head shots

[terryl965]

I was wondering was anybody going to Atlanta for the USTU turnament, and your thought of the no head rule for under 13 years olds..... My self believe they should be legal, if they are not use to this by the time they are 13 the older guys will murder the younger ones ( I mean the 16 or 17 years old will be able to take advantage of the kids that are not use this kind of fighting) you mst train with head shots to be effective with them....God Bless America :asian:

 

[TKD USA]

I agree. I just switched federations about 2 months ago and I was allowed to kick to the head but now in the ustu you cant do that. It is so annoying.

 

[kik]

One of the big reasons for refraining from head shot on young kids is because even at that young age kids dont have the restraint to pull they're kicks, even with head gear you can cause concussions and blood clots or swelling of the brain if you hit to hard. ( would you want one of your friends or heaven forbid one of YOUR children to Die because some other kid at a tournement couldnt control him or herself. Think about it the tournemants are for sport and thats all. There's a big difference between that and defending yourself on the street where there are no rules.

KIK

 

[terryl965]

One of the big reasons for refraining from head shot on young kids is because even at that young age kids dont have the restraint to pull they're kicks, even with head gear you can cause concussions and blood clots or swelling of the brain if you hit to hard. ( would you want one of your friends or heaven forbid one of YOUR children to Die because some other kid at a tournement couldnt control him or herself. Think about it the tournemants are for sport and thats all. There's a big difference between that and defending yourself on the street where there are no rules.

KIK

Well then tell me the difference between football they get hit all the time also in boxing or baseball or basketball.... so I would personally not want that to happen to my the son's however you cannot change destiny what is going to happen will happen no-matter what you are doing....... God Bless America

 

[Touch Of Death]

I was wondering was anybody going to Atlanta for the USTU turnament, and your thought of the no head rule for under 13 years olds..... My self believe they should be legal, if they are not use to this by the time they are 13 the older guys will murder the younger ones ( I mean the 16 or 17 years old will be able to take advantage of the kids that are not use this kind of fighting) you mst train with head shots to be effective with them....God Bless America :asian:

It takes longer to kick to the head than it does the body, it sounds like these kids will be well versed in dealing with faster attacks. From my point of veiw they will welcome slower attacks when they get older. Just a thought. :uhyeah:
Sean

 

[terryl965]

It takes longer to kick to the head than it does the body, it sounds like these kids will be well versed in dealing with faster attacks. From my point of veiw they will welcome slower attacks when they get older. Just a thought. :uhyeah:
Sean

Very good point Touch'O'Death.... never thought of it in that perspective thank you.... God Bless America

 

[TigerWoman]

One of the big reasons for refraining from head shot on young kids is because even at that young age kids dont have the restraint to pull they're kicks, even with head gear you can cause concussions and blood clots or swelling of the brain if you hit to hard. ( would you want one of your friends or heaven forbid one of YOUR children to Die because some other kid at a tournement couldnt control him or herself. Think about it the tournemants are for sport and thats all. There's a big difference between that and defending yourself on the street where there are no rules.

KIK

I agree completely. I wouldn't let me son go, even older than 13. Most parents if they read the waiver you have sign for the tournament, would back off. It makes it legal to get killed. I'm sorry, the risk is too high.
Jump spin heel is too hard to control, especially in a high-adrenalin fight condition. Sure when you're older in your twenties, and YOU really have all the facts and YOU make the decision to risk your life in a sport sparring match, then by all mean go for it. Even 18-20 years, IMO, are not mature enough adults to make that decision wisely.

 

[Gary Crawford]

I completly dissagree with the USTU on this rule.My son had just become a red belt at the time they changed the rule.We went to ar least 6 tournaments every year and have never witnessed a sever injury to the head in the childrens divisions,there were several in the adult divisions though.That rule limited the target area far too much.Most of taekwondo kicks are geared high.With this rule axe kicks,spinning hooks,spinning crescents are taken completey out of the game.Not many weapons left except roundhouse,thrust, and double 45's.The reason that I mostly object is that changing the rules for those ages,changes the training.It holds back the kids and the ones who train that way will be lost when they get old enough to take and give head shots.Overall,future olympic competitors will suffer.If I was just considering to start my kids in taekwondo,I would not take them to a USTU school until they were 13.

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

Headshots are part of the TKD game. If you don't practice them then, IMHO, the youngsters are going to be at a disadvantage when the tourneys really count when these kids get a little older. The rule should have been left as is...

 

[MichiganTKD]

Not only that, but head kicking is part of the Tae Kwon Do aesthetic. It's one of the reasons people find Tae Kwon Do fun to watch. Who'd really want to go to a TKD tournament if you couldn't demonstrate in fighting the high kicks it is famous for?
However, I agree with the above that 13 year old kids are not in a position to decide for themselves whether they want to be kicked in the head or not. That's why they also can't sign contracts, vote, or serve in the military-they are not old enough to make that decision and understand its ramifications.
I would say allow head kicking only on students 18 or older-perhaps create a separate division where this is allowed.
This is an issue our Organization is struggling with as well: How to retain the high kicks that characterize TKD while not endangering participants.

 

[Gary Crawford]

Head shot rule revisited

US Taekwondo Head Kick Rule Revisited by US Taekwondo Governance and Management Committee


US Taekwondo Head Kick Rule Revisited by US Taekwondo Governance and Management Committee

Colorado Springs, CO. Over the span of this past week, the US Taekwondo Union's Governance and Management Committee has received many thoughtful concerns expressed by people from many areas of the country regarding the committee's recent decision to prohibit head kicks for athletes 12 and 13 years of age. The comments generally revolved around the decision to eliminate head kicks in total, a move that was felt by many to be too dramatic although almost everyone agreed that safety for athletes in their prime physiological developmental years should be of ultimate importance.


The USTU Governance and Management Committee met in special session on Wednesday, May 26th to continue to discuss the ramifications of the ruling. After further consideration, the committee expressed agreement with many of the membership concerns that the ruling was too dramatic, and passed an alternate resolution. The rule will allow time for USTU's CEO/Secretary General Bob Gambardella to form a task force composed of a variety of experts from the Taekwondo community. The task force mission will be to formulate proposed policies concerning safety for all levels of practicing Taekwondo athletes including but not limited to the development of safety equipment and the development of a passport system (a system designed to prohibit athletes from competing for certain time frames after receiving a serious head strike in competition; this is a system similar to a passport system established within USA Boxing several years ago).

The rule as passed by the committee is:

Twelve and thirteen year old athletes holding any color belt will compete under the junior safety rules

Junior Safety Rules, Article 1B:2a:
“The competitor is allowed to kick to the facial area; however, the kick must be light contact with absolute control without causing an injury or excessive contact, or the appropriate penalty shall be invoked.”


This new rule takes effect immediately in all USTU sanctioned events, including the Jr. Olympics scheduled for June 30 – July 6, 2004 in Atlanta, GA.



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The US Taekwondo Union is the national governing body for the sport of Taekwondo in the United States, and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the International Taekwondo Union. If you have any questions about the proposal, please contact Bob Gambardella at (719) 866-4632.