Mexico residents Josh and Angie Lipscomb aren’t your average taekwondo instructors. They’re also competitors in the sport, with a chance at becoming world champions in their respective events next month.
The Lipscombs, who are married, are chief instructors at Mexico Martial Arts and are ranked in the top 10 worldwide in their respective events. Josh is ranked third in weapons and fifth in sparring. Angie is also ranked fifth in sparring.
The two will be competing in the ATA Taekwondo World Championships in Little Rock, Ark. June 25-27.
If they win, the Lipscombs won’t get any money or a spot in the 2012 Olympics. They’ll just get special patches to attach to their uniforms. Josh said that’s the way he likes it.
“That’s what keeps it really pure,” he said. “People are driven for that and there is no other goal besides achieving that.”
In sparring, two competitors face off wearing protective gear. They try to hit certain parts of their opponent’s body to score points. The matches usually last two minutes and the winner is the first person to score five points. For weapons, three different judges give scores for competitors’ technique when using the weapons. Proficiency and technique count for most of the score, but the competitor’s attitude also factors into the scoring.
Both Josh and Angie Lipscomb have been competing in these styles of taekwondo for more than three years, but this is their first competing for the world championship titles. To get to this competition, they have won several regional competitions, racking up points to rise through American Taekwondo Association’s rankings. The scores they received, the place they finished and the size of the tournaments they compete in determine these points.
“Then what they do is take the top ten people, put them in a ring and let them duel it out to see who becomes world champion,” Josh Lipscomb said.
Josh said he faces challenges in his field from opponents that are both taller and shorter than he is. Taller opponents can look down on their competitors, while shorter opponents are able to move more nimbly.
“I know about half the guys in my field,” he said. “The others are coming from left field.”
In addition to being instructors, the Lipscombs also have day jobs. He works as a digital technician and she as a schoolteacher. Angie said even though the couple has many things going in their life, they still make training a priority.
“It can be tough to find time to train,” she said. But if it’s important to you, you’re going to find the time.”
She said it was important that both of them were interested in the sport and it helped them stay close.
“I don’t think it would work nearly as well if we didn’t both enjoy it,” she said. “It takes up a lot of time.”
Angie Lipscomb took first place in the ATA tournament at the start of the season and Josh took first in weapons and second in sparring at that competition. Some of these tournaments can field up to 2,000 competitors from across the country and around the globe.
Josh Lipsomb said in tournaments last year he sparred with a competitor from South Ameri-ca. Angie said she finds it interesting to face opponents from places other than Missouri.
“It’s interesting to take on any opponent,” she said. “Every opponent has their own style and unless you’ve met that person before, you don’t know what to expect.”
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Mexico residents Josh and Angie Lipscomb aren’t your average taekwondo instructors. They’re also competitors in the sport, with a chance at becoming world champions in their respective events next month.
The Lipscombs, who are married, are chief instructors at Mexico Martial Arts and are ranked in the top 10 worldwide in their respective events. Josh is ranked third in weapons and fifth in sparring. Angie is also ranked fifth in sparring.
The two will be competing in the ATA Taekwondo World Championships in Little Rock, Ark. June 25-27.
If they win, the Lipscombs won’t get any money or a spot in the 2012 Olympics. They’ll just get special patches to attach to their uniforms. Josh said that’s the way he likes it.
“That’s what keeps it really pure,” he said. “People are driven for that and there is no other goal besides achieving that.”
In sparring, two competitors face off wearing protective gear. They try to hit certain parts of their opponent’s body to score points. The matches usually last two minutes and the winner is the first person to score five points. For weapons, three different judges give scores for competitors’ technique when using the weapons. Proficiency and technique count for most of the score, but the competitor’s attitude also factors into the scoring.
Both Josh and Angie Lipscomb have been competing in these styles of taekwondo for more than three years, but this is their first competing for the world championship titles. To get to this competition, they have won several regional competitions, racking up points to rise through American Taekwondo Association’s rankings. The scores they received, the place they finished and the size of the tournaments they compete in determine these points.
“Then what they do is take the top ten people, put them in a ring and let them duel it out to see who becomes world champion,” Josh Lipscomb said.
Josh said he faces challenges in his field from opponents that are both taller and shorter than he is. Taller opponents can look down on their competitors, while shorter opponents are able to move more nimbly.
“I know about half the guys in my field,” he said. “The others are coming from left field.”
In addition to being instructors, the Lipscombs also have day jobs. He works as a digital technician and she as a schoolteacher. Angie said even though the couple has many things going in their life, they still make training a priority.
“It can be tough to find time to train,” she said. But if it’s important to you, you’re going to find the time.”
She said it was important that both of them were interested in the sport and it helped them stay close.
“I don’t think it would work nearly as well if we didn’t both enjoy it,” she said. “It takes up a lot of time.”
Angie Lipscomb took first place in the ATA tournament at the start of the season and Josh took first in weapons and second in sparring at that competition. Some of these tournaments can field up to 2,000 competitors from across the country and around the globe.
Josh Lipsomb said in tournaments last year he sparred with a competitor from South Ameri-ca. Angie said she finds it interesting to face opponents from places other than Missouri.
“It’s interesting to take on any opponent,” she said. “Every opponent has their own style and unless you’ve met that person before, you don’t know what to expect.”
