What mistakes lose marks in taekwondo poomsae?
I · Intermediate · The forms and the score · 1 of 3A small mistake in a stance or hand movement costs 0.1 from the accuracy mark of 4.0. A big mistake costs 0.3: a wrong movement, a missing shout, a pause of three seconds or more. Restarting the form costs 0.6. Finishing outside the time or crossing the boundary takes 0.3 off the final score.
How it works
- Small mistake: 0.1 each time a stance or a hand movement is not performed as the scoring guidelines describe.
- Big mistake: 0.3 each time.
- A wrong action: such as a high block where a low block belongs, or the wrong stance.
- The shout: the kihap missing or made at the wrong moment.
- A pause: "forgetting the next movement for three seconds or longer".
- The eyes: not looking to the side the action is made towards.
- A foot down: the raised foot touching the ground in the crane stance.
- A weak stamp: the stamping movement made without enough power and sound.
- Loud breathing: audible breathing noises.
- Restarting: 0.6, however many movements had been performed.
- Time: 0.3 "from the final score" for finishing early or late.
- The boundary: 0.3 from the final score for crossing the border during the performance.
The glossary has the poomsae deductions entry, the poomsae scoring entry, poomsae, the recognised poomsae entry, the corner judges and the referee.
Tricky cases
An athlete forgets the kihap. How much does it cost?
0.3 from accuracy. A missing or mistimed kihap is on the list of big mistakes.
An athlete freezes for two seconds, then carries on. Is that a big mistake?
The example given is a stop of three seconds or longer. A shorter hesitation is not on the list.
An athlete blanks, bows and starts the form again. What is deducted?
0.6, whatever number of movements came before the restart.
Can accuracy go below zero?
The rules read do not say. Accuracy starts at 4.0 and loses 0.1 or 0.3 each time.
Why the rule exists
Fixed amounts make accuracy the countable half of the score: two judges watching the same stance should take off the same 0.1. The big-mistake list is mostly about things that change the form itself, where a wrong block is no longer the form that was assigned.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | 0.1 and 0.3 for each mistake, 0.6 for a restart | WT Poomsae Article 15.1.2; Explanations 1 to 3 |
| Presentation | Marked overall, not by mistake | WT Poomsae Article 15 Explanation 4 |
| Time and boundary | 0.3 from the final score | WT Poomsae Article 15.3 |
| Freestyle | No accuracy mark; technical skills are awarded, not deducted | WT Poomsae Article 15.2 |
From the rule book
World Taekwondo, Poomsae Competition Rules & Interpretation (in force 30 September 2024), Article 15. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WT Poomsae Competition Rules & Interpretation, 30 September 2024 (PDF).