No they still spar with helmets, it’s just the casual endurance they show off. If I’m going to be honest, many mistake old tkd for itf, which isn’t how it is. Itf is actually very rare even in Korea as they don’t see use for it as wtf would get you to the Olympics. The reason why wtf has changed was due to electronic equipment and rules that refrained a lot of things as a fighter. What is ironic is how people today still refer to taekwondo as “flashy kicks” when that was the “old days” now people look back and respect old taekwondo and disrespect new taekwondo but in the wrong way. Most insults/criticism to new tkd stemmed from old tkd. So there was a change in opinion of tkd and now old tkd is much more respected

Old school used very little protection. In the video I’m using a single sheet of toilet paper. 1-ply means 1 layer (cheap and thin toilet paper).