TKD-Coach: Neuroathletik × Taekwondo

Repo structure: see STRUCTURE.md — content is organized as Übungen (incl. the neuro-games), session-templates, and sessions.

Coaching methods, games and background on coaching Taekwondo through neural system training

This is a complete, ready-to-use library of 11 neuro-stimulus games embedded in authentic Taekwondo technique. Designed for Breitensport coaches in Germany working with kids (8–13), youth, and adults in 2-hour and 1.5-hour weekly sessions.

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Core Principle

The neuro-stimulus is built into real Taekwondo movement — not added alongside it.

• Technique is never compromised for the neuro-element
• All games use correct TKD form, stances, and kicks
• If a non-TKD movement is required, it is flagged explicitly with a ⚠ and justified scientifically
• The goal is better Taekwondo athletes, not laboratory subjects

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Who This Is For

• Breitensport coaches in Germany running mixed-age Taekwondo sessions
• Kids 8–13: 2-hour weekly sessions (71 min core games + buffer)
• Youth & Adults: 1.5-hour sessions (90 min, higher intensity)
• Coaches with no access to expensive vestibular equipment — all games use cones, pads, mats, ladders (standard training gear)
• Programs that treat balance, reaction speed, and sequence memory as trainable skills, not innate talent

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How This Repo Is Organized

uebungen/ — The Game Library

11 games organized by session phase:

• warmup/ (3 games): Activate nervous system, establish visual-motor coupling, prime stances/footwork

  • W1 Farben-Chagi (color-kick visual cueing)
  • W2 Spiegel-Stand (mirror stance + proprioceptive mirroring)
  • W3 Leiter-Stand-Exit (coordination ladder → stance exits)

• main/ (6 games): Technique under neuro-load; working memory, vestibular, proprioceptive challenge

  • M1 Zahlen-Kombi (working memory → kick combo sequencing)
  • M2 Vestibular Dollyo (post-rotation balance → full kick) ⚠ youth/adults only
  • M3 Einbein-Poomsae (single-leg Poomsae arm sequences)
  • M4 Poomsae unter Störung (motor persistence under visual distraction)
  • M5 Reaktions-Zahl-Kreis (auditory cue → block selection; group re-engagement)
  • M6 Vestibularer Gangpfad (gaze-fixed directional walk → VOR training) ⚠ non-TKD movement

• cooldown/ (2 games): Parasympathetic activation, proprioceptive consolidation, metric capture

  • C1 Balance-Hold Challenge (timed single-leg hold — primary tracking metric)
  • C2 Atem-Augen-Fokus (breathing + gaze parasympathetic protocol) ⚠ non-TKD breathing

Each game file contains:

• Neuro-target (what nervous system capacity is trained)
• Taekwondo Technique (the TKD movements, with form-preservation notes)
• TKD Link (how it transfers to sparring, Poomsae, technique)
• Setup & How to Play (step-by-step)
• Variations (easier/harder progressions)
• Log Metric (what to measure)
• Why It Works Neurologically (the science)

See games/README.md for the complete index.

session-templates/ — Ready-to-Run Session Templates

• kids-2h.md: Ages 8–13, 2-hour session (W1, W3, M1, M3, W2, M4, C1, C2)
• youth-adult-1h30.md: Youth & Adults, 1.5-hour session (W3, W1, M2, M3, W2, M4, C1, C2)

Each template:

• Lists games in order with timing
• Links to each game file
• Notes on progression, group dynamics, and energy management
• Substitution rules (e.g., M2 is youth/adults only; use M3 for kids instead)

assessment/ — Tracking & Progress

• system.md: The full assessment framework

  • In-game metrics (which game measures what)
  • Group/team formats (relay races, team totals, tournaments)
  • Retest rhythm (C1 every 4–6 weeks — the primary metric)
  • What "better" looks like (observable signs of neuro-progress in TKD terms)

• log-template.md: Quick log table (name, date, balance time, combo%, notes)

  • Copy to your coaching notebook or phone
  • ~30 seconds per session to fill
  • 4–6 week retest reminder

_source/ — Source Provenance

The two original source files that generated this scaffold:

• Games_20260530.md — v1.1 Coach Reference (primary source)
• 20260530_02.md — v1 log (secondary cross-check)

These are archived here for reference and provenance. The repo content is the definitive version.

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Standing Constraints & Design Principles

No expensive gear required:

• Cones, A4 paper, pads, kick shields, coordination ladder (or tape on floor), yoga mat
• All games run in a standard dojo or gym space with 3–5m working room per person

Warm-up / Main / Cool-down structure is fixed:

• Always start with warm-up (visual-motor + proprioceptive priming)
• Run main-block games in sequence (working memory, vestibular, proprioceptive load)
• Always end with cool-down (C1 balance baseline, C2 parasympathetic reset)

Mixed-ability adaptable:

• Every game has easier (↓) and harder (↑) variations
• Run the same game with multiple difficulty levels in the same session (pairs/groups)
• Form is never negotiable — athletes must execute correct technique before speed/neuro-challenge counts

Correct TKD technique is non-negotiable:

• If an athlete is losing form to speed, reduce the neuro-load
• The game is only valid if the technique is preserved
• "Fast and sloppy" does not equal "trained"

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Getting Started

1. Pick a session template → session-templates/ST-kids-2h.md or session-templates/ST-youth-adult-1h30.md

2. Read the game files for the games in your session → uebungen/

   • Each file is stand-alone and takes ~2–3 minutes to read

3. Set up equipment (cones, pads, ladder) before the session

4. Run the session in the warm-up → main → cool-down order

5. Log metrics using assessment/log-template.md — takes 30 seconds per session

6. Retest C1 Balance Hold every 4–6 weeks to track neuro-adaptation

See assessment/system.md for full guidance on tracking and retest rhythm.

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Open Tasks & Future Expansion

• Expand game library (sport-specific: spinning kicks, advanced blocking combinations)
• Create printable session cards (QR-code linked to game files, one-page formats for coaches)
• Parent/student progress reporting (how to communicate neuro-training benefits to families)
• Poomsae-specific neuro sequences (supplement Poomsae training with vestibular/proprioceptive sequences)
• Video demonstrations (1–2 min clips for each game, YouTube/repo link)

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Why This Approach Works

For Kids (8–13)

• Games feel like play, not testing
• Color-naming, peer energy, and competitive framing create natural engagement
• Visible improvement in balance and reaction speed over 6 weeks builds confidence
• Correct technique reinforcement happens without "technique lectures"

For Youth & Adults

• Neuro-training frames as elite performance protocol, not remedial work
• Fast feedback (metrics, retest cycles) shows adaptation is real
• Transfer to sparring and grading anxiety reduction is observable within 4 weeks
• Competitive and team formats maintain engagement through challenging drills

Neurobiologically

• The games target specific neural pathways (vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory-motor, attentional filtering, motor memory consolidation)
• Progression from visual-motor cueing (W1) → proprioceptive overload (M3) → attentional filtering (M4) → parasympathetic recovery (C2) matches how the nervous system learns and consolidates under training
• Retest metrics (C1 balance hold) are sensitive to real neural adaptation — improvement is genuine neuro-progress, not just technique polish

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Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for how to add new games and expand the library.

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App & Building

This repo also contains a React Native / Expo app under packages/native/ — the coaching companion (groups, session runner, assessments, and QR data-sync between coaches' phones).

Build note (known limitation): the app depends on @tobiasheinrichfaska/qr-sync — the QR data-sync engine, maintained in the separate expo-shared repo. That package is not yet published to a registry; it is currently consumed via a local path link. So npm install will not resolve it on a fresh standalone clone. Until qr-sync is published, building the app requires both repos checked out side-by-side under the same parent directory. The Markdown coaching library (games / sessions / assessment) needs no build and is usable as-is.

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License

This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPLv3). You are free to use, modify, and distribute this software under the terms of the AGPLv3. If you use this software to provide a network service, you must make the full source code of your modifications available to users of that service.

Commercial License: If you wish to use this software in a closed-source or proprietary product, a commercial license is available. Contact: tobias.a.w.heinrich@gmail.com

See LICENSE for the full AGPLv3 text. See LICENSE_COMMERCIAL.md for commercial licensing terms.

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TKD-Coach v1.1 · Neuroathletik × Taekwondo Breitensport · Adapt freely

Provenance: Games_20260530.md (v1.1 Coach Reference) + 20260530_02.md (v1 log)