Why are taekwondo athletes penalised for holding a leg in the air?
A · Advanced · Penalties · 1 of 5Because a raised leg used as a barrier stops the opponent from attacking without being an attack itself. It is a gam-jeom to lift the leg to block, to kick the opponent's leg to stop a kick, to hold a leg up or kick the air for more than three seconds, or to kick the air four times or more.
How it works
- Blocking: "Lifting the leg to block".
- Leg on leg: "Kicking the opponent's leg to impede the opponent's kicking attack".
- Aiming low: a kick aimed below the waist.
- Four in the air: lifting the leg above the waist to kick the air "for four (4) times or more".
- Three seconds: lifting a leg or kicking the air "for more than three (3) seconds" to impede the opponent's attack.
- The exception: a lifted leg or cut kick motion is allowed when "followed by execution of punching or kicking technique in combination motion".
- Each is a gam-jeom: 1 point to the opponent.
The glossary has gam-jeom, the prohibited acts entry, the permitted techniques and areas entry, the valid points entry, the referee and the protector and scoring system.
Tricky cases
An athlete raises the front knee, then fires a kick to the trunk from it. Is that leg-lifting?
No. A lifted leg followed by a kick in one combination is not penalised.
An athlete holds the front leg up for two seconds, puts it down and lifts it again. Is that a gam-jeom?
The three-second rule is not broken by either lift. The rules read do not say whether repeated short lifts add up.
Blue starts a kick and red stamps on blue's thigh to stop it. What is given?
A gam-jeom against red. Strong kicking or stamping on the thigh, knee or shin to interfere with a technique is treated as attacking below the waist.
Does a kick that misses count towards the four in the air?
The rule speaks of lifting the leg above the waist for kicking in the air four times or more. It does not define a missed attack against a kick into empty space.
Why the rule exists
Electronic scoring rewards contact with the protector, which led athletes to stand on one leg and fence with the front foot. The result was hard to watch and far from kicking with the whole body. These five acts were written to push athletes back to real attacks.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Individual contests | All five acts are a gam-jeom | WT Article 14.4.1.5 |
| With a follow-up technique | Not penalised | WT Article 14 Explanation 1 (v) |
| Team competition | Not in the team list of prohibited acts | WT Article 22.8.1 |
From the rule book
World Taekwondo, Competition Rules & Interpretation (in force 1 June 2026), Article 14.4.1.5 with Explanation 1 (v) and (vi). Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WT Competition Rules & Interpretation, 1 June 2026 (PDF).