Tae Kwon Do Tutors | A Martial Arts Blog

So, you’ve started taekwondo training and you keep hearing the word “Kyorugi.” What are they talking about? And why does that matter?

In short, Kyorugi means “sparring.” Sparring is a practice where two people partner up and have a friendly match (I.e. they’re not out to hurt each other). Various martial arts have different versions of sparring drills; some have specific rings, rules, or match durations for example. In taekwondo’s case, it’s known for its Olympic sparring matches. There are other types of taekwondo sparring matches, but the one most people are familiar with is the one they show every 4 years during the Summer Olympics. 

As a first point: It’s not a fight. It’s a game. That’s very important to remember. Like any game, it has rules. The rules can be long and complicated. In fact, those lengthy rules could be why some people are critical of taekwondo sparring. Despite these lengthy rules (and their critics), I will try my best to explain the basic concept behind a typical Kyorugi (Or sparring) match.

In a sparring competition, athletes are typically paired up in 1v1 matches, with someone at about their skill level and weight class.* They are equipped with protective equipment, two of which (the head guard and the chest guard) are “targets” during the match. 

When the referee starts the match the athletes try and hit their opponents chest guard or head guard. If they do successfully hit either of those, they win the match. The scores vary depending on the competition rules but, typically, it’s two points for a kick to the chest guard (called a hogu), and another two points (totaling to four) if it’s a kick to the head guard. There are other changes to the score if it’s a spinning kick or punch, but that would require its own post. For now, just know that the athletes are trying to hit each others chest and/or head to score points. After that, the game is fairly simple. The person with more points at the end wins.

Now, a player can get penalties (called gamjeoms) for a variety of reasons. For example, one can get a Gamjeom if they kick their opponent below the waist. An athlete gets a Gamjeom when the referee stops them and tells them (using specific hand signs) if they got a Gamjeom, and for what. If they get a Gamjeom, it goes on the scoreboard, and gets factored in to their score at the end of the round (typically 1 point for the opponent per Gamjeom). If they get too many Gamjeoms, however, they automatically lose. 

A little confusing? That’s understandable. There is an additional factor involved as well. The coaches. Much like with the boxing matches you see on TV, taekwondo sparring matches have coaches on the sides of the mat cheering on and instructing their athlete. When the referee calls a round the coach gets a certain amount of time (typically less than 1 minute) to chat with their flustered athlete. Coaches must be careful though, if they get too rowdy their athlete might get Gamjeom’d for it!

Alongside instructing their athlete and (possibly) getting gamjeom’d, coaches also get to participate in the match to a limited extent. If a coach sees something that they believe the referees missed, they can raise up their card (matching the color of their athlete’s hogu) and get the referees attention. When they do that they tell the referee what they saw or want to contest. Then the referee collects their colleagues and asks them what they think about the matter the coach brought up. If the referees agree with the coach, the coach gets their card back, the scoreboard is modified accordingly, and the match continues. But be careful! If the referees disagree, the card is gone and the match continues as if nothing happened! 

And for the spectator, that’s the basic premise of the match. There are other complexities to it that deserve longer posts, but that is the rudimentary explanation that should help with watching a TV match. I would go into more detail about Gamjeoms, but that has its own post, if you want to check that out.

Sparring is all about the game. Some people dedicate their entire training just to playing this particular game. Some even devote their careers to it (and then go to the Olympics and retire at 25). 

If you want to learn more, you can check out my other posts. If you’re curious about taekwondo culture, for example, you can check out this post! My other posts include topics like Jung Shin or tips for preparing for your first black belt test! What ever you need to continue your taekwondo education, check it out here!

*This isn’t necessarily true for training sessions. Most training sessions are filled with people of a mix of weight classes and skill levels, so practice rounds are also a mix.