Control

Precise Control

The term control is refers to the precise control used in controlling the force of an attack. Control is one characteristic of Taekwondo and karate that sets ithem apart from other martial arts. Many fighting arts teach and train to strike with full force in every attack. Control requires the martial artist to precisely control the depth an attack penetrates the target depending upon the circumstances of the attack, the physical size and strength of the attacker, and the intent of the attacker. This type or control requires many years of training. For more information in this type of focus, see control.

Control, also referred to as focus, is the ability to deliver a full-power Taekwondo technique to a predetermined point in space. With proper control, a martial artist may execute a full-power punch that breaks through a stack of boards or execute a full-power punch that just barely touches the tip of a young student's nose. With proper control, you may aggressively spar an opponent using full-power techniques and never hurt the opponent, even if he or she never blocks any of the techniques. The mark of a true martial artist is precise control of full-power, fully-extended techniques.

Control comes from the proper use of range. The only difference between a full -power technique that kills and a full-power technique that merely touches is a difference in range. This difference in range is only—one inch, or less. This means the difference between fighting to kill and sparring to play is only one inch. This does not mean that during sparring sessions you stop your techniques one inch short—since all techniques are executed full-power and full-extension—it means you adjust your range (distance between you and your opponent) by one inch. Control requires one to develop an instinctive feeling of range through training. Just as your brain has been trained to make involuntary adjustments of your body to maintain balance while walking, control training trains the brain to make constant involuntary adjustments to range while sparring.