is punching/blocking allowed in TKD tournaments?

Question

i see they mostly kick, i never seen them punch,
but is they allowed to punch?
or is it against the rules?

Answer 1

In the Taekwondo world, there are basically two different categories. Traditional Taekwondo, international taekwondo federation (ITF), and the olympic style Taekwondo, world taekwondo federation. The most popular and known is of course the olympic style. That style is the one where you see them wearing chest pads and lots of kicking. They are allowed to block, but punching to the face is illegal. Punching to point targets however, is legal.
ITF is the first taekwondo federation and very large, but it is not as known. They allow punches to the face and blocking.
If you want to see the difference, check out these youtube videos. The first is a video of a world champion ITF fighter, while the second is a collage of numerous WTF fights. In the ITF video with 2:50 in, you could see that the fighter is in a match with WTF rules, and you could see her strategy change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfq9NDgbGqA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gcWAb5Dvz4

Answer 2

ITF and Moo Duk Kwan are both 50/50. Punches and kicks are allowed, and most schools allow black belts to strike the head.

Other styles/organizations (WTF for example)? Punching is allowed, but you're in a point system based on that of a boxer. When you're in that situation, punching isn't as easy to score a point, because you have to hit hard enough to show struggle in your opponent. If you just sort of jab them, then the judges may not see it. You have to knock them back, or knock them down with it (And that may be hard whether you wear a chest protector or not). The other two Kwans/Schools like I said (Along with some others) do have a lot of punching, as well as kicking though.

The school I am now has TKD as a sort of striking piece (It's TKD/Hapkido/Judo/Jujutsu combined with other elements), but I've been allowed to strike to the head since day one.

Answer 3

Punching is allowed, but TKD mainly focuses on the kick. Punching is allowed to the body only, not to the head or face.

Answer 4

In Tae Kwon do tournaments kicks are scored the highest by the judges.The higher and flasher the better.
I hate to say it but punches often are not scored "at all".

I fought in the "Pan American Open" in 1996,
(the precursor to the Pan Am Games).I punched the daylights out of my first opponent,(not to the head of course),and received "not one point for the effort!" On the second day I saw my opponent and he showed me his chest,all black and blue,even through the chest protector those punches had effect,..............and not "one" point.
Keep in mind I "saw" my score sheet.
It is no wonder that Tae Kwon Do competitors focus so much on kicking,it's the way to score the most points.

Answer 5

Yes, TKD involves punching but with much less emphasis on it.