From the remote venue of Muju, Korea ("the middle of back-ass nowhere," as our hosts colorfully describe it), the Warehouse 15 podcast delivers an unfiltered analysis of the Grand Prix Challenge that combines technical breakdowns with candid commentary on the politics affecting taekwondo.

The spotlight shines brightest on two American performers - CJ Young securing gold in the welterweight division and 19-year-old Victor Rodriguez delivering the tournament's most impressive upset by defeating an Olympic gold medalist. Rodriguez's performance exemplifies the podcast's central theme: the sometimes painful gap between performance quality and desired results. Despite fighting "lights out," Rodriguez experienced a heartbreaking semifinal collapse that cost him a medal opportunity.

Beyond the competition itself, the hosts – all decorated Olympic medalists – address recent criticism directed at them by taekwondo organization leadership. With characteristic frankness, they challenge the propriety of high-ranking officials using their platforms for personal attacks rather than focusing on athlete development. "If you're a winner, you're a winner. If you're not, you're a whiner," becomes their unapologetic response to the situation.

The conversation shifts between detailed technical analysis (including officiating inconsistencies and strategic breakdowns) and broader reflections on what constitutes meaningful achievement in the sport. While tournament victories deserve celebration, the hosts maintain that Olympic success remains the ultimate measure of a program's effectiveness: "Let's celebrate an Olympic win. That's it. Win the Olympics."

As they look ahead to upcoming divisions and tournaments, the podcast offers both tactical insights for competitors and thoughtful perspective for fans seeking to understand the sport's complexities. Whether you're a dedicated practitioner or casual observer, this episode delivers the perfect blend of expert analysis and unvarnished opinion.

Join us next week as we continue our coverage of international taekwondo competitions and bring you more insights from those who've reached the pinnacle of the sport. Subscribe now to ensure you never miss an episode!

Truth-telling takes center stage in this candid episode as we pull back the curtain on recent controversies and performances in USA Taekwondo. After connecting with key insiders about the much-discussed Poomsae competition incident, we share a more nuanced perspective on what actually happened while condemning the unacceptable targeting of child athletes with negative behavior.

Our conversation shifts to a brutally honest analysis of Team USA's ninth-place finish at the Junior Pan American Games—a result that should raise serious alarms for anyone invested in American Taekwondo's future. We dissect the disconnect between organizational messaging about "understanding the mission" and the reality of underperformance in a region where USA historically dominates. This leads us to deeper questions about resource allocation, coaching selections, and the accountability gap that persists despite repeated disappointing outcomes.

Looking ahead to the Grand Prix Challenge in Muju, we weigh the value of participation against strategic considerations, questioning whether some developing athletes might benefit more from targeting competitions where they can build confidence and success. Throughout our discussion runs a powerful thread about accountability—the willingness to own both triumphs and failures rather than selectively celebrating successes while orphaning disappointing results.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, parent, or Taekwondo enthusiast, this episode's unflinching examination of the sport's current challenges will leave you with much to consider about what true excellence requires. Join us for this thought-provoking conversation that asks the tough questions others avoid.

From the beautiful shores of Maui, this candid conversation dives deep into the current state of Taekwondo with the raw honesty that listeners have come to expect from these Olympic veterans.

The hosts dissect a controversial Poomsae scoring incident that rocked the National Championships, questioning why an unprecedented formal report was issued when a competitor was added to finals after initially placing 12th. What makes this situation particularly noteworthy is how tournament officials removed video evidence and implemented a response dramatically different from how fighting controversies are typically handled. This raises profound questions about transparency and organizational priorities that affect competitors at all levels.

As conversation shifts to the upcoming Under-21 Pan Am Games, the hosts provide expert analysis on each weight division and the qualification pathways to the Olympics. Their disappointment that the United States only qualified competitors in four divisions reveals a concerning trend about development priorities in American Taekwondo. The qualification structure potentially allows young winners direct entry to the Olympic Games - creating an alternative pathway that could reshape competitive careers.

Perhaps most fascinating is the hosts' exploration of when fighters reach their physical prime in modern Taekwondo. Their surprising consensus that today's athletes peak between 18-23 years old - much earlier than previous generations - reflects how dramatically the sport has evolved. This shift raises important questions about athlete development, career longevity, and the changing technical demands of competitive Taekwondo.

Throughout the discussion runs a thread of wisdom about humility in martial arts. As one host eloquently states, success is "rented, not owned" - a powerful reminder about perspective that transcends sport. Whether you're a competitor, coach, or passionate fan, this episode offers invaluable insights from those who've experienced Taekwondo at its highest levels.

Join us next Friday when we'll analyze the Pan Am Games results with special guest Dr. Capner. Your perspective matters - what changes have you observed in competitive martial arts development?

Three Taekwondo veterans unpack controversial developments in the martial art with raw honesty and deep expertise, promising "Sorry, not sorry" to anyone who might be offended by their candid perspectives.

• The new 3-2-1 scoring system being tested at the German Open eliminates spinning technique bonus points
• Video reviews for head kicks being removed, raising concerns about fairness and referee influence
• USAT's talent identification camp selection process lacks transparency and seemingly overlooks accomplished athletes
• Questions about whether performance truly matters in elite Taekwondo or if politics take precedence
• The evolution from "old school" power-based scoring to electronic-based systems has fundamentally changed the sport
• Elite athletes from any era would likely adapt and excel in different systems
• Today's Taekwondo might not attract the same talent as other martial arts due to its evolution

For new Peak Taekwondo apparel including leggings and tights, check our website to order your pair and support the podcast.

The Warehouse 15 crew breaks down major issues in American taekwondo competition structures after back-to-back USAT and AAU tournaments, examining why development has become watered down and what's needed for the sport to thrive again.

• Critical analysis of running Under-21 Team Trials and Senior Nationals back-to-back, forcing athletes to make difficult competition choices
• Discussion on what true development means beyond simply attending tournaments
• Concern over American athletes lacking international exposure needed to believe they can defeat opponents from powerhouse nations
• Examination of the diminished value of making national teams when some weight categories require minimal competition
• Candid talk about political realities in USA Taekwondo organizations that discourage speaking out about problems
• Criticism of inconsistent refereeing decisions and electronic scoring system issues at recent tournaments
• Positive news about AAU national team budget reportedly doubling, potentially providing more international competitive opportunities
• Call for more random weigh-ins to ensure athletes can consistently make competition weight
• Reflections on the courage needed to vote for organizational changes even when it means voting yourself out of power

We're always keeping it real here at Warehouse 15 - sorry not sorry!

In this raw and unfiltered episode, we dive headfirst into the transformation of competitive taekwondo from a power-based combat sport to today's point-focused tactical game. The conversation kicks off with analysis of the recent Korean Open, where Christina Teachout claimed silver for the USA in what appeared to be a more reliable implementation of the Gen 3 Hokus scoring system.

What follows is a candid exploration of how modern taekwondo athletes have physically evolved - from the powerful, conditioned fighters of previous generations to today's taller, leaner competitors who focus on light touches rather than devastating blows. "We practiced getting hit," one host reflects, highlighting the stark contrast to today's training approaches. The episode pulls no punches when analyzing this evolution, with colorful descriptions of modern competitors as "K-pop dancers" who lack the fighting spirit of previous eras.

The heart of the discussion examines the fundamental failures in American taekwondo's development pipeline. While other nations implement centralized training programs that bring their best talents together, the United States suffers from fragmentation, politics, and a lack of vision. The hosts introduce the concept of "sustained competitive excellence" as the true measure of program success - not just occasional medals, but consistently fielding dangerous competitors across weight categories.

Perhaps most compelling is the passionate breakdown of what effective leadership in national programs should look like: inclusive rather than exclusive, respected by the community, and accountable for results. The conversation doesn't shy away from calling out systemic problems, yet offers constructive solutions derived from decades of combined experience at the highest levels of the sport.

Whether you're a competitive athlete, coach, administrator, or simply a taekwondo enthusiast, this episode delivers invaluable insights into the crossroads where taekwondo currently stands - caught between tradition and evolution, fighting spirit and point scoring, fragmentation and unity.

When leadership changes at a major competition like the AAU National Championships, what happens to the quality of the event? Olympic medalists and veteran coaches Juan "The Mayor of Taekwondo" Moreno and TJ "Bronze" Grimes take us behind the scenes of the recent tournament in Salt Lake City, providing a raw, unfiltered look at what worked and what critically failed.

The 3,400+ competitor event showed promising participation numbers, especially in youth divisions where color belts had multiple matches. But beneath this success lurked serious problems: inexperienced referees making critical errors, procedural inconsistencies that changed match outcomes, and most troublingly, young children competing without coaches present. The hosts don't just criticize—they offer concrete solutions while acknowledging the challenges of rebuilding after a leadership exodus.

The conversation shifts to broader themes in combat sports, including a takedown of Joe Rogan's claims about his Taekwondo background (did he really have "Olympic aspirations"?), and a fascinating parallel with USA Soccer's systemic development problems following their disappointing loss to Mexico. Both discussions highlight how organizational structures and leadership directly impact athletic performance and development.

This episode delivers more than just tournament talk—it's a masterclass in sports organization from two coaches who've experienced everything from local competitions to Olympic gold medal matches. Whether you're a coach, competitor, or martial arts enthusiast, you'll gain valuable insights into what makes competitions succeed or fail at the most fundamental levels.

Have you experienced poor officiating at a tournament? Share your stories and join the conversation about how we can collectively improve competition experiences for athletes at all levels.

What happens when a combat sport's scoring system fundamentally changes what techniques are rewarded? In this revealing episode, we analyze footage from the Grand Prix Challenge match between CJ Nicholas (USA) and Sol Jungwoo (Korea) that highlights everything wrong with modern electronic scoring in Taekwondo.

Through frame-by-frame analysis, we expose phantom points, missing techniques, and bizarre scoring anomalies that have become commonplace in high-level competition. More troubling is how these systems have transformed the very nature of the sport – athletes now prioritize any contact with electronic sensors over proper technique, power, and the strategic movement patterns that once defined Taekwondo.

The conversation takes a nostalgic but critical turn as we compare today's matches with footage from the 1988 Olympics and 1989 World Championships. We lament the loss of Taekwondo's "attacking matrix" – the beautiful technical framework where every attack had a logical counter, creating a complex and effective martial art. Today's linear exchanges, with athletes standing toe-to-toe trading front leg techniques, bear little resemblance to the dynamic combat that made Taekwondo an Olympic sport.

We also discuss international training experiences across generations, from our own teenage adventures training in Korea with no language skills to watching the next generation navigate similar journeys today. These cultural exchanges remain one of the sport's most valuable traditions even as the competitive landscape continues to evolve.

Is Taekwondo losing its identity in pursuit of objectivity? Can electronic scoring be fixed to reward proper technique? Or should we create parallel competition formats to preserve the art's technical heritage? Join our passionate discussion about the future of this Olympic martial art.

The dark underbelly of competitive Taekwondo surfaces in this revealing episode as coaches Juan Moreno, Fred Borchardt, and TJ Proe dissect the technical disaster that unfolded at the recent Grand Prix Challenge in Charlotte. What began as a standard tournament quickly descended into chaos when the DADO Gen 3 electronic scoring system malfunctioned spectacularly, with officials secretly adjusting sensitivity levels midway through the competition.

Through firsthand accounts, the coaches expose how morning matches yielded only 16 total points across all rings, while afternoon sessions suddenly exploded with scores in the 30s and 40s. Athletes who fought early faced completely different conditions than those who competed later, fundamentally compromising the integrity of the entire event. The magnets in the new Gen 3 socks proved so powerful they would attract each other even in storage bags—a telling sign of a system gone terribly wrong. As one coach states bluntly, "We're on Generation 3 and it's gotten worse and worse and worse."

Beyond the technical failures, the discussion ventures into troubling territory regarding organizational leadership, selective rule enforcement, and the puzzling decision by officials to declare front hand punches non-scoring techniques despite allowing them to determine match outcomes. The episode isn't all criticism, though, as the coaches highlight impressive performances from CJ Nickolas and other athletes who managed to adapt and excel despite the flawed environment. The conversation concludes with hope-inspiring details about a collaborative international training camp that demonstrates what's possible when coaches and athletes focus on shared knowledge rather than politics.

Whether you're a competitor, coach, parent, or fan of combat sports, this episode provides crucial insight into the challenges facing modern Taekwondo. Listen now to understand why the sport's technological growing pains threaten its competitive integrity, and how the community might chart a path forward.

What happens when three Olympic-level Taekwondo masters remove their filters and speak their unvarnished truth about the state of the sport? The Warehouse 15 podcast delivers exactly that as Coach Juan Moreno, Herb Perez, and TJ dive deep into the challenges facing modern Taekwondo.

The conversation begins with TJ sharing his vision for his newly opened training facility, where he aims to create an environment focused on competitive excellence rather than traditional formalities. This sparks a broader discussion about how proper training environments should build athlete pipelines while fostering a culture of mentorship where champions help develop the next generation.

Drawing from US Olympic Committee research, the trio tackles the controversial question of athletic specialization, arguing that the trend toward single-sport focus before age 18 is damaging athletic development across all sports. They share personal experiences of how cross-training and multi-sport participation builds better overall athletes, while lamenting how modern coaching often forces premature specialization.

The conversation reaches its most passionate point when discussing World Taekwondo's rule-making process. They critique the closed system where small committees make decisions with limited external input, often originating from the Korean Taekwondo Association before being adopted globally. This leads to a deeper examination of Taekwondo's identity crisis – is it still the full-contact martial art it was designed to be, or has it been fundamentally altered by electronic scoring and spectator-focused rule changes?

Whether you're a competitor, coach, or martial arts enthusiast, this episode offers rare insights into the sport's challenges from those who've experienced it at the highest levels. Join us for a conversation that's as educational as it is entertaining – ending with a lighthearted challenge between two Olympic veterans that proves their competitive fires still burn bright.