Athlete Development
Warrior Taekwon-Do members have the opportunity to develop as athletes through specialised training designed to increase confidence and skill in tournament events. This kind of training also enhances their Taekwon-Do in their normal classes and increases skill, ability and confidence for gradings.
These tournament events include:
These tournament events include:
patterns
Athletes perform the Taekwon-Do patterns (known as kata in karate). In the individual event two competitors are called up to perform patterns selected by the judges, and every round is sudden death until a winner is reached.
At pee wee level, young kids who do not yet know patterns are asked to perform techniques they will have learnt in class such as punches and front snap kicks.
Patterns can also be an exciting team event, where teams take turns performing a pattern together with staggers.
Warrior instructor and Co-Head Coach of the Warrior Team, Miss Roisin Giles, is the current World Champion in 1st dan individual patterns. You can watch her in the video of the final below (left hand side competitor).
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sparring
Sparring in Taekwon-Do is semi-contact and continuous (i.e., the match does not stop after each point). All points must be above the belt and to the front of the body.
In pee wee events with children, sparring is NON-CONTACT, but they must aim their techniques toward correct target areas (e.g. above the belt, to the front of the body).
In pee wee events with children, sparring is NON-CONTACT, but they must aim their techniques toward correct target areas (e.g. above the belt, to the front of the body).
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special technique
Special technique is an exciting event featuring many of Taekwon-Do's amazing flying kicks. The three main kicks are:
- flying high kick
- flying turning kick
- flying side kick
At pee wee level, kids do a flying high kick to a pad.
Warrior instructor Mr Matthew Chan (below right) was the 2011 Junior World Champion in special technique at the 2011 ITF World Championships.
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power
One of the biggest misconceptions about power breaking is that you need brute strength to break a board. In truth, your success is a mixture of practice, confidence, and good technique using the 6 elements of the Theory of Power: Reaction Force, Concentration, Equilibrium, Speed, Mass, Breath Control.
Juniors are only allowed to do front elbow strikes, while seniors also do side kicks, turning kicks and reverse turning kicks.
Pee wees do not break boards. Their event is usually called Power Punch: an assistant dangles a pad and drops it as the competitor hits the pad with their punch. The competitor whose pad flies the furthest is the winner.
Warrior instructor Miss Kara Timmer is the current World Champion in Power Breaking (below left).
Juniors are only allowed to do front elbow strikes, while seniors also do side kicks, turning kicks and reverse turning kicks.
Pee wees do not break boards. Their event is usually called Power Punch: an assistant dangles a pad and drops it as the competitor hits the pad with their punch. The competitor whose pad flies the furthest is the winner.
Warrior instructor Miss Kara Timmer is the current World Champion in Power Breaking (below left).
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pre-arranged sparring
Pre-arranged sparring is a popular event with spectators. It is a pre-arranged fight sequence (like something out of the movies) between a team of two athletes which shows correct use of attacks and blocks to the correct vital spots, good timing (including some slow motion sequences) and an element of aerobatics. Competitors of all ages can compete in their own division of pre-arranged sparring.
New Zealand has won the pre-arranged sparring event at the World Championships three times in a row.
Below is a photo of two of our members competing in pre-arranged sparring at the Auckland North Regional Tournament.
New Zealand has won the pre-arranged sparring event at the World Championships three times in a row.
Below is a photo of two of our members competing in pre-arranged sparring at the Auckland North Regional Tournament.
The Warrior Taekwon-Do Athlete Development involves short courses leading up to specific events.
The regular events in the annual International Taekwon-Do NZ calendar are:
- Auckland North Regional Tournament - all ages
- National Tournament - yellow belts and above
- Pee Wee Tournament Series - 12 and under
- Under 18s Series - 18 and under
In addition to these events, other tournaments and seminars are often organised during the year.
Internationally these events run every two years:
- Oceania Championships - open entry, between New Zealand, Australia and Cook Islands
- ITF World Cup - open entry, red belts and above
- ITF World Championships - competitive entry for national team, black belts only (most prestigious event)
The regular events in the annual International Taekwon-Do NZ calendar are:
- Auckland North Regional Tournament - all ages
- National Tournament - yellow belts and above
- Pee Wee Tournament Series - 12 and under
- Under 18s Series - 18 and under
In addition to these events, other tournaments and seminars are often organised during the year.
Internationally these events run every two years:
- Oceania Championships - open entry, between New Zealand, Australia and Cook Islands
- ITF World Cup - open entry, red belts and above
- ITF World Championships - competitive entry for national team, black belts only (most prestigious event)
