better understanding of the reasoning behind it now.

Jeff

 

[matt.m]

We were doing light contact sparring in class the other night. One of my peers asked GrandMaster the exact same thing. GM got his dan in 1970, so we feel he is well verse and knowledgeable.

Ok all joking aside, his response was "You can kick to the head, not the face. At dan level you can ridgehand and spinning backfist, that sort of thing to the head. You cannot do hand strikes to the face. They are totally different things."

A strike to the side of the head whether it be with hands or feet is totally different than a forward strike to the eyes, nose, mouth, chin. It is a different region. It is for safety concerns considering when sparring you wear the helmet that protects these regions.

There is no way I can give an answer like last fearner, no one can. However these are just my $.02.