Martial Arts Of The World - Webs

Each t’aek’kyŏn association in Korea has a slightly different approach
to competition, but the differences are largely minor. There are two varieties
of the game. One is the kind of informal match that occurs in a gym
as part of a class. The other is the more formal competition that takes place
at tournaments. It is usually played on mats, identical to the kind typically
used for jûdô. Players wear traditional white Korean clothes (hanpok).
There are no rounds. A match continues until a player loses or until a time
limit elapses. The judges and referee then decide the winner. Hand techniques
are restricted to pushes, grabs, and traps. Grabbing the opponent’s
clothes is not allowed. Among the associations and even within them, a
wide range of contact is permitted. It is typically medium contact, though
using higher levels is usually not penalized. No protection of any kind, such
as gloves or protective vests, is worn. There are two ways of scoring. One
is to cause the opponent’s knee or any part of the body above it to touch
the ground. The other is a clean kick to the head or face. For a head kick
to score, it must clearly cause the head to move. Only push kicks to the
body are formally allowed. Such kicks do not score unless they directly
cause the opponent to fall down.
The most distinctive quality of t’aek’kyŏn in practice is its footwork,
called pumbalki. Players continuously step in a triangular pattern, shifting
their weight and position. The object of this footwork is never to have a
foot in one place for long and to be prepared to move a foot from its position
if it is attacked. Hence, t’aek’kyŏn footwork has a rhythmic, dancelike
quality. Another reason for this footwork is to facilitate evasive movements
in all directions. T’aek’kyŏn has very few blocking skills; evasion is preferred.
The feet should be kept close, since wide steps provide more opportunities
for attacks, particularly sweeps. There are many kinds of
sweeps and kicks. A distinctive feature of all kicks in t’aek’kyŏn, besides
the front thrust kick, which is not allowed in competition, is that they are
performed with pushing rather than striking power.
The preferred response to kicks is to trap them, then follow with a
sweep to the opponent’s supporting leg. Trapping is accomplished by bringing
the hand over or underneath the kick, going with its force. The parts of
the body subject to grabs are usually the neck and the shoulders. If a sweep
is attempted, a player pulls the opponent’s neck in the opposite direction of
the sweep. When attempting a throw, a player grabs an opponent around
the neck with one hand, pressing the arm to the side at the elbow with the
other hand. There are also pushing moves, usually around the shoulders
and ribs; however, the two most common pushes are against the throat.
The old hand strikes come in two categories: strikes against the face
and head and against the body. With one exception, strikes to the head are
all open-handed. Targets include the nose, front and side of the jaw, cheeks,
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