Earticle

The objective of this study is to focus on the influence of the rules of the Taekwondo Poomsae competition on the athletes’ awareness and suggest the developmental direction for the Poomsae competition, in order to help not only those practicing Taekwondo but also the general public to recognize the value of the Taekwondo Poomsae competition as a martial-art sport from now on. The results of this study can be drawn as follows. Firstly, this study has focused on changes related to the athletes’ training and responses in a competition based on the amendment of the rule about the distribution of marks according to the marking standard of the Poomsae competition. The distribution of marks used to be based on the ratios of 5 : 3 : 2 in the order of accuracy, skillfulness and expressivity. However, the ratios have been changed to 3 : 4 : 3, influencing the athletes’ awareness. Since referees greatly focus on such factors as skillfulness and expressivity according to the marking standard, athletes’ attitudes and awareness towards the training or competition have been changed. Secondly, it is necessary to apply more objective rules of the competition in order to make it possible to clearly distinguish victory from defeat. Since the current rules still provide vague explanation and standard points regarding accuracy, skillfulness and expressivity, it is necessary to establish simpler rules of the competition which could be used to easily distinguish victory from defeat from now on. Since Taekwondo is a martial-art sport, it is necessary to establish new rules of the competition for the athletes participating in the Poomsae competition to follow, in order to make them thoroughly train themselves by practicing all the basic skills. By following such a way, it would be possible for them to make themselves become truly devoted to Taekwondo and equipped with the right kind of basic knowledge and Taekwondo spirit.