New WT Sparring Rules

[TrueJim]

World Taekwondo General Assembly approves competition rule changes - World Taekwondo

"Now with even more spinnyness!"

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'm a fan of the random weight testing, but if they're going to do that then 5% is too much. If a weight class tops at 150 (for easy math, but one does top there IIRC), and someone weighs in at 149.5, then do a random test and come in 2 hours before at 157.5, they're at exactly 5%. They're doing it according to the article for the health risks, but to me gaining 8 pounds in one day is still a pretty big risk. And the allowable difference will just increase as you enter higher weight classes.

 

[skribs]

Gaining 10-15 pounds in a day is common for combat sports. For example, in the UFC 135 pound weight class, the fighters will probably be in the 145-150 pound range. They just cut weight and dehydrate themselves for the weigh-in and then rehydrate during the day before the fight.

 

[skribs]

A gamjeom can now be issued if an athlete has one leg outside of the boundary line and referees will now only wait for five seconds before issuing a gamjeom to athletes who are not engaging in the fight. Using an alternative foot technique will also result in a gamjeom.

What is an "alternative foot technique"?

 

[TrueJim]

What is an "alternative foot technique"?

This question is also being discussed on the taekwondo subreddit right now. My conjecture was that they meant things like monkey kicks. Right now a monkey kick is not illegal, but it doesn't score. My conjecture was that the new rule would make it actually illegal. Another contribute suggested that it may mean things like blocking with the leg, or holding a leg in the air.

 

[skribs]

This question is also being discussed on the taekwondo subreddit right now. My conjecture was that they meant things like monkey kicks. Right now a monkey kick is not illegal, but it doesn't score. My conjecture was that the new rule would make it actually illegal. Another contribute suggested that it may mean things like blocking with the leg, or holding a leg in the air.

Follow-up question: what is a monkey kick?

 

[Tez3]

Follow-up question: what is a monkey kick?

You beat me to it!

 

[Dirty Dog]

A monkey kick is a sloppy kick that would not do diddly in the real world, but may have enough impact to trigger the stupid sensors.

 

[skribs]

A monkey kick is a sloppy kick that would not do diddly in the real world, but may have enough impact to trigger the stupid sensors.

What's the issue with that? If it activates the sensors, isn't that the game?

 

[Tez3]

What's the issue with that? If it activates the sensors, isn't that the game?

They could get round the problem of 'sloppy' kicks by having judges sat at the side giving out style marks!

 

[Dirty Dog]

What's the issue with that? If it activates the sensors, isn't that the game?

Because the strikes are also supposed to be effective.

 

[skribs]

Because the strikes are also supposed to be effective.

If it's strong enough to activate the sensors, I'd say it's effective. That means either the kick is more effective than you think, or the sensors are undertuned as to what qualifies as a point.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Gaining 10-15 pounds in a day is common for combat sports. For example, in the UFC 135 pound weight class, the fighters will probably be in the 145-150 pound range. They just cut weight and dehydrate themselves for the weigh-in and then rehydrate during the day before the fight.

Yup. Which is unhealthy, and from that article is the reason they are instituting the rule. If you're limiting it to 8-10 pounds instead of 10-15 that is drastically being cut and brought back, it doesn't make it all that more healthy.

 

[TrueJim]

This is a monkey kick: Monkey Kick

In USAT referee training this year they reiterated that these kinds of kicks should not score. I understand the premise of the "if it activates the sensors, it should score" argument, but I believe the philosophy is this: the sensors don't run the ring, the referee does. The sensors are just a tool. Ultimately it's the judgement of referees and corner judges that are intended to prevail. WT doesn't want silly hacks like monkey kicks to bypass the intended characteristics of the sport.

 

[TrueJim]

If it's strong enough to activate the sensors, I'd say it's effective. That means either the kick is more effective than you think, or the sensors are undertuned as to what qualifies as a point.

In my opinion, our current e-hogu technology is poor. The sensors are intentionally undertuned so that kicks that land on the hogu but not near a sensor will still activate. It's this design flaw that create the problem with monkey kicks.

 

[TrueJim]

They could get round the problem of 'sloppy' kicks by having judges sat at the side giving out style marks!

If you think about it, that's essentially what's happening now anyway, since sensors don't detect when a kick is a spinning kick. Judges already have to sit in the corners pressing buttons every time they see a spinning kick, so that the electronic scoring system will know to increment the score by an additional point.

 

[pdg]

This is a monkey kick

When it's done as in that picture (and description) then yes, it's awful.

A similar looking kick (not performed while hugging ) can be quite effective though.

 

[skribs]

In my opinion, our current e-hogu technology is poor. The sensors are intentionally undertuned so that kicks that land on the hogu but not near a sensor will still activate. It's this design flaw that create the problem with monkey kicks.

I will definitely agree that the Daedo system is terrible, although for other reasons. In Junior classes they're often overtuned so that the only kicks that score are headshots, and quite often the referees at the local tournament will put the wrong sensor in the head and chest.

 

[Jaeimseu]

Regardless of the tech being used, allowing players to game the system is what messes up the game.


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[JowGaWolf]

didn't they just changed the rules last month