Competition Guideline

Traditional Forms Guidelines

  • Please refer to the forms/patterns section of the AAU Taekwondo Handbook at

https://image.aausports.org/dnn/tw/2023/23AAUTKD-Handbook.pdf

  • The official Forms/Patterns accepted for competition shall be WT (Taegeuk & Pal Gwe), ITF, and TSD/MDK
  • Forms/Patterns Cannot Be Altered or Modified. Do not add or leave out kicks or movements. Doing so can result in disqualification.

Team Form Competition Guidelines

  • There will be three (3) types of teams
    • Black Belt Youth (5-17 yrs old) Team
    • Black Belt Senior (18+ yrs old) Team
    • Mixed Belt Rank Team (can be a combination of Youth and Seniors, all colored belts, a combination of colored belts and black belts, all black belts consisting of both Youth and Senior black belts.
  • Teams shall consist of three members.
  • An individual may compete on only one team.
  • Team may consist of all males, all females or a combination of males and females.

Weapon Forms Guidelines

Weapon forms will be judged on the following criteria (in no particular order of importance):

  • Overall control of the weapon (deductions for drops, mishandling, etc.)
  • Difficulty (more difficult maneuvers deserve more recognition)
  • Originality (is the competitor being creative)
  • Presentation (was the display exciting and fun)
  • Practical application of the weapon
  • Stances, timing, and rhythm of the form

Sport Poomsae

  • Sport poomsae divisions will be officiated by AAU Poomsae and World Taekwondo International Referees with current AAU modified rules and guidelines.
  • Designated Poomsae will be posted a week prior to the event.
  • Winners of male and female (with at least 4 athletes in the division) in the mini cadet, cadet, junior, and senior divisions will receive a reimbursement for early entry fee to the 2024 AAU National Championship.

Olympic Sparring

  • Please refer to the Olympic Sparring section of the AAU Taekwondo Handbook at

https://image.aausports.org/dnn/tw/2023/23AAUTKD-Handbook.pdf

  • Winners, male and female (with at least 4 athletes) in the mini-cadet, cadet, junior, and senior divisions will receive a reimbursement for an early entry fee to the 2024 AAU National Championship.
  • All World Class Olympic Sparring Division must weigh-in on Friday, February 9th, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM

General Weigh-In – Olympic Sparring (State Championship)

Competitors will be expected to register in the most proper weight class division listed for that tournament. Any officials or coach may question the weight of a prospective opponent prior to the beginning of the division. If a competitor’s weight is questioned and his/her weight is found to be either over or under that weight class in which they have been assigned to compete, he/she will be disqualified from further competition that day.

Competitors unable to make their weight prior to the beginning of competition may, with the permission of the tournament director, move into another weight division other than that for which they had registered.

Weight may be measured twice, if necessary, to make the weight. The second reading of a competitor’s weight may take place any time during the posted weigh-in times.

During the weigh-in, the competitor may be required to verify his/her membership in the United States AAU and provide proof of age.

During the weigh-in, Black Belt competitors (World Class Division), 10-11, 12-14,15-17, and 18-32, competing in Olympic Sparring will be required to show a valid photo ID documenting date of birth (such as driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport).

Weigh-in may be allowed in dobok, street clothes, or athletic shorts and t-shirt. Absolutely no nude weigh-in is allowed.

Competitors unable to make the weight for which they register, MAY BE DISQUALIFIED or be allowed to change their registration and pay the required CHANGE ORDER FEE ($50) at check-in.

Board Breaking Guidelines

Board sizes will be supplied by the tournament director. All boards will be available for purchase at the venue. All boards used for competition must be purchased through tournament committee/director – No boards sourced from a 3rd party will be allowed for competition use. All boards will be subject to inspection any time before or during the competition.

Competitors must provide their own board holders.

Each competitor will be allowed only TWO stations per round, a maximum of 2 attempts per station is allowed

  • 90 seconds maximum setup/break time allowed per competitor.
  • Maximum of 10 boards utilized is allowed per competitor, per round of competition
  • No forehead breaking, open flames, or bladed props may be used
  • No jumping/flying over people will be allowed
  • No spacers will be allowed
  • No elbow strikes will be allowed
  • Competitors may use demo boards or pine boards

 

Athlete technique will be judged based on the following criteria: Technique focus, balance, power, and creativity

  • A break performed on the 1st try is superior to a break completed on the 2nd try
  • A 2 boards break is superior to a 1 board break, a 3 boards break is superior to 2 boards break and so on
  • A break supported on 1 end (speed break) is superior to a break supported on both ends

**Athletes must purchase boards at the tournament. $3/each demo board**

Demo Team

Composition of Team

  • Three (3) to twenty (20) member teams (any rank)
  • More than 75% of the Demo Team members must participate in individual event(s)
  • All demo members & volunteers must be current AAU members

Demo Time

  • Maximum two (2) minutes set up, maximum six (6) minutes performance, maximum two (2) minutes for cleanup

Judging Criteria

  • All technical Taekwondo skills are graded for execution, presentation, and difficulty. Teams are granted freedom to add creativity to their demonstration, however synchronization may or may not be part of the team demonstration. Demo Team performance criteria must include elements from forms/poomsae, board breaking, and self-defense.

Scoring

  • Each judge will provide three (3) sets of scores with a maximum of ten (10) points for originality, ten (10) points for technique and ten (10) points for difficulty.
  • Five (5) judges will score each performance, with the highest and lowest scores being excluded. Final score is cumulative. In case of a tie, all lowest scores will be added back in, then all highest scores will be added back in to break the tie.
  • Penalties: Exceeding time limit
    • (1). Over six (6) minutes will be a five (5) point penalty from the overall score.
    • (2). Over six (6) minutes 30 second will be a ten (10) point penalty from the overall score.
    • (3). Over seven (7) minutes will be disqualified.

Additional Information

  • All props are subject to inspection from the Chief Referee and may be prohibited if deemed unsafe.
  • No jumping or flying over individuals will be allowed.
  • Normal uniform and equipment requirements are waived for the demo competition and may be selected by the team.
  • Music and sound effects can be used.
  • Boards are to be purchased at the competition venue unless authorized by the tournament director and are the only type of breaking material allowed in the demonstration.
  • Handheld board holding poles and devices will be allowed as props for breaking (nothing can make contact with the floor)
  • Any music containing vulgarity or profanity is an automatic disqualification.
  • Performance will be done in a matted ring on competition floor

Para Taekwondo Division Rule Modifications (Forms / Breaking)

Para Taekwondo competition follows the same rules and equipment requirements as specified in current AAU Taekwondo Handbook with the following modifications.

Divisions are defined in the AAU Taekwondo Policy Handbook

Merits

  • Merit will be awarded on the basis of SPIRIT, focus, technique, power, rhythm, grace and beauty; listed in order of importance.

Judging Procedure

  • The scoring method used for forms is Individual Scored Method ONLY.

Coaches’ Attire:

Official Blue AAU Coach’s shirt (coach’s shirt may not be modified in any way)

  • White Dobok (uniform) pants or ankle-length athletic pants
  • Sneakers
  • Coach credentials must be always worn and must be plainly visible.