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osopardo · 09-03-2004, 09:48 PM

That's one of the things I was ranting about in the "Olympic TKD SUX!" thread.

Hand techniques are being abandoned because supposedly it is more dfifficult to get judges in tournament to recognize and award points for punching.

Look at it this way, you're not allowed to punch to the head (ridiculous!) and the opponent is wearing a chest guard so he won't even feel your strongest punches. And you're not allowed to punch below the belt. Doesn't leave too many options, does it? As a result, more and more TKD stylists are abandoning the punches altogether and unfortunately also neglecting to keep their guard up.

If you're going to punch, you have to move your opponent to make it count. Your best bet is a straight jab right to the center of his chest (sternum) using as much force as possible, the kind of force that'd kill him if he wasn't wearing the chest guard. You have to step into your punch and literally push your opponent back making him lose his balance. You have to make the judges see him stagger backwards if you hope to score a point. As you can imagine, this technique will leave you wide open for a counter but on the up side, you won't have to worry about getting punched in the head, 'cause he's not allowed.

If you're competing in a tournament get as much advise and coaching as possible from those who've participated in the past. They'll know what will work for the tournament.

09-03-2004, 09:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
osopardo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Hurricane Alley Posts: 170,033 Posts: 1,915	That's one of the things I was ranting about in the "Olympic TKD SUX!" thread. Hand techniques are being abandoned because supposedly it is more dfifficult to get judges in tournament to recognize and award points for punching. Look at it this way, you're not allowed to punch to the head (ridiculous!) and the opponent is wearing a chest guard so he won't even feel your strongest punches. And you're not allowed to punch below the belt. Doesn't leave too many options, does it? As a result, more and more TKD stylists are abandoning the punches altogether and unfortunately also neglecting to keep their guard up. If you're going to punch, you have to move your opponent to make it count. Your best bet is a straight jab right to the center of his chest (sternum) using as much force as possible, the kind of force that'd kill him if he wasn't wearing the chest guard. You have to step into your punch and literally push your opponent back making him lose his balance. You have to make the judges see him stagger backwards if you hope to score a point. As you can imagine, this technique will leave you wide open for a counter but on the up side, you won't have to worry about getting punched in the head, 'cause he's not allowed. If you're competing in a tournament get as much advise and coaching as possible from those who've participated in the past. They'll know what will work for the tournament. __________________ Le Bear Extraordinaire! *Mike Brewer's 2008 Athleticon Challenge!!!* Pushups Completed: 5 1/2 Situps Completed: Does using my hands count?