Taekwondo Technique Forefront of Analysis

 

by Rebecca Lee - 06.04.09

British Taekwondo are no strangers to performance analysis. Not only did the Beijing Olympics draw attention to the need for video playback within the sport to support refereeing but the British performance programme has been applying the discipline within training and competition for almost two years.

With such a technical sport, performance analysis can support coaches and athletes in their development of techniques whilst also allowing real-time feedback during competitions. EIS Performance Analyst Des Blackburn and BTCB – Sport Taekwondo UK Ltd Performance Director Gary Hall talk to eis2win.co.uk on how the discipline has been applied to the performance programme.

“Performance analysis has proven to be a key tool in the measurement of our teams improving performance” says Hall. “It has enhanced our evidence based objective player performance measures and has given some clarity in a sport that is predominantly judged on a subjective referee based system.

“The data capture during training has enhanced our ability to feedback technical and tactical improvement opportunities to our players. It has also improved our coaches and players ability to develop game winning strategies against our main international opposition” he adds.

EIS Performance Analyst Des Blackburn has worked with British Taekwondo for almost two years, travelling with them to major competitions as well as delivering support during training. Being embedded closely within the sport, whilst increasing his skills and sharing knowledge as part of the EIS Performance Analysis team, has been a key factor in developing the service within taekwondo according to Blackburn.

“Having worked so closely as part of the performance programme in taekwondo I have learnt a great deal from the coaches and athletes about the sport, which has increased my capacity to deliver to their needs. Being able to then work as part of the regional and national EIS Performance Analysis teams has ensured I have developed my skills and the system I have been using with the sport along the way” explains Blackburn.

“I deliver support during the technique sessions several times each week, as well as during competitions, which requires instant feedback. This allows the athletes to see exactly how they are progressing and provides supporting data to the coaches” he adds.

Getting to grips with what the coaches needed going into the Beijing Games has certainly proved a vital learning experience for Blackburn in the run up to London 2012.

“Going into Beijing my work was focused on the analysis of each weight category and competitors we could face” says Blackburn. “I use Dartfish software (EIS Preferred Video Analysis Partner) in my work with taekwondo and whilst the squad were out in Cuba ahead of the Beijing Games I streamed clips over to the coaches and athletes so they could use them to help prepare.”

“I am now working on a data-basing project to collate all the information we have so that we can have a comprehensive  range of information for the sport which we can use at milestones on the way to the London 2012 Games. The biggest focus for this year will be the World Championships in October which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark” he adds.

BTCB – Sport Taekwondo UK Ltd has renewed their partnership agreement with the English Institute of Sport in the run up to the London Games this week. The sport science and medical services EIS will be delivering to the support include performance analysis, physiotherapy, soft tissue therapy and strength and conditioning.

For more information on British Taekwondo visit their website here

Photography © Getty Images