Last modified on January 6th, 2020 at 3:47 am

The Top 5 Rules of Taekwondo

Taekwondo classes develop flexibility, agility, speed, power, stamina, making it a 360-degree fitness regimen. As practised at Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy, it also demands discipline and courtesy, while offering practitioners self-defence and self-belief. At its elite, Olympic level, Taekwondo sparring’s wide range of constantly evolving kicking techniques challenge the limits of human athletic endeavour.

The aim of Taekwondo sparring competition is for the athlete to kick and punch the opponent, while avoiding being kicked and punched. The most challenging techniques, such as spinning kicks to the head, score higher than punches and basic kicks to the trunk. Tactics also come into play, as penalties are awarded against those players who fall, or who exit the matted area. The five ways to score in Taekwondo sparring for competition are outlined below.

What are the basic rules of Taekwondo Competition?

Outside of knocking out your opponent, earning the most points is the name of the game in Taekwondo sparring. Competitors earn points by landing a clean legal attack on either the trunk (the area covered by the chest protector), or on the opponent’s head. The points are awarded as follows:

1. A punch to the chest guard equals one point

For a punch to score in Taekwondo it must land clearly towards the middle to the upper part of the chest and with a good amount of force. Punches are scored by the corner referees and thus they must be obvious to all watching to score. Students in Taekwondo classes at Perth’s Premier Academy have been able to use their boxing skills to good effect in scoring points under Taekwondo rules!

2. A regular kick to the chest guard equals two points

These types of points are the “bread and butter” of a Taekwondo fighter’s arsenal and are where the majority of your points should come from. The techniques used to earn these points are the simplest, and thus the most convenient for competitors to use. Common kicks you can use to score these points include roundhouse kicks, side kicks, and push kicks. Keep in mind that you do not have to kick exactly on the chest. You can also kick on the side of the chest guard, or the rib cage. Using chest protectors in Taekwondo classes allows students at Perth’s Premier Academy to learn to kick fast and hard to body to maximise their scoring potential.

3. A spinning kick that lands on the chest guard equals four points

Any spinning kick you can successfully land on your opponent will earn you four points. These types of kicks include a back kick, a tornado kick, or a round house kick that lands after a spin or turn. With the exception of the turning roundhouse kick, these types of kicks are typically used as defensive techniques. In other words, they are most effective when countering offensive attacks from your opponent – countering techniques are some of the highest levels skills you will learn in Taekwondo classes at Perth’s Premier Academy.

4. A regular kick to the head will earn you three points

These kicks are a bit more difficult to land compared to kicks aimed at the chest guard, so will earn you more points if you are successful. Regular kicks to the head include primarily roundhouse kicks and axe kicks. Taekwondo classes at Perth’s Premier Academy have a big focus on flexibility and leg strength so that students can master the art of scoring with head kicks.

5. A spinning kick to the head will earn you five points

These kicks are probably the most difficult kicks to land, and thus earn you the most points. In a lot of cases, they may also end up knocking out your opponent if they land with enough force. Your typical kicks that will earn you these five points include spinning hook kick, back side kick (that lands on the head), spinning roundhouse kick, and a tornado kick. Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy prides itself on the kicking ability of students in its Taekwondo classes, and their dynamic skills with their legs allows them to score maximum points in Taekwondo matches.

New Rules of Taekwondo Competition You Must Follow!

The rules of Taekwondo are constantly refined to make matches fair for competitors and exciting for spectators. Some of the biggest rule innovations in recent times are:

  • Matches are now fought on an octagonal matted field of play, encouraging lively footwork and evasive movement, while demanding good use of peripheral vision.
  • Taekwondo’s Protector and Scoring System, or PSS, is used widely at local competitions, and is the new norm for regional and international tournaments. PSS is a system of electronic impact sensors built into the protective gear of the taekwondo athlete – the sock, the trunk protector and the head protector – which is wirelessly linked to the electronic scoreboard. When impact is made with the correct parts of the foot to the opponent’s head or trunk, points flash up on the scoreboard automatically. The PSS has been a major step forward for the transparency and fairness of taekwondo competition, giving the audience an immediate view of who is scoring and largely eliminating human error in judging.