Taekwondo Sparring

Taekwondo Sparring Techniques & Tips

This page provides you with information regarding Taekwondo sparring techniques and strategies. Taekwondo sparring is a great way for kids & adults to gain confidence, utilize their Taekwondo skills in a “real world” environment (versus just hitting pads or static practice dummies) and lose their fear being hit. Practice these moves at home so you can surprise & defeat your Taekwondo sparring opponents!

TKD Animals – Best Taekwondo Books

Sparring Attacks – Here are some basic sparring techniques to use when you are the sparring aggressor. If you need to learn the proper techniques for any of these kicks, please visit our Taekwondo kicking section.

• Axe kick – How to use an axe kick in Taekwondo sparring.
• Back kick – How to use a back kick in Taekwondo sparring.
• Cut kick or jab kick – How to use a cut kick in Taekwondo sparring.
• Feinting, fakes or how to trick your opponent into making a mistake – Deception wins many sparring battles! 🙂
• Hook kick – How to use a hook kick in Taekwondo sparring.
• Push kick – How to use a push kick in Taekwondo sparring.
• Roundhouse kick – How to use a roundhouse kick in Taekwondo sparring.
• Double roundhouse kick – This kicking technique is used frequently in Taekwondo sparring.
• Side kick – This page focuses on how to use side kicks in sparring matches.
• Spinning hook kick – Use a spinning hook kick to counter an opponent’s roundhouse kick. This video uses a roundhouse kick as “bait” to lure your opponent so you can use a spinning hook kick.
• Block punch – How to use a punch in Taekwondo sparring.

Combination Kicks – A variety of combination kicks that you can use in order to be the aggressor in Taekwondo sparring.

• Sparring combination kicks – These videos show a wide variety of sparring combination kicks such as a push kick with a jumping double roundhouse kick, jumping double roundhouse with a tornado kick and a high roundhouse with a back kick.

Sparring Counter Attacks – How to score a point when you are on defense in sparring.

• How to counter an axe kick – Taekwondo sparring defense against an axe kick.
• How to counter a back kick – Taekwondo sparring defenses against a back kick. Step back counter, side step counter, etc.
• How to counter a roundhouse kick – Taekwondo sparring defenses against a Taekwondo roundhouse kick. Counter with a jumping back kick, counter with a block, punch and roundhouse kick, etc.
• How to counter a spinning hook kick – Sparring counter to a spinning hook kick.
• How to counter a spinning roundhouse kick – Taekwondo sparring defenses against a Taekwondo spinning roundhouse kick.

Miscellaneous Sparring Techniques & Info

• Electronic scoring for Taekwondo tournaments – You need to kick HARD & accurately in order score points with these Taekwondo sparring systems. Watch this video.
• How to spar against taller opponents – Taller opponents can be very challenging given their height and reach advantage.

Taekwondo Sparring Strategy

• Move from side to side!! Don’t just move forward and backwards. Moving to the side (when an opponent attacks) allows you to score easily. For example, when an opponent throws a back kick, you should shift to his open side (versus just moving backwards to escape the kick). This will allow you to avoid the kick, be close enough to throw an effective roundhouse kick and catch him/her in a position where it is hard to block your kick. In this example, if the opponent throws a right leg back kick, you would shift to the right (the opponent’s left) in order to score a point.
• Excerpts from TurtlePress.com Sparring Strategies:
  1. Counterattacking has a better chance of scoring than attacking for advanced competitors.
  2. The most frequently used attacks are roundhouse kick, back kick and axe kick.
  3. Successful competitors can effectively counter these kicks.
  4. The side kick and front kick are rarely used in competition any more and are highly unlikely to score points.

Olympic Sparring Rules for Taekwondo

• According to the sparring regulations from the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), you get one point for a valid attack on the trunk protector, two points for a valid turning kick to the trunk protector, three points for a valid kick to the head and four points for a valid turning kick to the head.
• Match score shall be the sum of points of the three rounds.
• IMO – Fancy techniques give you more points but they also can leave you vulnerable and obviously are more difficult than simple (and more reliable) techniques. Olympic organizers are trying to make Taekwondo sparring more exciting and thus they are encouraging spectacular head kicks. Stick with the basics during sparring matches until you have completely mastered and practiced more advanced techniques during your sparring training.