WTF Taekwondo strives to preserve the original spirit of Taekwondo while emphasizing self-defense, while ITF offers more of a sport focus. Both groups share similar curricula with a colored belt system from white to black belts for instruction.
Sparring in ITF involves light contact, while in WT it’s full contact. An accurate strike made against an appropriate legal target scores a point.
What is Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is a martial art that employs punching, kicking, jumping, throwing, and foot techniques to accomplish combative goals. Through practice of this martial art form, students develop confidence, discipline and perseverance that will serve them throughout their lives.
Taekwondo competition typically consists of three two-minute rounds, with each round lasting two minutes, and the winner determined by whichever competitor earns more points during the match. Penalties, known as Gam-jeom, may be assessed for offenses like grabbing, holding or pushing an opponent while attacks against trunk protectors receive one point and powerful kick attacks on head receive five.
Students also train in an atmosphere of unity, from their physical movements to mental training and life itself. Aiming for harmony between body and mind beyond the dojang and into society; practicing taekwondo serves as a way of life similar to having a job, raising children or fighting a cause.
Why Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is an effective martial art that can help develop self-defense skills, strengthen physical fitness and build character. Taekwondo practice also helps improve concentration, focus and discipline as it balances serotonin levels in the brain – something essential to overall health.
Taekwondo training brings many advantages, and some of the more notable ones include:
ATA is one of North America’s premier martial arts organizations with more than 1,500 schools throughout the US and was established by Grandmaster Haeng Ung Lee who had studied under General Choi at his Nebraska ashram. It began operations officially in 1969 under his supervision.
ATA emphasizes a safer form of sparring by encouraging light contact and the use of blocking rather than attacking. Although injuring oneself during sparring is possible, proper safety equipment must always be worn such as head guards, mouth pieces, chest protectors and shin guards to minimize injuries during sparring sessions.
What is the difference between WTF and ITF?
Taekwondo has become one of the world’s most widely practiced martial arts disciplines, but there are numerous branches available for training. WTF and ITF are two popular ones. WTF specializes in competitive sparring events like Olympic Games; ITF features hand techniques with punches from hip. Furthermore, both styles emphasize proper footwork techniques.
ITF training focuses more on real-life combat situations and features light contact sparring that utilizes open-handed strikes, elbow attacks, knee strikes to the lower body, hand techniques applied directly to head and body and ranged hand techniques that mimic martial arts (MMA) sparring structures with legal point areas ranging from facial areas all the way through front superior iliac spines.
ITF systems feature many specialized forms to teach students to block, strike and evade from different positions.
What is the best Taekwondo for me?
Your answer depends heavily on your goals and preferences. WTF taekwondo focuses more on sport and competition, emphasizing high kicks and acrobatic moves designed to impress crowds and score points during matches than on real-life fighting situations. However, this style may prove less effective.
ITF practices offer more traditional techniques and sparring methods that are tailored towards self-defense, including no-contact sparring and using various hand techniques in their routines. ITF practitioners frequently practice no-contact or point style sparring.
Many schools across the world call themselves World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) schools, but what this actually indicates is membership in an National Governing Body (NGB) affiliated with WTF. This means they abide by its rules of competition and curriculum developed from Kukkiwon; however, most NGBs will recognize black belts from ITF schools for competitions under WTF regulations as well.
My passion for martial arts goes beyond practice; it is a philosophy that shapes my writing, bringing a distinctive edge to my narratives and advice. I hold black belts in two martial arts disciplines and have competed internationally, experiences that enrich my storytelling with authenticity and excitement.