Is this for real?

Female Taekwondo uniform could be redesigned

Juanjo Padrós, director of Andorra Taekwondo Federation and member of the European Union Executive Committee, is responsible for the innovative new design for the “female Dobok”.



The model designed by Juanjo Padrós, is a Taekwondo uniform that fits to the body using Lycra fabrics. The other model consists of a dress with a skirt and Lycra pants, giving it a more feminine touch to the Dobok.

The new design was presented to the WTF Expansion Committee in Puebla, during the World Taekwondo Championship; among the people present were WTF President, Dr. Choue, WTF Secretary General, WTF vice Director of Marketing and Communications and the Presidents of the different Continental Unions.

The WTF welcomed the new model with great interest and will study the different designs created by Padrós to see some important details before they finally instruct any manufacturer to produce the official clothing. “Right now everything is in the hands of the WTF Secretary General Jean-Marie Ayer and the Director of Marketing. The original model was created in Tailor & Co with model Jessica Rovira, member of the National Taekwondo Team of Andorra” explained Juanjo Padrós to masTaekwondo.com.





According Padrós, the main reasons for creating this new uniform were:

1) Renew the female Taekwondo image and make a better difference between the male and female categories.

2) Adapt the modern fabrics used now in sports to Taekwondo.

3) Ease and release the body movements in Taekwondo

4) Adapt the latest medical and computer technologies applied to fabrics.

5) Improve Taekwondo image in the TV and press.

On the other hand the creator of this new female Dobok detailed five reasons why he thinks this new model should be the competitive circuit:

1) All scientific evidence suggests that new fabrics are vital to fit the body and allow a better freedom of movement, creating more definition and clean movements. People will enjoy better definition and movement.

2) The latest advances in medicine and physiotherapy, as tiping or other techniques, can be applied to Doboks.

3) The new technologies like blood pressure, heart beat, and temperature control chips can be applied in the new Doboks, and thus show to the world the most modern and innovative martial art and sport.

4) Sometimes, for amateur spectators, it is difficult to differentiate if it is a female or male combat. With these new models, the categories will be easier to differentiate. It is also important the competition in other martial arts like Judo and Karate.

5) The most important reason is to take a better advantage of our female competitors because they are a treasure. It is important to show that practicing Taekwondo gives good health, helps to stay fit and gives a beautiful body shape. This last issue must be exploited and must be used to promote Taekwondo in this specific moment, after the success in the Olympics and a great World Championship, to attract television and mass media interest.

The World Taekwondo Federation is analyzing to incorporate the new uniform in the Grand Prix in December 2013. In Europe, it seems that during the Under-21 European Championships, they will make a test of the new uniform.