Since they%26#039;re only allowed to kick above the belt, they would have an easier time blocking their opponent%26#039;s kicks if they kept their hands up, right? So why don%26#039;t they keep their hands up? |||Because it is a stupid practice. Why they do it - they think they can block the one-point attacks better. However, if they were to raise their arms (even slightly, to the middle of the chest), they would also be able to defend the 2-point head shots also.
Plus, there is also a mentality of %26quot;move, don%26#039;t block.%26quot; Kind of like the %26quot;Karate Kid%26quot; defense... You know... %26quot;Best defense, not be there.%26quot; Mr. Miyagi.
So, to sum up, they don%26#039;t want to waste time blocking, and think that they can defend themselves better by keeping their guard down.
Which, as a Taekwondo Master, I totally disagree with.|||its because there are no punches to the head, so they opnly have to protect their head from kicks, which are fairly easy to anticipate and avoid.
and most kicks are to the torso anyway so that is the prime striking point in a olympic fighting tournament. i just changed clubs and we are like the only club in the area the keep there hands level to their upper body (protecting chest/neck) which meakes the protection distributed easily.
:P|||well, ive only been doing taekwondo for 8 yrs now (no sarcasm intended) and finally earned my 2nd degree and i still keep my hands up.... my grand master and all other black belt instructors told the class the reason why they don%26#039;t keep their hands up is because they%26#039;re VERY skilled and have been fighting for many, many years. So they have the experience and technique to know how to spar with their hands down but still knowing when to put them up in enough time to block an opponent%26#039;s attack. Hope this helps ; )|||Its really just a technique to lure your opponent into kicking first.Some people believe it%26#039;s easier to counter than to be the first to strike, and you have to remember this isn%26#039;t a %26quot;real%26quot; fight its competition sparring where your goal is to score points not injure your opponent.|||I believe it is because the fastest kick is to the stomach and they believe they can rasie there hands up or move away fast enough to stop/ avoid the kicks to the head|||Because they are stupid and only have to contend with a limited amount of attacks.
This is why they get their butts kicked all the time when they compete in non-tkd divisions or open tournaments.|||Its to prevent a kick from sliding under the elbow into the pad. Its an annoying trait of the sport.|||Because they are not fighting; they are playing %26quot;tag%26quot;!|||there at the level where just moving the head dodges the kick|||They are the pro%26#039;s, buddy. Let them decide what to do.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
An important point to consider when talking about Olympic Tae Kwon Do is that one must differentiate between Tae kwon Do the martial art, and an APPLICATION of Tae kwon Do to a particular setting (olympic style, point fighting, demonstration, etc). While Tae Kwon Do is famous for kicking, traditional TKD schools practice a complete regimen of hand and foot strking techniques, in addition to close range combat.
ReplyDeleteIn olympic sparring, there are 2 main reasons a fighter keeps his hands down. First is to relax the body. In any form of combat, a fighter hopes to take advantage of any telegraphing movements from his opponent. By keeping the arms in a relaxed position a fighter limits a telegraphing tendency. Because the RULES of this SPORT PRACTICE (not MARTIAL practice) dictate no punching to the head, a fighter can “get away" with this to some extent. In order for a fighter to kick to the head, his body will show additional movements in order to kick effectively. Only fighters with exceptional muscle control and flexibility can camoflage attacks to make the onset of a head strike appear to be a body strike.
From an offensive perspective, kicking toward the head takes more muscle control and leg strength (trying to kick higher fast enough for the opponent to not be able to react), so many kicks are instead aimed at the lower abdomen as that is the closest point from where the kick starts to where the kick ends. A novice fighter will not adapt as well as an experienced fighter, who will take advantage of a fighter who ignorantly keeps his arms in the same place, as is referenced by many martial artists who look down on Olympic TKD. This is a valid criticism.
However, from a defensive perspective, a fighter with a "smart" body will contort his upper body away from being kicked as elite level Tae Kwon Doists should train to have exceptional reflexes, timing, and muscle control to do this. Because moving is encouraged, blocking is seldom seen, though should be practiced as a Plan B, in the case reaction time to move is not quick enough.
All of this is made possible by the RULE that punches to the head are illegal. As I mentioned above, olympic sparring should be recognized as an APPLICATION of TKD. I'll admit that if an olympic Tae Kwon Doist would be ignorant to think he could combat a competent fighter in a bar with the same success he could in a TKD match. A true fighter would adapt to the situation by guarding himself and would be successful, provided his TKD school gave him the proper tools to defend against punching, grappling, or weaponry.
Which brings me to the point that a martial art can not be stereotyped based on how any individual goes about executing it. There are many Tae Kwon Do schools that promote fitness and well-being, but not so much self defense. That is not a product of the martial art, but rather the manner in which a particular instructor markets and organizes his school. If people are ok with performing TKD or anything else as a way to stay fit, that is up to them. But if an individual is looking to become a competent fighter, he must carefully select the TKD school that would give him the proper tools. And if one wishes to compete in olympic TKD, he must attend a school with a rigorous cardiovascular fitness program so that he can develop the fast twitch muscles he needs for explosive power and quickness.
Most people are "a little bit" right when they speak negatively about TKD, but my recommendation is that you become familiar with people who train in TKD that share your ideals and have similar athleticism. Only then would you be able to make a valid comparison of one able martial artist versus another, and not between a top Muai Thai kickboxer and one shmuck who thinks he cam beat him with his hands down (there are also videos of elite TKDists fighting an incompetent Muai Thai fighter. I disapprove of all videos like these unless both fighters are equally skilled - you can usually tell from the opening moments who will win).