Taekwondo Equipment and History

Equipment

Coloured strap that fastens the upper part of the Dobok

Used to protect parts of the upper body

White trousers and jacket

Used to protect forearms and shins.

Used to protect forearms and shins.

MEN'S EVENTS

WOMEN'S EVENTS

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Boundary line
The unmarked marginal line around the outside of the Contest Area, defining the outer edge of the mat.

Cha-ryeot
The referee''s command to adopt a position of attention.
Chung
The contestant wearing blue.
Contest area
A 10-metre square in the centre of the mat where a taekwondo contest is conducted.

Kal-yeo
The referee''s command to break, or move away from a downed opponent.
Keu-man
The referee''s command to stop the contest.
Knockdown
The ruling when a contestant is knocked to the floor, or is deemed unable to continue.
Knockout
A ruling where the referee stops the contest and declares a contestant the winner if his or her opponent cannot continue.
Kyeong-rye
The referee''s command to bow.
Kye-shi
The referee''s command to suspend the match while a fighter receives first aid.
Kye-sok
The referee''s command to continue.
Kyong-go
A warning for violating a rule, costing half a point but not deducted unless it combines with a previous warning to make a whole point.

Referee''s mark
A marked point on the mat where the referee begins and ends each round.
Round
One of a series of periods, separated by rests, making up a match.

Scoring area
The area of the opponent''s face or body where a legitimate strike may be made to score a point.
Shi-gan
The referee''s command to suspend the match for reasons other than medical assistance.
Shi-jak
The referee''s command to start the contest.
Su-bak
A self-defence art practised in Korea 800 years ago, apparently used as sport to entertain spectators.
Sudden death
A method of resolving a gold-medal contest in the Olympic Games that has resulted in a tie by playing a fourth round in which the first person to score is the winner.

Taekwondo
A modern form of martial art meaning "way of hands and feet" and descended from ancient Korean martial arts.

Yeo-dul
Eight in Korean, ending the mandatory eight-count a downed contestant must take even if he wants to resume sparring.
Yeol
The number ten in Korean, indicating the end of a full count and, hence, a knockout.