Axe kick counter

To counter an axe kick, you can use slide back (to avoid the kick) then round house kick or step back (to avoid the kick) then round house kick.

Fighting Long

Strategy for fighting long in open stance (outside of perfect kicking distance):

• Hard close (fast close and hard check) then kick - This is used when the opponent hesistate and doesnt respond to your hard close.
  
• Hard close then if the opponent opens up, then open up also to draw the opponent. Kick as the opponent closes in using a long round kick or using a soft close then round kick. - This is used when the opponent opens up (moves back) when you hard close.
  
• Hard close then switch out round kick. - This is used when the opponent kicks you with a round kick (or any kick) as you perform your hard close.
  

Timing

A good sparring stance allows you to instantly adjust your kicks when your opponents changes motions. Making adjustment with good timing is key to success in taekwondo sparring.

Good timing provides the best chance for an attack and has a higher rate of success. A fighter with poor timing will have ineffective motions and will fail to respond with timely skills against an opponent. Speed is vital part of timing enabling successful attacks.

The best time for simultaneous counterattack is when your opponent attacks or is induce to attack through a feint. By using your opponents forward momentum, you cna increase the impact of the counterattack.

Dodging and counterattacking is a good way to carry out a planned attack. Move back to escape your opponents attack and grasp the opportune moment to counter when your opponents feet are in the air or just as the feet touches the ground, or when the opponent falls off balance. Using proper timing and controlling distance are integral to this method. Fishing for response and watching for vulnerable moments can give a slower fighter a strong counter strategy.

Feinting Motion

Feinting motions are strategy for deceiving opponents. The purpose of feints (sometimes called checking or fakes), is to secure the upper hand in the match by hiding your real attack strategy and confusing your opponent. Feints are nothing more than initiation of moves that are not fully executed. You can build feints from any step, kick, or footwork.

Feinting is used to elicit a response from the opponent. If the feint is successful, it creates an opportunity for the athlete to score by throwing the opponent off balance and exposing a weakness.

You can use feints to create an attacking opportunity by exposing the weakness to your opponent in order to draw an attack, allowing you to counterattack. A good feint might also expose a weakness of your opponent.

Feinting is used to make the game more interesting, to gain an advantage over an opponent, to expose any weakness of the opponent, or to make an opponent guess the direction of your attack.

Explosiveness

Explosive power is an important element of physical strength. Explosive power enables successful kicking through quickness and force.

In taekwondo, explosive power gives fighters the ability to execute the preemptive attack as soon as they detect the opponent's movements to attack. Explosive power is directly linked to winning and losing, so this element of phyiscal strength is required in order to become an excellent athlete.

To develop explosive power, incorporate the following exercise into your training routine:

• Run in place or forward while bringing the knee to waist height and slapping the hands on the knees.
• Perform the frog long jump. Begin in a low squat with hands over ears. Jump forward and extend the body. After landing, return to low squat and repeat.
• Jump up and bring the knee to the chest.
• Jump up, bring feet to the rear. Reach for the toes.
• Jump rope for 500 rotations.
• Alternate fast running with slow walking.
• Sprint and touch downs.
  

Endurance

Endurance is the ability to continue performing a repetitive motion that affects breathing, heart rate, and muscular function. When people experience frequent pain in an activity, they often give up. Athletes must improve heart and lunch capacity and muscular endurance in order to overcome pain.

Taekwondo athletes can lose opportunities if lack of endurance causes so much pain that they want to give up a match. Breathing becomes labored and the fighter looks exhausted in the second round because of excessive energy consumption in the first round.

Endurance can be improved through continuous training. A long-term exercise plan incorporating the following activities will increase endurance:

Running activities are good for developing cardiovascular endurance. Long distance running, uphill and downhill running, short-distance running with touchdowns, running up and down stairs, and zigzap running are good options for increasing endurance.

Jumping activities also can increase endurance. For example, you might jump side to side over an imaginary line. For more of a challenge, jump side to side over an obstacle on the floor, keeping the feet together.

Sparring taller opponents

If your opponent is very tall, it is necessary to adjust distance. Often a taller opponent has long legs. Athletes who keep their distance may lose their dominance in the fight.

The strategy is to close into and move away from the opponent quickly. Combination kicks are the best.

When the opponents attack, attempt a cut kick or cover punch to stop his forward motion.

Sparring Counter Attacks

Counter attack is a way to take control of the sparring match by taking advantage of the opponent's weakness when she attacks. A counter attack kick require precise reaction time and flexibility.

Evaluate your opponent's movement instantly and kick automatically in reaction. Counter attack demands quick judgement for good timing. For instance, use checks (feints) to induce your opponent to attack. When your opponent attempts the attack, counter attack right away. Pay close attention to your opponent's attack and counter attack technique and use this information to exploit your opponent's weakness.

The two common counter attack strategy are direct counterattack and indirect counterattack. In a direct counterattack strategy, both fighters counterkick at the same time while indirect counterattack, one fighter steps aside or blocks the kick of the opponent and then counters with a kick.

Direct Counter Attacks:

Kick as soon as they get within your race distance. Don't hesitate. Commit or you will be hit! Direct CounterAttack is good with motions because it hides your intentions. Back kick and back leg round kick are great hold ground techniques. Useful against aggresive fighters.

Against taller fighters, make sure to fight on their race distance not your race. Use long attacks like fast and skip kicks. Avoid direct back leg kicks instead use a step in round kick or inch in/lunging back kick.

Make sure to keep weight forward when you execute a slide back, switch out or slide out counter attacks.

After kicking, make sure to land forward in proper fighting stance. Don't land flat footed or land backwards because it delays your time to counter an attack.

After you attack or counter an attack, make sure to clinch or move sideways from the opponent. Clinch if opponent is in crowded distance (punching distance). Don't stay in crowded distance because they can punch you in that range. Don't just move back either because they can kick you as you are moving backwards.

Indirect Counter Attacks:

Slide back and slide out - useful if opponent is kicking with a back leg round kick in closed stances (kicking your backside).

Switch out - useful if opponent is kicking with front leg round kick in closed stance or kicking with back leg round kick in open stance.

On first round, be conservative until you find out they're tendencies. Use more indrect counter attacks instead of direct counter attacks.

If you can't tell what kick they plan to throw then use back kick / jump back kick or jam them by clinching.

To counter punches, you should move to the side (using switch out or slide out) or use back side step. Never move back or step back because it gives them room to kick you.

Timing - for any counter attack, make sure to react (slide, switch out, and hold ground) as soon as they get within your race distance. Don't wait for them start the kick before moving because it's going to be too late.

A good sparing stance allows you to instantly adjust your kicks when your opponents changes motion. Making adjustments with good timing is a key to success in sparring.

If you miss a chance to counter, just don't dwell on the mistake because there are a lot of other opportunities. Remember opportunities are ever changing.

Clinch

During a clinch you can use back side step or bada chagi. Be ready for the opponent to use bada chagi or cresent kick. Always put an arm up against the opponents back leg to avoid cresent kicks to the head.

Back side step - stay shoulder to shoulder against your opponent then switch stands with your other leg on the back of your opponents front leg then pivot 90 deg to the side. Then from there you can throw a round kick to the hogu.

Bada chagi - counter kick can be used when opponent's arms are up and not close to the hogu. Throw a jump round kick while moving backwards. The front and back leg should switch position.