What to Watch

When sparring, or when fighting or having to defend yourself, what should you watch: the opponent’s hands or the opponent’s feet. If you watch the wrong place, you may next be watching your life flash before your eyes.

Since Taekwondo is a martial art that specializes in kicking, most beginners tend to watch the opponent’s feet, especially in sport Taekwondo sparring where hands are seldom, if ever, used. Are the feet the best place to watch?

In boxing, kicking is not permitted so there is no need to watch the feet. In traditional Taekwondo, hand attacks are frequently used and since hands are so versatile and quick, they score a lot. Does this mean that the hands are the best place to watch? Could it be that neither the feet nor the hands are the best place to watch?