| Tae Kwon Do is perhaps the most commonly | | | | Typically, full contact is not permitted in free Tae |
| practiced martial art in the world today. | | | | Kwon Do sparring for safety reasons. Students |
| Developed in Korea, it is a combination of combat | | | | are only allowed to strike specific target areas. |
| technique, self defense, exercise, sport, | | | | Hand techniques, for example, may only be used |
| entertainment and philosophy. It is the national | | | | on the front and side of the body from the belt |
| sport of Korea and an Olympic sporting event. | | | | to the shoulder. This also means that no hand |
| Tae Kwon Do sparring is generally divided into | | | | technique may be delivered to the face or head. |
| two forms: one-step sparring and free sparring. | | | | Foot techniques may only be executed on the |
| One-step Tae Kwon Do sparring involves | | | | front and sides of the body from the belt to the |
| prearranged movements performed by two | | | | head. Intentional kicks to the back and back of |
| participants in concert. One of the participants | | | | the head are strongly illegal. Also, there should be |
| employs punching and kicking techniques while the | | | | no throwing, knee attacks, head butts, or elbows |
| other uses various combinations of blocking and | | | | are allowed. These rules are generally maintained |
| counterattacking techniques. | | | | by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF). |
| One-step sparring helps familiarize the students | | | | Taekwondo sparring tournaments consist of three |
| with the fundamentals of kicking, punching, and | | | | rounds, each of which is three minutes, with a |
| blocking movements. The students will learn to | | | | one minute rest period between rounds. In |
| develop and manage their reaction time for | | | | competition, matches are held in an 8×8 |
| accurate counterattacks. One-step sparring is | | | | meter contest area in the center of a |
| essential in preparation for free Tae Kwon Do | | | | 12×12 meter competition area. A referee |
| sparring. | | | | controls the match and enforces compliance with |
| Free sparring in Tae Kwon Do is the practical | | | | the rules. The event is judged by four corner |
| application of self defense techniques. The points | | | | judges who award the scores. |
| of contact include the belt and above. | | | | |