Kicks Tae Kwon Do Tournament Training

Greg at 2003 US Sr National Championships

Kicks Tae Kwon Do Tournament Training

On this page I present the training program I used when preparing for my first Tae Kwon Do tournament. It's sort of a "boot camp" training for that first battle. I needed to get in shape, perfect my skills, know how and when to use them. After much research and trial and error, I developed this program that you may find helpful in preparing for your first tournament ever or your first tournament of the season. You may want to incorporate some of the routines between tournaments to maintain what you have gained through a "boot camp" type training as this.

It took me about 2 hours a night to complete. I trained 6 nights a week, beginning 8 weeks out from the tournament. When not preparing for a tournament I stay in shape by running 2 or 3 nights a week and weight training 2 or 3 nights and, of course, I attend my Tae Kwon Do classes.

In this program the first 2 weeks are spent doing conditioning drills, developing physical agility, and focusing on the fundamental sparring techiniques. Weeks 3 - 6 concentrate more on developing power and sparring skills while continuing the endurance conditioning. Weeks 7 and 8 are used to perfect the sparring skills and speed training while also maintaining my physical condition.

Starting Out

Before beginning my workout I spend 20 minutes in warm ups. I do the following exercises:

Body twist.
Windmills.
Side bends.
Forward-backward bends.
Groin stretch (light stretching of groin and hamstrings).
Rotations: Hip, Knees, Ankles, Shoulders, and Neck.
Knee raises.
Crunches.
Chest and Back stretch.
Jumping Jacks.

By this time my heart rate is up and I'm ready to begin my routine.

The Routines

Weeks 1 and 2 conditioning and focusing on fundamental sparring techiniques

Weeks 3 and 4 developing power and sparring skills

Weeks 5 and 6 developing power and sparring skills

Weeks 7 and 8 perfect the sparring skills and speed training

This program will help get you in shape for that first tournament of the season. After that you may be competing more often than every eight weeks. To maintain your skills and conditioning select those exercises that you feel are most useful to meet your goals. Still follow the basic pattern of conditioning and skills, alternating nights.

Sources:

Ultimate Fitness Through the Martial Arts, Sang H. Kim, Turtle Press, 1993
Taekwondo Kyorugi Olympic Style Sparring, Kuk Hyun Chung and Kyung Myung Lee, Turtle Press, 1994
Combat Strategy- Junsado The Way of The Warrior, Hanho, Turtle Press, 1992
My own personal experience!

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