Olympic TKD - What’s the point?
Here’s a sport that is:
- Mostly boring
- Has the occasional point scored
- Features two competitors bouncing for minutes at a time
- A referee who will tell them to “fight” after they’ve been bouncing for a couple of minutes
Though this sounds like low level epee with passivity (or non-combativity) being called, it is in fact Olympic Tae Kwon Do.
I’ve watched a number of the preliminary rounds and this is a boring sport. I’m sure that if I suited up I’d get kicked square in the big chest pad, but I’ve learned a thing or two watching these matches. If I don’t want to get kicked, all I have to do is rush in and grab the other person. Then they can’t do anything and the referee will stop the match and separate us, while the clock is still running.
Looks to me like these matches are being played from a defensive mindset, or maybe the scoring rules encourage defense. I’ll give it another watch during the medal bouts - maybe they’ll be a little more offensive minded then.
Brent Simpson on 22 Aug 2008 at 6:29 pm #
Wow i completely agree with you but i would soo rether watch low level epee than olympic TKD. I mean at least thats fencing
colin chock on 22 Aug 2008 at 7:05 pm #
I’ll make the obvious point that non-fencers think fencing is similarly boring.
did you get a chance to see the junior olympic TKD when they shared our natls venue in your hometown of atlanta? if so, how does the olympic TKD compare to that?
TKD is pretty big in honolulu.
“If I don’t want to get kicked, all I have to do is rush in and grab the other person”
yes, clinching, as in boxing. tho in boxing, the occasional knock out makes up for the clinching. TKD has the occasional KO as well.
combat sports need to penalize passivity to encourage action.
gilbert on 22 Aug 2008 at 9:43 pm #
to a non-fencer, non-TKD, i have to say that fencing is boring in that it isn’t what i remembered. i remembered poise, elegance, and emphasis on defense as important as attack.
all i see now is trying to lunge as fast as you can to set off your opponents lite-brite helmet and then pump your fist in a lame mind game (even if you didn’t win that touch or point).
yawn.
yay finally something more exciting; riflery! bullseye! bullseye!bullseye! something 1mm off! bullseye! bullseye! (yeh, pump that fist!)
Craig on 22 Aug 2008 at 9:55 pm #
Gilbert - Maybe we should make fist-pumping an event.