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I see people getting hung up on the word "win". When my teacher used the phrase sparring to win, he wasn't referring to a competition where somebody is declared the winner or loser at the end. He was just talking about a competitive or serious mind set. It's just getting in the head space where...

Some interesting comments. @Headhunter. The comment that everybody wins at sparring because everybody learns while sparring is simply not true. While it is true that doing something over and over will gain you some level of proficiency; you will hit a point where your training has to be more...

I was reading another post and it made me think of some advice I was given when I started training. My teacher once told me that sometimes you are sparring with a "I'm trying to win" mentality and sometimes you are sparring with a "I'm trying to understand" mentality. Sparring to win is...

I chose my words poorly. When I say you are more weary of throwing kicks it's more about understanding that catching kicks is an option for your opponent (as well as punching to the face, checking, clinching, etc.). As the attacker you are more mindful about throwing kicks as Muay Thai rules...

I would disagree with this. All students are a little different and that means there is no universal way to motivate them. Some students respond to negative reinforcement by trying harder in an effort to prove you wrong or show you what they're capable of. Some students become disheartened...

Ah yes, it seems no matter what style I study I can't get away from the traditional versus sport argument. My MT coach has done a little bit of Muay Buran (excuse the spelling if it is incorrect), but it is few and far between. He was a fighter utilizing "modern" Muay Thai and he teaches...

Clinching, as in actually grabbing your opponent, is not allowed in WTF TKD. My insctructor would teach us to jam the opponent, which is basically closing the distance really fast and ending up chest to chest. You can extend your arms to prevent the other person from kicking, but you can't grab...

In another thread a person mentioned that they were looking at trying Muay Thai to help with their TKD. As somebody who is currently doing Muay Thai with a TKD background, I thought I'd offer my opinion. First let me say that I am not a professional fighter and I don't train with professional...

I was very proud to receive my 1st dan. I am currently a 3rd dan and I noticed the subsequent tests meant far less to me. I tested for my 2nd dan maybe 2 years after recieving my 1st. I tested for my 3rd dan about 7 years after receiving my second and only after my instructor encouraged me to...

Of course Manny, I never meant to come across like it's a free for all. We should always use control. I have never intentionally tried to hurt anybody while training, but it's happened. I don't think anybody has ever intentionally tried to hurt me while training, but it's happened. It's just the...

Along with being shorter and lighter, you also had a significant disadvantage in experience. That's a rough match. If I was coaching the red belt I would've have told her to do exactly what she did. Put the pressure on and see if the yellow belt can handle it. Something that comes with time...

I think the first thing we all have to admit is that regardless of the protection and control we use, it's a contact sport and things happen. It's just an inherent risk of practicing a martial art. How many times have we been a part of or seen a kick to the face or the groin and immediately...

I understand what your saying, but there are several types of guards. You mention the traditional boxer stance; hands up, elbows in. There's the Philly Shell; body turned sideways, power hand up by the head lead arm low covering the body (think Thomas "Hitman" Hearns or Floyd Mayweather)...

I can only speak for my school, but when my instructor talks to potential students he always says that we are studing a martial art and contact is part of it. While we don't intend to hurt people it happens. Putting on a hogu should not mean it's time to go full force. In partner drills where...

In my travels I have studied at 4 WTF sport focused schools. 2 of the instructors specifically mentioned keeping your chin tucked while the other 2 never made mention of it. My most recent instructor is easily the most accomplished fighter I have ever trained with and he always calls for hands...

I have seen videos of Joe Rogan and there's no doubt that he is a talented martial artist. My issue with him stems from an interview I saw where he claims after spending a lot of time training in sport style TKD he came to realize 2 things 1. There isn't a lot of money in TKD 2. After...

You are correct in that only straight punches score. I have never done a national tournament, but at local levels even up to state level tournaments punches have to be scored manually. Even if you use the electronic hogu most tournaments will only mandate the instep pad and not the hand pads...

I'll add my 2 cents. When I first started TKD I was shown that the chamber for a side kick was with the base foot pivoted and the knee and ankle in line with the target. After that you simply extended the leg. My current instructor chambers his side kick similar to a front kick. So, when he...

As long as you are holding the kick with your body in proper position and you are not trying to push yourself way beyond your limit, you shouldn't be at risk of straining a muscle. You have to figure out what your main problem is. Since we're talking about side kicks. Properly warm yourself...

I cringe/shake my head at how I used to work out. Like many the first thing we did in class was stretch under the premis that we were warming up and stetching prevented you from pulling muscles. Now, I don't even think about throwing kicks or punches with speed and power until I feel my body...

I didn't say TMAs are useless, I said there was a time (early 90's to late 90's) when they were considered useless. When we say MMA what we are actually refering to is a combination of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai, and wrestling. If you already have a grappling background and want to...

Some of it boils down to interest in what you are doing. If you started TKD for the sparring then you will always be more interested in sparrring than other aspects of TKD. Some of it is boredom. If you have been doing the same one steps for months and you feel like you know them your intesity...

I think it is important for beginners to be shown one way of doing a technique. I also believe they should be shown the version of the technique that is the most "classic". When first learning techniques in any style you have to start somewhere and overloading with information usually results in...

There was a time when the traditional arts were considered useless in MMA. I think it just took a while for the fighters to figure out how to incorporate some Karate/TKD techniques in their arsenal without compromising themselves. Lyoto Michida (sp), Anthony Pettis, and Cung Le have all shown...

While I can't speak to how often the training should be done, I believe techniques should be practiced in the air, on paddles, on hogu, and on shields. Practicing in the air requires control. Hitting something heavy allows you to swing full force and the impact can hide things like not being...

I would not go so far as to say it's easy if the opponents can't grab, push etc. As the lone fighter you can't stop. You are always doing something to either improve position, attack, or escape. I'm a black belt; and if you put me up against 3 white belts even with just sport rules I would never...

Going only on what you are describing, the 2 you are sparring aren't working with each other very well. Just as the lone fighter has to understand how to spar against multiple people, the multiples have to learn how to spar against a lone opponent. If one person evades and lets the other attack...

This is off topic as you are asking about rules. But, I wanted to comment on some of the replies I see about the limited rule set and techniques used in WTF. I have studied several different fighting systems and I have noticed that the specific techniques you use are a small part of actually...

I will agree that knowing Korean terminolgy is nice, but it in no way means that you understand the Korean culture or understand TKD any better. Yeop chagi means sidekick. Sidekicks were not invented by Koreans. Sidekicks are used in many other martial arts. Yeop chagi is a Korean word(s) that...

Manny, I feel your pain, but unfortunately the answer is you're going to have to find a way to adapt. It's not your school so you have to respect the way your instructor wants to run his classes. Just because it's not the way you did it when you were coming up doesn't mean it's wrong...it's...