What is freestyle poomsae?
I · Intermediate · The forms and the score · 2 of 3A performance the athletes compose themselves from taekwondo techniques, set to music of their choice and lasting 90 to 100 seconds. It is scored out of 10: technical skills 6.0 and presentation 4.0. Five kinds of kick make up 5.0 of the technical mark, so the kicks decide most contests.
How it works
- The athlete's choice: the line of movement, the music and the choreography.
- Within taekwondo: "Performed techniques must be within boundary of taekwondo."
- Time: from 90 to 100 seconds.
- Technical skills: 6.0.
- The kicks: 5.0 across five areas.
- Jumping side kick: marked on quality and the height of the jump.
- Multiple kicks in a jump: marked on quality and the number of kicks.
- Spin kick: marked on quality and the degree of spin, such as 360, 540 or 720 degrees.
- Consecutive kicks: sparring-style kicks in a row, "limited from seven(7) to ten(10)".
- Acrobatic kick: marked on mastery and quality.
- Basic movements and practicability: 1.0.
- Presentation: 4.0 across four things: creativity, harmony, expression of energy and the fit of music with choreography.
- Events: individual and pair, and a mixed team of five with at least two men and two women.
The glossary has the freestyle poomsae entry, poomsae, the poomsae scoring entry, the poomsae ties entry, the corner judges and taekwondo.
Tricky cases
A performance lasts 85 seconds. What happens?
0.3 is taken off the final score for finishing earlier than the set time.
Can an athlete include a gymnastics tumble with no kick in it?
Techniques must be within the boundary of taekwondo, which the WT Poomsae Committee defines. The rules read do not list what falls outside.
An athlete throws twelve consecutive kicks. Do the extra two earn more?
The number of consecutive kicks is limited to between seven and ten.
Two freestyle athletes tie. How is it broken?
By the higher technical skills mark.
Why the rule exists
Recognised poomsae rewards doing an old form exactly. Freestyle rewards athleticism and invention, and gives spectators something closer to a floor routine. Naming the five kick types keeps it comparable: every performance has to show the same five skills.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Freestyle | Technical skills 6.0, presentation 4.0 | WT Poomsae Article 14.2 |
| Divisions | Under 17 and over 17 | WT Poomsae Article 6.2 |
| Mixed team | Five members and one substitute; three skills performed as board breaks | WT Poomsae Article 6 Explanation 1 |
| Freestyle team area | 12 m by 12 m | WT Poomsae Article 3 |
| Mixed poomsae competition | A recognised form first, then a freestyle one | WT Poomsae Article 5 Explanation 1 |
From the rule book
World Taekwondo, Poomsae Competition Rules & Interpretation (in force 30 September 2024), Articles 5, 6, 9, 10, 14.2 and 15.2. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WT Poomsae Competition Rules & Interpretation, 30 September 2024 (PDF).