Now that you have been training for almost one year and have become a Yellow Belt, we introduce sparring drills into the training sessions. We put on what look like boxing gloves on our hands and funny boots on our feet. These are called Pads. To some, all this is very exciting, and to others it can be a anxious time, mainly because it is dangerous unless you follow these rules below. First you must learn responsibility, and this responsibility will increase as you move up into becoming an adult.

We start off with small, tiny challenges and as you graduate upwards you will enjoy Sparring Drills more and appreciate their value. One of the biggest challenges you had when you were a beginner was the fear of the unknown and trying to come to understand the many parts that Taekwon-Do has to offer. Sparring will be similar but after a while you will be comfortable with it.

As you have a little more confidence in your ability to kick and punch since you started, now is the time not just to see if it works but also to see if you can control yourself and have a higher level of responsibility.

Our aim is for every student to enjoy and benefit from this training. This can only be achieved in a safe and encouraging learning environment. We need your utmost co-operation in obeying each of these rules. Here you will quickly learn all about self control, treating others with patience, kindness and respect and making difficult decisions of what is right and wrong.

Sparring requires a high level of fitness and agility to be good at sparring and students can test their capabilities by entering the ITA competitions which are well organised and of a very high standard. In effect, sparring is the ‘game’ of sport Taekwondo where you try to outwit your opponent by scoring points on the relative parts of the body. In ITF Taekwondo this is a semi-contact (touch contact) sport and protective equipment (headguard, mouthguard, handpads, footpads, shin guards, groin guard) is worn to avoid injury.

As members of the ITA, we have access to the best instructors and coaches and those who have ambitions in this area of Taekwondo can look forward to opportunities that may lead them to World Class Athletes.