Tae Kwon Do Tutors | A Martial Arts Blog

I am a Taekwondo competition referee and instructor. I used to compete. As such, I get a lot of questions from students, athletes, parents, and total strangers on buses. Honestly, I get a lot of questions. Some are more common then others. I figured I’d take the time and write out what some of these common questions are, so that I can refer everyone to this. The questions I get are many, but they can be boiled down to just a couple general ones. 

The first most common one from students who are interested in competing is: Is it different then general taekwondo training?

Well…

Yes. Yes it is. In many ways.

First of all, it depends on the competition your going to. Generally speaking though, the techniques you use in a sparring match are often different than those used in self-defense. Similarly, those used in forms are different then those used in sparring. Then everything changes again when you consider weapons safety drills!

Competition taekwondo training is specifically focused on drills centered around winning whatever event your training for. In my experience, these often feature heavy cardio/endurance drills, practice events, target training, even detailed reviews of the rules. Some even go so far as to consider extensive dieting methods and attend lectures on such topics. Having attended these lectures myself, they can be very informative, though some of these diets aren’t something I’d honestly encourage doing without a trained professional to guide someone.

The second most common question is: What is it like being on a taekwondo team?

Tough! Or at least it can be. It honestly depends on how one looks at taekwondo competitions. In my experience, if you look at it as work then it becomes work. Most athletes who do that often experience burnout. However, if you look at it as fun, then most athletes come to look forward to it, even if they don’t perform well. Some of the best competitors on the team are doing it because they enjoy it, and their passion is demonstrated in their performance.

But I suppose you might be asking what the day to day life of a taekwondo competitor is like. Well, that is a topic that deserves its own post. It’s a rather long days some days! Generally speaking though, it’s much like any other athlete. Regular training, exercise, and (if you’re really into it) dieting. 

And the third question that, in my opinion, is the most important and the least asked is this: Is competition training fun?

Yes! Most definitely! Just like any other sport, if you’re enjoy the game, than it’ll lbe a fun game for you. That is what sports are at the fundamental level. Games. And games are fun! If a game isn’t fun then it’s not a game. Besides, training for the game, if done properly, should be just as much fun, in my opinion.

That’s not to say it’s just a game! Far from it. Soorts are a unique type if game.Sports are a great way to bring people together and enjoy time together (probably going to turn that into a post at some point here). It’s also a great way to get people to bond over something or create (occasionally quite fierce) rivalries among each other via supporting teams. 

But I digress.

In summary, people are passionate. With my team in particular, I try and focus them on enjoying the sport and the fun, rather than obsessing over victory. In taekwondo there is only going to be one winner and, no matter how good you are, it won’t always be you. That said, I try and encourage my students to train and practice for the event. In my opinion, if you are truly passionate about an event, you’ll do it for the fun, not the obsession with victory. 

That said, it is good to aspire to win! If you work hard, focus on getting better, and never give up, then maybe one day you will get that gold medal and be (justifiably) proud of yourself for it!

Good luck to you in your journey!

Got any other questions? Leave a comment down below!

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