Modern Taekwondo competitions feature two distinct disciplines that test different dimensions of a martial artist's skill set: Kyorugi (Sparring) and Poomsae (Forms).
Kyorugi (Olympic Sparring)
Kyorugi is a dynamic full-contact combat sport fought on an octagonal or square mat. Athletes wear protective headgear, trunk protectors (Daedo/KP&P electronic scoring systems), shin guards, and forearm guards. Points are scored through clean kicks to the torso and head, as well as spinning techniques.
Poomsae (Traditional Forms)
Poomsae consists of choreographed offensive and defensive sequences against imaginary opponents. Judges score athletes on technical accuracy (stance depth, kick height, hand chambering) and presentation (rhythm, power, breath control, and focus).
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