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WTF sparring

A WTF-style sparring match

In taekwondo, free sparring is called kyorugi by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) or matseogi by the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF). This is called "free" sparring to distinguish it from Step Sparring in which attacks and blocks are prearranged, or Semi-Free Sparring in which sparring pauses after each point is scored.

In the WTF, the majority of the attacks executed during free sparring are kicking techniques, whereas the ITF encourages the use of both hands and feet. WTF sparring generally incorporates more protective gear (such as the chest  and head protectors) and so will generally involve heavier contact. ITF sparring may also be full-contact for some tournaments, but often is conducted as light-contact sparring, relying just on the padded sparring gloves and shoes to provide protection.

Scoring

Rules vary by taekwondo style and by tournament. A typical WTF-style scoring system would be:

  • One point for a kick to the opponent's torso.
    • All kicks and punches must have some force behind them to score a point. A light tap does not yield a point.
    • The kick must use the foot below the ankle. A kick with the shin or knee does not count.
    • Kicking along the spine is not allowed, but otherwise kicks on the back are allowed.
    • Kicking below the waist is not allowed, kicking to the head is allowed.
    • Intentional kicks below the waist or to the spine may result in a penalty. 
  • Three points for a spinning kick to the opponent's torso. (Until recently this was just two points.)
  • Three points for a kick to the head.
  • Four points for a spinning kick to the opponent's head.
  • One point for a punch to the opponent's torso.
    • The punch must use only the front knuckles, not the side of the hand or other striking surfaces on the hand or wrist. In order to score, the punch must demonstrate sufficient force and be thrown from a distance (short jabs do not score).
    • You will often see opponents push each other to establish a good kicking distance; pushes are not allowed and a kyong-go (half-point penalty) will be given. Even if the push is performed with a fist, that's still not a "punch" and so still does not yield a point, but is less likely to receive a penalty.
  • Two warnings result in a penalty. Penalties deduct one point. Penalties include:
    • Grabbing, holding, pushing, or throwing your opponent
    • Falling to the floor (so that at least one hand touches the ground)
    • Attacking with the knee or leg (rather than the foot)
    • Targeting hits below your opponent's waist (although as of 2014 kicks to the buttocks are less likely to be penalised due to the amount of "surfing" - hopping with one foot raised - that is happening in modern competition)
    • Turning your back on your opponent to evade
    • Kicking your opponent's back, including the back of the head
    • Punching your opponent's back, including the back of the head
    • Prolonged inaction (not attempting any kicks or strikes for too long a time); in WTF taekwondo, this rule was added to make the sport more exciting for spectators. More recently, for the same reason, some tournaments also declare a penalty if an athlete's foot is held in the air for more than 3 seconds (i.e., to avoid "foot fencing").

In most tournaments, adult particiants fight for three rounds, usually 1.5 or 2 minutes long. Children generally spart for only two rounds, usually in shorter rounds. There's usually a 30 second break between rounds. Whoever has the most points after three rounds wins, in the event of a tie an additional sudden death round will take place - the first to score wins.

The International Taekwon-Do Federation's sparring rules are similar to the WTF's rules, but differ in several aspects. A typical example of ITF rules are:

  • Hand and foot attacks to the head are allowed.
  • The scoring system is:
    • 1 point for: punch to the body or head. (Note that punches to the head are not allowed in WTF-style sparring)
    • 2 points for: jumping kick to the body or kick to the head
    • 3 points for: jumping kick to the head

Fouls in ITF sparring include: attacking a fallen opponent, leg sweeping, holding/grabbing, or intentional attack to a target other than the opponent.

Additional References:

Weight Classes and Divisions

Weight classes and divisions vary by tournament and style. At the Olympics, for instance, weight classes for sparring are:

Male Female
Weight limit
kg (lb)
Weight limit
kg (lb)
unlimited unlimited Heavyweight
80 (176.1) 67 (147.7) Welterweight
68 (149.9) 57 (125.7) Featherweight
58 (127.9) 49 (108.0) Flyweight

Local tournaments include classes not only for sparring, but also for forms and breaking. These classes are likewise divided into male and female, but are also divided by age group and belt color. For Para-Taekwondo, additional classes are established based on Disability Classification.

Sparring Area

The sparring area itself can also vary depending on the style of taekwondo involved and the type of tournament. A typical example is shown in the diagram below. Often the sparring area (i.e., the Contest Area) will be 8 meters by 8 meters square, though some tournaments may use larger Contest Areas (for example, 10 meters by 10 meters or more in ITF-style sparring) or even round sparring areas. Smaller regional tournaments may use 7 meter squares with just 1 meter safety zones. The Contest Area is often delineated with a blue line, and then is surrounded by a safety zone. The outside of the safety zone is often delineated with a red line.

The contest area itself is usually covered with an elastic mat like the ones used in dojangs.

SparringArea


WTF-style Commands and Hand Signals

Taekwondo_Sparring_Terminology_Korean_English

Taekwondo Sparring Terminology Korean English

RefSignals

In WTF-style tournaments, the referee's commands and hand signals proceed as follows:

Setting up:

  • The referee points to where the Blue opponent should stand and says "chung!" (meaning Blue). The Blue opponent's spot is always on the referee's right side.
  • The referee then points to where the Red opponent should stand and says "hong!" (meaning Red).
  • The referee points both arms forward, angled down and says "ip jong". The opponents move to their designated spots.
  • The referee inspects the Blue opponent to make sure his or her sparring gear is ready. The referee feels the arms for arm pads, feels the legs for leg pads, and (for males) has the athlete knock his cup to show that it's ready. Typically the referee also takes this opportunity to wish the athlete good luck.
  • The referee then likewise inspects the Red opponent.

Starting the contest:

  • The referee holds both arms out to the side, elbows bent upward and says "charyeot" ('attention').
  • The referee bends both elbows inward (as if the referee's forearms are bowing towards each other) and says "kyuhng-nyeh" ('bow').
  • The referee has both opponents shake hands.
  • The referee steps forward with his left foot (as if going into a Long Front Stance); at the same time passes his right hand from beside his ear downward in between the two opponents and says "joon-bee" ('ready').
  • The referee slides the left foot back (as if into a Tiger Stance), brings both arms out to the side, then says "shijak" ('begin') while bringing the hands together.

During the contest:

  • If the referee needs to separate the two opponents (for example, if one opponent falls, or if one of the opponents clinches the other athlete), the referee says "gallyeo" ('break').
  • When the contestants can resume, the referee says "gyesok" ('continue').
  • If the referee needs to issue a penalty warning (i.e., a half-point deduction) to a contestant, the referee takes his right hand to his left ear, then sweeps the hand outward to point at the offending athlete. If the offense is against the Blue athelete, the referee says "chung kyong-go" ('blue warning'). If the offense is against the Red athlete, the referee says "hong kyong-go" ('red warning').
  • For a more serious offense (for example, an intentional kick to the groin or punch to the head) the referee begins by pointing to the offending athlete and calling the athlete color (chung or hong, blue or red); the referee then points straight downward, then straight upward, and says "gam-jeum" ('penalty').

Coach's Cards:

Each coach (blue and red) has a "card" that he can raise when he has an objection to a referee's or judge's ruling. When the coach raises the card the referee halts the match "gallyeo" ('break') then take the coach's card and asks what the objection is. The referee then consults with the three judges to determine if the coach was correct. If the coach was correct, the coach is given his card back and may continue using the card to make objections. If the coach was incorrect (even just once) his card is taken away and he is no longer able to make objections. The referee starts the match as before: "joon-bee" with the right hand held between the opponents, then stepping back and bringing both arms inward to signal "shijak".

Ending the match:

  • When the match timer has counted down to zero for the final round, the referee stops the fight by saying "geuman" ('stop / end').
  • Looking at the score keeping system to verify the final score, the referee announces the winner by pointing upward toward the winner's side of the ring (i.e., if the Blue athlete has won, then the referee's hand right hand starts at the left waist and swings upward to point 45 degrees upward to the right, palm-up; if the Red athlete has won, the referee uses his left hand instead to perform the same motion), saying the winner's color (chang or hong), and then saying "seung" ('victory').

The match may also end when one athelete has accumulated 4 penalty points; this results in a disqualification ("shil-kyuk"). For example, 8 half-point warnings ("kyong-go"), or 4 half-point warnings plus 2 full-point penalties (gam-jeum").

Command Hangul Hanja English Hand Signal
Charyeot (chah-ryuht') 차렷 Attention Both arms held vertically in front of the body, palms open, pointing upward
Gyeongnye (kyuhng-nyeh) 경례 Bow Both arms held horizontally in front of the body, palms down
Baro (bah'-roh or pah'-roh) 바로 Return
Shwieo (shwee-uh) 쉬어 At ease (relax)
Hyushik (hyoo'-sheek) 휴식 Rest period (break)
Gihap (kee'-hahp) 기합 Yell (shout)
Junbi (joon'-bee) 준비 Ready Downward motion with the right arm
Shijak (shee-jahk') 시작 Begin (start) Both arms brought inward
Gallyeo (kahl'-lyuh) 갈려 Break (separate) Downward motion with the right arm
Gyesok (kyeh'-sohk) 계속 Continue
Geuman (geuh'-mahn) 그만 Finish (stop) Downward motion with the right arm
Dwiro dora (dwee'roh doh'-rah) 뒤로 돌아 About face (180 degrees)
Haesan (heh'-sahn) 해산 Dismissed

Additional References:

Sparring Gear

Proteccionestkd

Official WTF trunk protector (hogul), forearm guards and shin guards

ITF Taekwondo Sparring Gear

Typical ITF sparring gloves and shoes

For WTF-style taekwondo sparring, combatants typically wear:

  • A padded torso protector called a hogu. The hogu is like a padded vest and is easily reversible: one side is red (hong), the other side is blue (chong). Simply by turning the vest inside-out, you can change your color. When sparring, each combatant will be either red or blue, so that they can be easily distinguished. The primary reason for the hogu is to allow kicks to the torso above the belt and below the chest without undue injury to the person receiving the kick.
    • At the National and International sparring levels, electronic hogu faciliate automated scoring via the use of built-in sensors that detect when a fair hit has taken place. In lower-level competitions, that function is performed by the human judges.
  • A padded helmet (i.e., head protector) called a homyun.
  • Padded shin guards that may include padding over the top of the foot (or the foot padding may be a separate piece of equipment)
  • Padded forearm guards that may include padding over the knuckles (or the hand padding may be a separate piece of equipment)
  • A hard-shell groin protector
  • A mouth guard

As with taekwondo uniforms, sparring gear should be washed frequently to keep it in top shape. The hogu and helmet can simply be wiped-down with a damp cloth. Some shin guards and forearm guards are machine-washable.

In ITF-style sparring, a hogu is normally not worn. Helments may be worn. Sparring gloves ( like boxing gloves) are usually worn, and often sparring shoes.

There are many, numerous websites that sell sparring gear. Here's a link to taekwondo sparring gear on Amazon.com for example. Your taekwondo school likely sells sparring gear as well. (Good schools mark-up the price of gear only slightly to cover their carrying costs. Some schools mark up the price quite a lot, in which case shopping online may be preferred.)

General Sparring Strategy / Tips

Olympic_Taekwondo_Sparring_Tutorial_Episode_1_Part_1_YUNSHOW

Olympic Taekwondo Sparring Tutorial Episode 1 Part 1 YUNSHOW

Phillip Yun's YouTube tutorials on Olympic-style sparring can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnCXKkhfvVzAw-FGQKyvR8QwxxcdJKkvG 

Of course, different competitors use different strategies and tactics to win at sparring. For beginners though, there are some basic tips that can help you learn to spar, win matches, and develop your own style.

  • Most sparring is done using the most basic of kicks, especially the roundhouse kick due to its speed. If you're a beginner, there's nothing wrong with sticking mostly to roundhouse kicks. As you learn, you'll want to add other kicks, such as axe kicks and turning back kicks.
  • When you do attack, you should be planning to execute a series of followup kicks. In other words, don't intend to kick just once and then back away. Again, as a beginner, if your series is nothing more than a series of roundhouse kicks, that's okay...just try to always attack with a series.
  • When you finish your series of kicks, back away out of your opponent's reach. The typical idea is that you: step 1 - close quickly, step 2 - execute a combination of kicks, then step 3 - back away. This strategy is going to vary depending on your relative size and speed though.
BASIC BEGINNER STRATEGIES Your opponent has longer reach than you Your opponent has shorter reach than you
Your opponent is faster than you Your opponent is both taller and faster than you; your strategy is crucial here. Stay in very close to your opponent, so close that he can't get a proper kick in using his foot. Yes, he might hit you with his shins, but shins don't score points. Use your shorter legs to your advantage. Bent-leg turning back kicks are your friend. You're up against a small, but fast, opponent. Control the distance, don't let him get in close. Keep your combinations short and then back away fast so that he can't use your attacks as an opportunity to close the distance.
Your opponent is slower than you You're up against a tall, but slow, opponent. Use your speed to your advantage. Stay out of his reach, dart in quick for combinations, and then back out fast. You are faster and taller than your opponent; this is your match! He's going to try to get in close, so control the distance.
  • When to kick? When you see an opening of course, but also: if your opponent closes in for a kick, you start kicking back. Always answer an opponent's kick with one of your own. If your opponent has gotten close enough to kick you, then he or she is also close enough for you to kick back.
  • As you and your opponent jockey for position, don't back up. Circle sideways instead. If your opponent closes in and you're not ready to kick, don't back up. Circle sideways instead. If you back up, you'll let your opponent chase you off the mat.
  • Bounce...bounce...bounce...always be moving. Don't stay flat-footed on the mat. Don't bounce all the way into the air though!...just keep lifting up on the balls of your feet and dance around your opponent looking for an opening. Arguably this is the most important tip for taekwondo sparring.
  • Switch feet. Don't always lead with the same foot!

Many-on-One Sparring

Two-on-one sparring or more is often required for black belt tests. Some tips:

  • It's difficult to fight more than one person at a time, so try to move around so that one of your opponents is blocking your other opponents from being able to reach you. The disadvantage is that you'll need to keep moving -- and quickly -- but the advantage is that you'll only have to contend with one opponent at a time.

See Also

References

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