Temporal structure of national vs. world-level taekwondo competitions: a time-motion analysis in taekwondo

International taekwondo competition has undergone substantial rule-driven intensification in recent years, yet empirical evidence regarding how Chinese athletes temporally adapt to these demands relative to global elites remains scarce. This study compared the temporal structure of the 2025 Chinese National Games (CNG) and 2025 Wuxi World Taekwondo Championships (WWC) to quantify differences in High intensity activities(HIA), Low intenisty activities(LIA), Referee pause(RP), and Effort: Pause(E:P) ratios.

Time-motion analysis was used on 171 rounds (75 matches) of gold-medal bouts. A 41-indicator taxonomy was developed via the Delphi method and applied frame-by-frame by two certified referees (Cohen's κ = 0.86). Variables were compared using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and three-way aligned rank transform (ART) ANOVA tests.

No between-tournament difference was found in round duration (p > .05). However, WWC demonstrated longer HIA duration (Z = -7.046, p < .001, r = .54) and shorter LIA duration (p = .050, r = .15) than CNG. Specifically, WWC showed longer directional-change kicks ≥2, consecutive slides ≥2, and forceful clinching (all p < .01), but shorter body rotation ≥360° (p = .004, d = 0.49). For LIA, WWC exhibited shorter single kicks, and bouncing steps, yet longer static standing and single slides (all p < .01). Referee pauses were shorter in WWC for regular, penalty, and video-review stoppages (all p < .001). The E:P ratio was 1:3.49 at WWC vs. 1:4.17 at CNG; the HIA:LIA ratio was 1:1.56 vs. 1:2.18.

The discrepancy between domestic and international elite taekwondo lies in intensity distribution rather than total round duration. Chinese domestic competition exhibits lower temporal density. Training should extend high-intensity bout duration, compress recovery, emphasise multi-directional combinations, prioritise clinch-breaking and close-quarters tactics, and develop explosive kicking from static to dynamic states.