TKD is actually quite a diverse art, so your experience will depend upon what your school chooses to teach. Point sparring has some good that can be gleaned from it. You should focus on tactics, footwork, and strategies. These can be added to what you already know and make you a more complete fighter. For example, I often insert the following sequence into a match: in an L stance, single step back, double step back, shift forward into an extended L and punch. The two reverse moves make my opponent think he is winning and lure him to press forward. My forward shift and lunge reverses my torso and often comes as a complete surprise. There are countless variations of this type of move you can play with. The secret is to find stuff that works for you and train until it becomes second nature. Then, when you fight with power and contact, you can deliver solid hits while avoiding payback.

Thanks a lot!

It's ITF TaeKwon Do, but when sparring no contact to the head or face. When I'm sparring my opponent usually positions their hands and arms covering the fronts and side of their protector and there's no where else we're allowed to score. When I do throw a round house I get the side but my toes and maybe a little of my foot extends beyond the circle on the protector so the instructor gives me warnings for kicking to the back? My oponants will come in knowing I won't go for the head but every time I pretty much have a knock out punch. I'm not a very good fighter but these are such massive mistakes it drives me crazy.

The spinning back kick is a very good idea! I never used it in Mauy Thai but started practicing it yesterday, so I will defiantly pratice countering with that.

That's a lot.

Unless you are doing WTF Olympic style sparring, I don't see why you can't use pretty much all of what you have already learned with the exception of sweeps on beginner students, kicks to the thighs on beginners, and/or not being allowed to fight full contact without a lot of safety equipment. Are they not allowing you to grab? If so, that's not really a big deal since you should still be able to strike.

Just keep practicing and you will get it. It is a different style than you are used to. Learning any new thing takes time.

Based off your description, it sounds like you are learning the sport side of Taekwondo. If you ever get to learn the self-defense side you will see that there are throws and joint locks in Taekwondo, and once you learn self-defense, you will be allowed to use things you learned in Muay Thai, Kick Boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jutsu. Then again, see if you can incorporate any of the kicks from Taekwondo. For example. one technique found in Taekwondo is counter to a roundhouse kick. When your opponent throws a roundhouse, you can either perform a spinning back kick or a spinning hook kick.

I recently (a few months ago) started training in TaeKwon Do.

I'm 44 and have had a lot of training over the years in Mauy Thai, Kick Boxing and BJJ.

My problem is the sparring and tournment system for TKD is so frustrating!!

I'm sparring with young kids and adults that are beating me in points because I have to always keep in my head I can't use a lot of stuff I've learned, in TKD fighting without getting disqualified so I'm honestly pissed because there are a lot of basic mistakes I see when sparring and I can't capitalize because it's against the rules. I'm clearly getting in good hits and honesty even on the black belts in my class but so frustrated I've just taken to dancing around and letting them throw their kicks.

I do love TKD but I'm at a loss as to how I change my whole fighting style to accomadate TKD sparring.

Sorry so long winded.