How to Become an Olympic Fighter in Taekwondo

How to Become an Olympic Fighter in Taekwondo

Kyorugi–Olympic Fighting Techniques: REST (Echung-so), ATTENTION
(Cha ryuht), BOW (Kyung nae). Since 1980, the sport of Taekwondo,
the Korean martial art of self-defense, has become an Olympic sport.
As a result, Taekwondo has received wider recognition worldwide.

In general, the best fighters have mastery of such techniques as
proper breathing, footwork, balance, hip movement, and reaction force.
These are the elements that you learn in your traditional Taekwondo
training. The more technically inclined you are, the greater the
chance you have of winning.

To get to this level of competition, however, you must diligently
practice basic techniques, the basis of any Taekwondo fighting, along
with sparring. To become an Olympic-level fighter, the most important
techniques to master are: Direct Attack, Indirect Attack,
Counterattack, and the Continuous Attack. Each technique requires
strong physical condition, flexibility, power, co-ordination, agility
and reflexes. In addition, one must exercise judgment as to which
technique is optimal, given the fighting conditions. To achieve a
skill-level that leads to victory, follow these steps.

!! Steps !!

* Understand how Taekwondo competitions are categorized. Taekwondo
competitions are classified into eight weight categories in both
the male and female divisions. Valid techniques for scoring points
in the competition include a variety of punching and kicking
techniques. With punching, one can only strike the trunk; with
kicking, one can target both trunk and face. Note that striking
certain parts of the body and face are forbidden.
Familiarize yourself with the differences among the four advanced
attack methods. They are as follows:

* _Direct attack_: A direct attack involves a kick directly aimed at
the proper bodily targets of your opponent.

* _Indirect attack_: An indirect attack misleads an opponent's
attack by avoiding the direction of his movement and therefore an
immediate attack against you.

* _Counterattack_: A counterattack is a reverse attack in advance of
the opponent's.

* _Continuous attack_: A continuous attack utilizes a variety of
kicks or combinations of kicks and punches.

Practice and master the four types of direct attack. There are
four types of direct attacks according to the distance and stance
of the opponent. The four direct attack styles are: in-place
attack, incline attack, forward attack, and close-up attack. Their
performance involves the following:

* _ In-place attack In-place attack:_ The opponent is
close, which makes it easy to attack with a kick.

* _ Incline attack Incline attack:_ The distance of the
opponent is slightly beyond reach. Therefore, the competitor must
shift his or her body forward for easy attack.

* _ Forward attack Forward attack:_ The opponent is further
away. The competitor must slide his or her front foot or back foot
in as he or she shifts the body weight forward to attack.

* _ Close-up attack Close-up attack:_ The opponents are too
close to each other. The competitor must move back to create space
for easy attack.

Practice and master the three types of indirect attack. These are:
feinting, avoiding or blocking, and footwork. These consist of the
following:

* _ Feinting Feinting:_ Make an opening body motion with
feint and then attack according to the opponent's reaction.

* _ Avoiding or blocking Avoiding or blocking:_ Avoid or
block the opponent's attack and follow with the counterattack.

* _ Footwork Footwork:_ Keep moving forward and backward,
left and right. As you are doing so, find the right opportunities
to attack.

Practice and master two types of counterattacks. These are the
direct counterattack and the indirect counterattack. These consist
of the following:

* _Direct counterattack:_ Counter the opponent's attack from where
you are. Quick reaction and courage are fundamental.

* _Indirect counterattack:_ Move against the opponent's attack or
block the opponent's attack and deliver a counterattack
immediately.

Practice and master four types of continuous attack. The four
types are: double attack, trunk and face attack, punching and
kicking, and combination kicks. They consist of the following:

* _ Striking the front with the left leg Striking
the face with the right leg Double attack:_ Use the left leg to
kick the trunk. Immediately after, use the right leg to strike the
face.

* _Trunk and face attack:_ According to how you are balanced, kick
the trunk and continue with the same leg to the face, or use the
alternative leg to kick the trunk or the face.

* _Punching and kicking:_ In a closed stance, attack with a punch to
the trunk, followed by a special kick to the trunk or face. When
executing a punch, your hand and arm must come from below.

* _ 1. A punch Combination kicks:_ A combination kick is
comprised of a variety of techniques, such as a front kick
together with a roundhouse kick or back kick. Another variation
would be a side kick along with one or more ace kicks. Choose your
combinations in accordance with your swinging. There are many
possible combinations. The examples mentioned here are just a few.
Kick combination: 2. A combination of front
kick with... ... roundhouse kick... ...and
side kick.

!! Tips !!

* The duration of the contest consists of three rounds of two
minutes each, with a one-minute rest period between rounds. In the
case of a tied score upon the completion of the third round, a
fourth round of two minutes is conducted as the "sudden death
overtime" round after a one-minute rest period following the third
round.

!! Warnings !!

* Make sure you're fully equipped with the proper protection gear.
Fighting without it could cause injury.

* Be aware of the rules and regulations of the tournament that
you're attending. You're responsible for being up-to-date on any
variations involved.

!! Things You'll Need !!

* Equipment The contestant must wear a trunk protector,
head protector, groin guard, forearm guards, shin guards, hand
protector, gloves, and be equipped with a mouthpiece before
entering the contest area.

!! Related WikiHows !!

* How to Perform a Taekwondo Front Kick

* How to Test for Taekwondo Black Belt

* How to Be a Good Taekwondo Student

* How to Break a Board in Taekwondo With a Side Kick

* How to Choose a Taekwondo School

* How to Do a Bullet Kick in Taekwondo

!! Sources And Citations !!

* Original source of article, Grandmaster Jimmy R. Jagtiani, 8th
Dan, http://www.taekwondofederationofindia.com Taekwondo
Federation of India. Shared with permission.

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