Taekwondo Growth & WTF Sparring Uniform Regulations
Even though Taekwondo isn’t highly touted as one of the main styles for Mixed Martial Arts, it certainly can stand on it’s own merits. So, many martial art styles are judged on whether they will work in MMA or not, and Taekwondo can, but that’s not the point.
One Important Caveat
The point is that Taekwondo doesn’t need MMA and MMA can certainly do without Taekwondo. Since 1984 when Taekwondo was a demo sport in the Olympics it has grown every year the Olympics takes place. This exponential growth always slows down a month or two after the Olympics, however the important thing to remember is that the number doesn’t return to their pre-Olympic levels. This means that Taekwondo is not only growing every year, but sees an even larger growth every four years.
One important caveat here is that the International Olympic Committee views the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) as the regulation setting committee. When you are going to purchase a Taekwondo uniform or sparring gear to be on the safe side make sure it is considered WTF certified. This will ensure that you will be able to use the uniform, chest protectors, sparring headgear, and more in an actual Tae Kwon Do tournament.
Now back to the Olympic Coverage of Taekwondo..
Since a lot of the sports that are in the Olympics don’t have a large following I am sure this happens with a lot of these sports, but they have tapped into the power of the Olympics and will continue to see growth due to this timeless event.
