Introducing Sparring

At MTC, we introduce sparring at the yellow belt. You may have seen students wearing sparring gear and practicing their sparring techniques on other students.

Sparring has many benefits. We learn about ourselves, and we learn to think clearly during stressful situations when we spar. When we deal with questions like “If I kick my friend, will they still want to be my friend?” we grow emotionally through the experience. Our goal at Modern Taekwondo Center is to teach sparring in a safe and fun way. We thought we’d take the time to share this sparring FAQ: 

TLDR: sparring is an essential and fun part of the program. Here is the link to order: https://forms.gle/voCSq8aazr6Sangy9

How will my child be introduced to sparring? 

At the start of the sparring journey, we try to partner students with others of the same rank, height, and weight. Students can start sparring with players of varying skill levels when they gain confidence.

What is the purpose of the equipment? 

Helmet: children under 12 are not allowed to make contact with the helmet or kick to the head. Students wear helmets to protect them from accidental kicks. Students tend to miss the target area when they get nervous. We stress to the students to always be alert. 

Mouthpiece: a mouthpiece protects students from concussions, so we ask parents to mold it in boiling water so it is comfortable and they can bite down. Parents can find directions on the plastic package. 

Hogu (chest protector): The hogu is the target area and is reversible, consisting of a blue and red side. Students have to hit the hogu to score a point.

Forearm guards: protect the forearms while blocking kicks. 

Groin protector: students can get kicked low (groin area) while lifting their legs for kicking.

Shin guards: protects the shin if students collide while kicking. 

Foot pads: protect the instep while kicking. A common occurrence is accidentally kicking the sparring partner’s elbow, which doesn’t feel great without the foot pad. 

What are the rules? 

Students score points for hitting the hogu (chest protector). The number of points varies with the technique. Students can also earn points if a player goes out of bounds, runs away from the match, turns their back, kicks too low (or too high, depending on age), or falls. 

How do I order sparring gear? 

Please use this link to place your order: https://forms.gle/voCSq8aazr6Sangy9

I didn’t see a place to enter my child’s size on the form.

We will match students with the appropriately sized equipment, and when students receive their gear, we ask them to try it on immediately. If a piece doesn’t fit well, notify us immediately before use so we can exchange it.

We hope that this FAQ has covered some of your questions and concerns. If it hasn’t, please feel free to send us a message at joinus@moderntkdcenter.com

Dedicated to your child’s success, 

Modern Taekwondo Center