This is a quick guide on how beginners can keep up with advanced ITF/WTF Taekwondo students in the ring. While I won’t promise you’ll actually WIN, if you follow this strategy you can level the playing field enough to at least delay losing, possibly score a few points, and probably impress your instructor and fellow students along the way.
First, a little secret: black belts hate fighting beginner students. Why? For one, beginners don’t behave like the better-trained students they’re used to fighting, which actually makes beginners less predictable! Second, beginners have less sense for safety when sparring; they tend to block with their knees and elbows, and kick at the same time (and on the same side) as their partner, making for some painful clashing and bashing.
Techniques
Technique 1 (defensive)
When you’re not actually attacking, you must be ready to defend. So keep this clearly in mind: when the black belt moves in, lift your front leg for a side kick at stomach level. This is a fast and easy way to stop nearly any attack dead in its tracks!
Tip 1: If you don’t know side kick, use a pushing front kick instead. Kick with the back leg if using your front is too awkward or slow.
Tip 2: Especially in WTF Taekwondo, side kicks (or push kicks) may not be counted as points. Quickly follow this kick with a hard roundhouse kick to score a point.
A training drill for front leg sidekick cut-off (counter-attack)
Technique 2 (offensive)
It’s easy for a black belt to see your attack coming and stop you with a powerful back kick. Now if you enjoy the feeling of being repeatedly hit by a bus then by all means, disregard this next point: start most attacks with a push kick from your back leg. Aim it deep and strong, and follow it up with whatever other attacks you like most.
Tip 1: This is one of the safest ways to attack, but always keep your hands up when fighting a better player!
Tip 2: If you kick deep to reach your opponent, you will be vulnerable when you land your kicking foot. Follow it up immediately with an axe/drop kick (if attacking the face is allowed), or with a roundhouse. Practise this attack to build your balance and speed.
Tactics
Tactic 1
Don’t move back… that’s what they want you to do! It may be natural to shuffle back when your opponent attacks, but an experinced player will eat you alive with a flurry of kicks if you do. Instead, keep your hands up, be tough, and kick at the same time they attack.
Tactic 2
Counterattack with hard punches. It’s important to be unpredictable. Sometimes you should move forward and punch hard to the chest when your opponent attacks. This is a perfectly valid Taekwondo technique which might just put your opponent on his backside.
Great example of counterattack punching in taekwondo sparring. As the red player starts his roundhouse attack, blue moves in, blocks it, and opens a flurry of strong punches… then he smacks him in the face.
Tactic 3
Love the push kicks. Make every two or three kicks you throw a push kick (side kick or front kick motion). This will make you an unattractive target for a back kick or spinning hook counters, and will help force your opponent backwards.
Strategy
The above techniques and tactics come together to form your grand match strategy, which has two main parts:
1. Frustrate them!
Not moving back, kicking at the same time, and punching hard will remove a black belt from their usual game (which relies heavily on distance and timing). Yes, you will smash your legs together, but keep pressing forward and don’t back down. Your opponent may have more skill, but does he have more will?
2. Tire them out.
They key here is to keep attacking! Try and stay within punching range by always moving forward with attacks, pausing only briefly between combinations. This may be tiring to deliver for a whole round, but it’s utterly exhausting to receive. Remember: superior conditioning (being in better shape) is one thing you may hold above your black belt opponent. Even if it’s not, you can improve your shape considerably in just a few weeks (see our follow-up post on “Getting in Shape for Taekwondo Sparring”).
Remember the plan, and let me know how your matches go! I’ll give you some tips if you run into trouble… just post a comment so we can all learn from it. Good luck.
