On this page I present the training program I use when preparing for a Tae Kwon Do tournament. It takes me about 2 hours a night to complete. I train 6 nights a week, beginning 8 weeks out from a tournament. When not preparing for a tournament I stay in shape by running 3 nights a week and weight training 3 nights. And, of course, I attend my TaeKwon-Do classes.

The first 2 weeks are spent doing conditioning drills, developing physical agility, and focusing on the fundamental sparring techiniques. Weeks 3 - 6 concentrate more on developing power and sparring skills while continuing the endurance conditioning. Weeks 7 and 8 are used to perfect the sparring skills and speed training while also maintaining my physical condition.

1. Body twist.
2. Windmills.
3. Side bends.
4. Forward-backward bends.
5. Groin stretch (light stretching of groin and hamstrings).
6. Rotations: Hip, Knees, Ankles, Shoulders, and Neck.
7. Knee raises.
8. Crunches.
9. Chest and Back stretch.
10. Jumping Jacks.

This program will help get you in shape for that first tournament of the season. After that you may be competing more often than every eight weeks. To maintain your skills and conditioning select those exercises that you feel are most useful to meet your goals. Still follow the basic pattern of conditioning and skills, alternating nights.

Sources:

• Ultimate Fitness Through the Martial Arts, Sang H. Kim, Turtle Press, 1993
• Taekwondo Kyorugi Olympic Style Sparring, Kuk Hyun Chung and Kyung Myung Lee, Turtle Press, 1994
• Combat Strategy- Junsado The Way of The Warrior, Hanho, Turtle Press, 1992
• My own personal experience!

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