Taekwondo Sparring Techniques & Tips

• Attacks - Here are some basic sparring techniques to use when you are the sparring aggressor. If you need to learn the proper techniques for any of these kicks, please visit our Taekwondo kicking page.
  • Feinting or how to trick your opponent into making a mistake - Deception wins many sparring battles! :)
  • Roundhouse kick - How to use a roundhouse kick in Taekwondo sparring.
  • Axe kick - How to use an axe kick in Taekwondo sparring.
  • Back kick - How to use a back kick in Taekwondo sparring.
  • Hook kick - How to use a hook kick in Taekwondo sparring.
  • Push kick - How to use a push kick in Taekwondo sparring.
  • Spinning hook kick - Use a spinning hook kick to counter an opponent's roundhouse kick. This video uses a roundhouse kick as "bait" to lure your opponent so you can use a spinning hook kick.
  • Block punch - How to use a punch in Taekwondo sparring.
  • Electronic scoring for Taekwondo tournaments - You need to kick HARD & accurately in order score points with these Taekwondo sparring systems. Watch this video.
• Combination Attacks - Use multiple kicks during sparring in order to win. Don't stop after a single kick.
  • Combination kicks - A variety of combination kicks that you can use in order to be the aggressor in Taekwondo sparring.
  • More combination kicks - Sparring combination kicks such as a push kick with a jumping double roundhouse kick, jumping double roundhouse with a tornado kick and a high roundhouse with a back kick.
  • Axe kick & jumping back kick
  • Axe kick & roundhouse
  • Feint & back kick
  • Feint & roundhouse kick
  • Feint, roundhouse & back kick combination
  • Push kick & back kick combination
  • Roundhouse & axe kick combination
  • Roundhouse & crescent kick combination
  • Roundhouse & spinning hook kick combination
• Counter Attacks - How to score a point when you are on defense in sparring.
  • Counter to an opponent's axe kick - Taekwondo sparring defense against an axe kick.
  • Counter to an opponent's back kick - Taekwondo sparring defense against a back kick.
  • Counter to an opponent's roundhouse kick - Taekwondo sparring defense against a Taekwondo roundhouse kick.
  • Counter to an opponent's roundhouse kick - Another Taekwondo sparring defense against a roundhouse kick. Counter with a jumping back kick.
  • Counter to an opponent's roundhouse kick - Taekwondo sparring defense against a roundhouse kick. Counter with a block, punch and roundhouse kick. One of the basic Taekwondo sparring Taekwondo techniques that you must practice.
  • Counter to an opponent's spinning roundhouse kick - Taekwondo sparring defense against a Taekwondo spinning roundhouse kick. Counter with a back kick. A very useful Taekwondo sparring technique.
  • Counter to an opponent's spinning roundhouse kick - Taekwondo sparring defense against a spinning roundhouse kick. Catch him in mid-spin with a simple roundhouse kick.
  • Counter to an opponent being "too close" - If an opponent is on top of you, counter with a hook kick. Personally, I like to punch my way out & then counter with a kick.
• Olympic Taekwondo Sparring - Study Olympic athletes in order to see how they combine offense and defense in Taekwondo sparring. Watch the best Taekwondo athletes in the world in order to improve your sparring strategy and techniques.
  • 2012 London Olympic Gold Medal Matches - Men
  • 2012 London Olympic Gold Medal Matches - Women
  • Aaron Cook - These Taekwondo videos focus on Aaron Cook who is an Olympic contestant from the UK. He knocked out Steven Lopez (the Olympic gold medalist) in 2009.
  • Cha Dong-Min - These Taekwondo videos focus on Cha Dong-Min who is an Olympic gold medalist from S. Korea.
  • Jade Jones - These Taekwondo videos focus on Jade Jones who is a young Olympic Taekwondo star from the UK.
  • Steven Lopez - These Taekwondo videos focus on Steven Lopez who is an Olympic gold medalist from the USA. He will be competing in the 2012 Olympics.
  • Diana Lopez - These Taekwondo videos focus on Diana Lopez who has won a bronze medal at the Olympics. She is the sister of Steven Lopez.
  • Hadi Saei - These Taekwondo videos focus on Hadi Saei who is an Olympic gold medalist from Iran. He has won two gold medals at the Olympics (in 2004 and 2008).
  • Sarah Stevenson - These Taekwondo videos focus on Sarah Stevenson who is an Olympic Taekwondo star from the UK.
  • 2008 Olympics - Numerous Taekwondo Olympic sparring matches (i.e. USA vs. Korea). Videos from Olympic.org
  • 2004 Olympics - Korea vs. Greece. Heavyweight Taekwondo Olympic gold medal match. Key tip from this match - Use a back kick or spinning hook kick on an aggressive attacker.

• Move to the side!! Don't just move forward and backwards. Moving to the side (when an opponent attacks) allows you to score easily. For example, when an opponent throws a back kick, you should shift to his open side (versus just moving backwards to escape the kick). This will allow you to avoid the kick, be close enough to throw an effective roundhouse kick and catch him/her in a position where it is hard to block your kick. In this example, if the opponent throws a right leg back kick, you would shift to the right (the opponent's left) in order to score a point.  
• Sparring Tips - Taekwondo sparring tips from Taekwondo Australia, NSW
• Sparring Tips from Taekwondo-Information - Good Taekwondo sparring tips for kids just learning how to spar.
• Taekwondo Sparring Strategy -Taekwondo sparring strategy from PhysicalArts.com
• 36 Sparring Tips - Taekwondo sparring tips from PhysicalArts.com
• Excerpts from TurtlePress.com Sparring Strategies:
  • Counterattacking has a better chance of scoring than attacking for advanced competitors.
  • The most frequently used attacks are roundhouse kick, back kick and axe kick.
  • Successful competitors can effectively counter these kicks.
  • The side kick and front kick are rarely used in competition any more and are highly unlikely to score points.
• Olympic Sparring Rules
  • According to the sparring regulations from the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), you get one point for a valid attack on the trunk protector, two points for a valid turning kick to the trunk protector, three points for a valid kick to the head and four points for a valid turning kick to the head.
  • Match score shall be the sum of points of the three rounds.
  • IMO - Fancy techniques give you more points but they also can leave you vulnerable and obviously are more difficult than simple (and more reliable) techniques. Olympic organizers are trying to make Taekwondo sparring more exciting and thus they are encouraging spectacular head kicks. Stick with the basics until you have completely mastered more advanced techniques.

• Top 100 Taekwondo Scoring Techniques by Sang Kim - This Taekwondo DVD teaches you a huge variety of sparring attacks.
• Complete Sparring # 1 by Sang Kim - This Taekwondo DVD teaches basic sparring techniques (i.e. kicks and various sparring drills).
• Complete Sparring # 2 by Sang Kim - This Taekwondo DVD teaches sparring counter attacks, various defenses and footwork. It is the follow-on DVD for Complete Sparring # 1.
• Mastering Tae Kwon Do Black Belt Sparring by Jong Soo Park - This Taekwondo DVD teaches "the art of Black Belt Sparring, including combinations that work, drills, do's and don'ts".