where are the hand techniques ??

tae kwon do---the art or way of smashing or destroying with HANDS and feet..can anyone tell me why i dont see any hand techniques in sparring anymore??  i know why tkd has been getting a bashing in the past couple of years...one reason is because of tourniments making rules about contact with hands that force practitioners to change the way they train..i have friends in karate, muay tae, and one who trains in kickboxing..we watch videos of tkd tournaments where the techniques being used would get your head knocked off in a real life situations..my friends kind of give me that sad look like 'dude sorry your art is so watered down now it doesnt even look like it used to'...sorry if i seem harsh on this point...please constructive criticism only, thank you

--------------------------------------------------------------
Traditional TKD

cause in the olympics people are doing hands cause tkd is know for their legs and if someone gose in for the punch their most likely to get kicked and mabe to the head and if you dont land that 1 good punch then you dont get a point and if the person that kicked you in the head they get 2 points and kicks ko the wind from you .. cause i have never had a person punch me and hurt me bad its mostly kicks .. lol thats what i think ,.... 

--------------------------------------------------------------

yea, i grumbled about hand techniques before. Even though it is watered down from traditional sparring, the purpose of olympic sparring is for the sport side of TKD. Besides, isn't it easier to punch a guy in the head than to kick a guy in the head?

I would like to see hand techniques but you have to admit, the olympic sparring has improved our use of legs. I just think we all have to realize that these sparring competitions are really just for sport and not necessarily for preparing someone for a real street fight. Besides, on the streets there aren't any timed rounds, there isn't a ref that will stop the fight when you're getting hurt, there is no such thing as an "illegal technique," no one gets "points," and most importantly, in real life you have the opportunity to run away. (honestly, should you be purposely taking on a dangerous fight in the first place?)

--------------------------------------------------------------
Training in the wilderness...

it's funny, because, apparently, kickboxing class at university club was mouthing us off, but they were surprised to learn that we use 12oz boxing gloves (while they use 16oz fluffy ones).  
there are handful of guys at university who train MMA, they do all grappling, boxing, and kickboxing sparrings, and i go in little early and sparr with them once a week.  compared to some guys who actually trained boxing, my techniques are so crappy, but i can box good enough with them.  and what i lack with punching, i make it up for it with kicks. 
sparring with choco helped me a lot with hand techniques though.  mostly with blocking.  he's taller than me, got longer reach than me, and faster than me.  so after getting punched, kicked, and kneed in the face few times, i learned to keep my guard up at all times. 

--------------------------------------------------------------
i'm delicious

I find that most hand techniques take a back seat to kicking in class, mainly because it is so hard to score with a punch in a TKD tournament.  I do a lot of punches when I spar, probably more than I should, but I'm reasonably effective, partly because I'm 6'4 and have comparatively tremendous reach with my arms.

Daniel

--------------------------------------------------------------
교사 Yidan kumdo, Ildan taekwondo

we started doing more kicking techniques than hand techniques for the kids because they don't like them and don't practice them.  we try to stress the importance of hand techniques, but now their hand techniques to kicking techniques are more 35/65 than 50/50

--------------------------------------------------------------
simplify

This conversation is like asking "Why can't boxers Kick each other"? or "why can't I punch some one in a basketball game?  The anser is simple - because its not allowed in the rules.

You are trying to blame the WTF for making Taekwondo sparring less realistic,  The fact is, none of it is a real fight and was never intended to be.  Taekwondo as a sport is primarly kicking - why? because its more exciting, and it is a clear departure from other sports that use more hand techniques. (Boxing, Karate Etc.)

Look at all other aspects of Taekwondo? Forms, One and 3 step sparring, Self Defense, Breaking - all include hand techniques.  The WTF is a sport organization and does not concern itself with these things, they are promoting an olympic sport, period. Want information about forms and basics, and other aspects of Taekwondo?  Go to the Kukkiwon web site.

 If you want to use hands to the head, sweeps, and grapple - go for it, but if you plan on playing the Sport of Taekwondo according to International Olympic Comittee sanctioned rules - better bring your hogu!

 Gordon