Which one is him?
I did a little TKD about 10 years ago. Not enough to be any good or advance beyond a few of the basic belts. What I learned for me was that I had little flexibility/strength to get my feet up high enough on kicks, and all my instincts were towards my hands. But I did have really quick hands, and a quick couple steps, and could to some degree read my opponents moves (presumably from playing hoops).
So basically, I pretty much sucked as I was essentially a fist fighter trying to do TKD. I did figure out that most of the people that were good with their kicks tended to favor using the kicks to keep opponents at a distance. If I let them keep me out at 3 feet away they would just pick me apart. That pissed me off so I started reading the kicks, and as they started the kick I would bum rush them. I could (sometimes) get inside the kick, and either block or accept the follow up punch, and land a punch on body or head and then stay on top of them and trade blows and knees. Basically turn it into a close quarters street fight, which was all I knew anyway. It was a great equalizer, except when they caught me with the kick and knocked me off my charge. But I figured that was going to happen anyway if I let them stand me off and take me out one kick at a time. The kids, even with higher belts would panic. The young men were just amused. They called me "freight train". None of this worked for scoring because they always scored before I got in there, but was satisfying in open sparring.
I pretty quickly realised I had no natural talent for this and gave it up. I have great respect for those who can master it. I think the younger you start, the better while you still have flexibility. The strength and flexibility required to raise your leg straight sideways enough to get it up to head level is ridiculous. Most of us have no hip strength at all.
