Olympic TKD

[Jason Mallory]

i believe that the instances where wtf practitioners do deal damage with their strikes is when they dont use "wtf style" kicks and use more powerful traditional kicking technique instead. they've said it themselves, the kicks developed for wtf competition are designed for speed and not for power. i've never seen anyone get more then a slight daze or fall over onto their asse due to their balance being disrupted from a wtf style kick. maybe they have broken arms but that may have more to do with the victim not conditioning their arms to recieve that kind of impact. i cant imagine a forearm being broken by something like a double roundhouse kick but if it really is that powerful then i'd like to see it happen.

I did both ITF and WTF. I was humble enough to listen to my coach and changed the way that I kicked and it made a huge difference. I personally broke a kids arm with a 'WTF' style kick. There are slight differences in the way that WTF guys throw their back kicks, spinning hook kicks, spinning roundhouse aka nada bong etc ...

The most important thing in generating power is speed. The formula from physics is F=1/2M x V2 ( force is one half the mass times the velocity squared).

The hardest I have ever been kicked in my life was at the 1990 U.S. team trials from a double kick by Clay Barber (U.S. team member). It's all about landing the kick with the right timing, distance, balance...

[Tom]

Nice bit of comedy there ITF is the International Taekwondo Federation while the WTF is the World Taekwondo Federation. ITF is the older organization and is based in communist North Korea while the WTF is the World Taekwondo Federation and is based in South Korea. I don't know all of the political history behind it all but the WTF is the organization that regulates Olympic TKD.

I started TKD with Master B.C. Yu who is one of the highest ranking ITF black belts in North America. I was one test away from receiving my black belt when Han Won Lee, who won a bronze medal at the '88 Olympics for the U.S. at bantamweight opened a school in my hometown of Ann Arbor, MI.

From my personal experience ITF was more traditional and self defense oriented while WTF was more progressive and competition oriented. We learned how to punch and kick according to the old ITF way but we didn't learn footwork, distance control, counter kicking, angles, timing etc... on top of that, the way kicks are done in WTF at a high level are different from the way they are done in ITF. I always say that I started training TKD when I was 13 years old but I didn't learn how to fight until I met Han.

Very true WTF is all about competitive training whereas ITF is a traditional rooted form. However I believe both have equal merits in a straight competition as ITF also allows puncing to the head which, I believe creates a better flow in the spar.

[Jason Mallory]

Very true WTF is all about competitive training whereas ITF is a traditional rooted form. However I believe both have equal merits in a straight competition as ITF also allows puncing to the head which, I believe creates a better flow in the spar.

Punching to the face and leg kicks def. change the dynamic of striking on the feet.

[stlnl]

Think Frank is talking about stepping in, with the front foot, to deliver the kick off the rear leg regarding the telegraphing. Said switch by mistake maybe??

Well in that case, that is how the kick is taught, and how just about every single Thai/dutch kickboxer throws it. THe SIZE of the step of course and relative "wind up" is relative to the situation. But all of them take a step of a sort to get that kick rolling. But From what I have seen, is timing is the crucial component with hitting a person, that, or initiating contact with punches and following with a kick when you get the response you were looking for (ie the fellow backs away from or covers up from, the punches).

[Tim Elliott]

Well in that case, that is how the kick is taught, and how just about every single Thai/dutch kickboxer throws it. THe SIZE of the step of course and relative "wind up" is relative to the situation. But all of them take a step of a sort to get that kick rolling. But From what I have seen, is timing is the crucial component with hitting a person, that, or initiating contact with punches and following with a kick when you get the response you were looking for (ie the fellow backs away from or covers up from, the punches).

Thats really not true. Its a bit of a gross generalisation. Your right though, it does depend on the size of the step I guess. I would like to discuss all this more when Im a bit more coherent (just had op). Hopefully we can make the kind of information sharing that goes on with the grappling happen for striking, then we can give something back.

I asked G Rae to post on this thread. Hes my trainer (I didnt notice his posts above mine).

[Tim Elliott]

Is this the step in your talking about?

[stlnl]

That IMO is a pretty big step, but the movement of the foot to open the hips, small or large is always there with the rear leg round kick IME.

As for it not being true regarding the kick, I have also seen a rotation to start the kick, but that isnt the way the kick is generally trained, but it is a variation. Not a gross generalization I think, unless you can show me vid of a guy NOT pointing his toes in the direction of his kick before bringing his leg around.

[stlnl]

By rotation I meant being on the ball of the foot then rotating the heel towards the target to open the hips and bringing the kick behind. However, this isnt as powerful, and its only a variation, not the preferred method to inflict damage, IME.

[Tim Elliott]

Its is a way, but it isnt the only way. You can produce a devastating rear kick from a Thai stance without rotating the front/grounded foot at all. The front foot stays planted, pointing straight ahead. Theres no step at all. I could show you video, but Im only on USB stick internet at present. Will put some up later in the week.

G and I are both invalids at present, but when I can hold pads for him again, we will put together some technique videos.

[stlnl]

Its is a way, but it isnt the only way. You can produce a devastating rear kick from a Thai stance without rotating the front/grounded foot at all. The front foot stays planted, pointing straight ahead. Theres no step at all. I could show you video, but Im only on USB stick internet at present. Will put some up later in the week.

G and I are both invalids at present, but when I can hold pads for him again, we will put together some technique videos.

It will still be less powerful than rotating the foot, unless you are going to show me something really, really revolutionary I have somehow managed to miss the past 13 years.