IMAGINE yourself playing a fighting video game, with you doing all the moves, instead of using a controller.
That is one of the elements of virtual taekwondo where our very own Jeus Yape won a gold medal in the 20th Asian Games, the event making its debut this year in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
READ: Jeus Yape brings in Philippines' fourth Asiad gold medal
But for years already, taekwondo has embraced modern technology after the international federation World Taekwondo endorsed the virtual concept of the sport. Several events including a world championship had already been staged before the Asian Games held its own virtual competition.
In short, virtual taekwondo is the esports version of the sport, which can be comparable to other fighting games such as Tekken. But unlike the traditional games where a player uses a controller to maneuver the character, virtual taekwondo requires the player to do the actual moves in a kyorugi (full-contact discipline) bout.
To simulate the fighting movements, athletes wore apparatuses including a virtual headset where they can see their virtual opponent and the health bar, which determines who wins the bout.
“Nauso ‘yung esports so nakaisip ang WT ng version na taekwondo pero this is very unique kasi sa virtual taekwondo, gumamit sila ng mga equipment like nodes na isusuot, dalawa sa paa, isa sa taas ng tuhod, isa sa baba, tapos may hawak sila na controller, at may nakasuot sa head nila,” said Jeordan Dominguez, Yape’s coach for the virtual taekwondo competition, in an interview following their Asian Games conquest.
“Parang Tekken pero real life kasi ikaw ang gumagalaw,” Dominguez added. “Sa Tekken, kino-control mo lang. Dito, ikaw ‘yung gumagalaw.”
Meantime, competitors stand several feet across each other. There is no contact between the two, physically, but there is, virtually. Spectators, on the other hand, get to see the virtual action on a screen.
“‘Yung galaw mo, gagayahin ng character mo. So kunwari sisipa ka, ‘yung player mo sa virtual side, sisipa rin ‘yun. Kung ano ‘yung ginagawa mo, ‘yun din ang gagawin niya," Dominguez continued.
“Ang maganda sa virtual kasi is walang matangkad, walang maliit, walang gender. Sa virtual na laro, ‘yung mga players is parang pare-pareho lang. Na-build siya para malaro ng kahit sino,” he added.
In the Asian Games, the competitors compete for two rounds, with a third needed to break a tie. To win a round, you must end up with the most health points (HP), which can be attained by attacking your opponent with moves being done in an actual taekwondo bout so that his points would be deducted.
“Naka-depende ‘yung bawas ng buhay ng kalaban sa target, una, kunwari sa ulo o sa katawan, and then next is magde-depende pa ‘yung bawas sa health kung gaano kalakas ‘yung kick. Mag-mamatter ‘yung speed and way ng pag-kick mo, dapat proper,” said Dominguez.
Jeus' golden run is no joke
Contrary to perception, virtual taekwondo requires a lot of physical conditioning in order to compete at a high level such as the Asian Games.
“Labanan siya ng techniques, accuracy ng distance. Actually, mahirap din siya kasi lagi silang sumisipa so kailangan may stamina. ‘Yung mga players na naglalaro ng virtual, dapat ensayado din kasi ikaw mismo ‘yung gagalaw,” the coach continued.
That was exactly what Yape did during his preparation on his way to winning the gold medal in virtual taekwondo, as well as the bronze in the men’s individual poomsae - with both events he trained for at the same time in the lead-up to the Asian Games.
“Meron naman talaga tayong team sa virtual kasi meron na tayong world champion sa virtual (Zyca Angelica Santiago), may mga magagaling tayo na virtual. Ang nangyari sa Asian Games was sinabi na ang players lang na puwedeng maglaro sa virtual ay kasama sa line-up ng Asian Games. Ang naisip namin si Jeus kasi dating kyorugi din siya," he said.
“Ang PTA naman, lagi silang sumusuporta sa amin so nung may virtual, bumili na sila ng system na ‘yan. Tapos ang PTA, pinadala kami sa Korea ni Jeus para mag-training camp ng virtual. Nakikipag-coordinate din kami kung ano puwede naming gawin sa system para mas maintindihan ko."
In winning the maiden virtual taekwondo competition in the Asiad last Friday, Yape beat Dunya Bushuaib Saber of Saudi Arabia, 2-1; Hayate Suzuki of Japan in the quarterfinals, 2-0; and Rita Bakisheva of Kazakhstan, 2-0, a day after taking the bronze in the men's individual poomsae.
“‘Yung preparation was very hard kasi kailangan pa niya mag-training ng poomsae with Coach Rani (Ortega), mag-tetraining naman siya ng freestyle sa akin tapos kailangan niya mag-training ng virtual with the virtual team kila Zyca, kina coach Dane (Dane Pio de Roda)," Yape's coach explained.
"Imagine, buong araw, training ng iba’t ibang skill. Sa poomsae, kailangan pa niya mag-training ng hand skill, mga sipa. Sa freestyle, kailangan niya mag-train ng jumps at tumbling, tapos pupunta siya ng virtual," he continued.
“Kaya sabi ko, bilib na bilib ako sa batang ‘yan. Imagine, tatlong events sa isang laro."
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