Can you use Taekwondo in a fight?

November 10, 2020

Taekwondo is one of the most popular martial arts among all ages and genders in Brisbane. One of the more frequently asked questions by people new to the activity is whether you can use it in a real fight.

Of course, you shouldn’t be learning a martial art like Taekwondo if you want to get into fights and most people join a club for other reasons – to get fit, improve themselves and learn a discipline that has many benefits.

Should I use Taekwondo in a fight?

Taekwondo is a martial art that is built on self-defence so some of the techniques that you learn may be useful in preventing harm if someone decides they want to fight you. However, you shouldn’t be quick to resort to the skills you learn in Taekwondo in a potential fight that you can avoid.

In Brisbane and many other parts of Australia, violence is fairly rare. The type of brawl that can take place in a drinking spot usually only lasts for a short time and is broken up by the security guards. If the fight is outside, it can be more prolonged but, as long as you are aware of your surroundings, it’s easier to move away and not get involved.

Are there legal issues if I use Taekwondo in a fight?

As in all areas of Australia, the law in Brisbane says that you can use reasonable force if you are attacked. If you initiate the fight and use your Taekwondo to inflict injury, for instance, by performing a martial arts kick, you are still likely to be culpable, no matter what the provocation.

If you have been trained in Taekwondo self-defence methods, that’s exactly how you should use it, as self-defence, and only as a last resort.

When can I use Taekwondo in a fight?

Taekwondo training is focused around self-defence, although it includes attacking moves they are generally counter-attacks. There are many blocks, dodges and other foot skills to help you avoid being struck. If you are unlucky enough to be caught up in a fight, you might use these techniques to avoid injury, put your opponent off and get out of a bad situation as quickly as possible. You wouldn’t use your skill to teach the person you are fighting a lesson or for revenge.

Taekwondo can be viewed as an Art or a sport, either way most experts will tell you that it’s not designed to make you an invincible street fighter. If that’s your main focus, you may find Taekwondo classes a little disappointing.

Taekwondo, the art of self-defence

While Taekwondo translates as ‘the way of the foot and the fist’, at its heart, it’s a discipline that marries body and soul in harmony. As many people find out when they join a Taekwondo class in Brisbane, it’s as much a philosophy as it is a sport.

The more your practice evolves the more you will begin to understand this, particularly how Taekwondo affects other parts of your life. Yes, there are complicated moves and techniques to learn, but these bring peace, harmony and self-confidence rather than aggression.

Learning Taekwondo can help you manage difficult situations, including if you are faced with a potential fight on the street. It allows you to put your ego aside and think clearly and avoid getting into a fight in the first place.

If there is no choice, the techniques and speed and strengthening that Taekwondo offers mean you should be able to avoid getting hurt.

Another thing to note is that while there are self-defence techniques in Taekwondo, not all of them can be applied to the real world as they are only suitable for use within the Art or sport, for example, some of the flying and jumping kicks. While they are exciting to carry out they are impractical in most self-defence situations.

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