Quantifying the physiological impact of rule changes in Olympic level Taekwondo

Summary

Recently World Taekwondo announced multiple rule changes to the sport for future competitions including the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. These changes include; a redefinition of spinning kicks, penalties for fighters that perform greater than four kicks in a row and minimising clinching. Notably, there is also now a best of three rounds system where if the fighter wins the first two rounds, the fight can be over in only four minutes. In combination, these rule changes have the potential to change the tactical approach of fighters, the frequency of technical actions and the physiological cost of competing. Subsequently, research is required now to quantify the effect of these rule changes ahead of Paris 2024 to help inform training practices and demonstrate impact at the Games.

GB Taekwondo are responsible for the preparation, management and performance of elite Taekwondo athletes. GB Taekwondo are based at The National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester, situated just 3 miles from Manchester Metropolitan University. Please note, the student will spend time at The National Taekwondo Centre and potentially travel to competitions to collect data.  

Aims and objectives

The aim of the research project is to quantify the impact of rule changes upon the physiological demands in Olympic level Taekwondo.

This project has potential to generate immediate impact on the training practices and subsequent performance of Olympic level Taekwondo athletes at international competitions including the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics and World Championships 2025. The project will also contribute to the training practices during the next Olympic cycle leading into Los Angeles 2028.

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