Student Info
This section contains information for current students, such as interpretations of patterns and student promotions.
This section contains information for current students, such as interpretations of patterns and student promotions.
Patterns
(Tul)
The ancient law in the Orient was similar to the law of Hamurabi,
"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." and was rigorously
enforced even if death was caused accidentally.
In this type of environment, and since the present system of free
sparring had not yet been developed, it was impossible for a
student of the martial arts to practice or test his individual
skill of attack or defense against actual moving opponents.
Individual advancement was certainly hindered until an imaginative
practitioner created the first pattern.
Patterns are various fundamental movements, most of which
represent either attack or defense techniques, set to a fixed and
logical sequence.
The student systematically deals with several imaginary opponents
under various assumptions, using every available attacking and
blocking tool from different directions. Thus pattern practice
enables the student to go through many fundamental movements in a
series, to develop sparring techniques improve flexibility of
movement, master body shifting, build muscles and breath control,
develop fluid and smooth motions, and gain rhythmical movements.
It is also enables a student to acquire a certain special
technique which cannot be obtained from either fundamental
exercises or sparring. In short, a pattern can be compared to unit
tactics or a word, if fundamental movement is an individual
soldier's training or alphabet. Accordingly, pattern, the ledger
of every movement, is a series of sparring, power tests, feats and
characteristic beauty.
Though sparring may merely indicate that an opponent is more or
less advanced, patterns are a more critical barometer in
evaluating an individual's technique.
The following points should be considered while performing
patterns:
1. Patterns should begin and end at exactly the same spot.
This will indicate the performer's accuracy.
2. Correct posture and facing must be maintained at all
times.
3. Muscles of the body should be either tensed or relaxed
at the proper critical moments in the excercise.
4. The exercise should be performed in a rhythmic movement
with an absence of stiffness.
5. Movements should be accelerated or decelerated according
to the instructions in this book.
6. Each pattern should be perfected before moving to the
next.
7. Students should know the purpose of each movement.
8. Students should perform each movement with realism.
9. Attack and defense techniques should be equally
distributed among right and left hands and feet.
All patterns in this book are performed under the assumption the
student is facing "D" (see diagrams). There are a total of
twenty-four patterns in Taekwon-Do.
The reason for 24 Patterns:
The life of a human being, perhaps 100 years, can be considered as
a day when compared with eternity. Therefore, we mortals are no
more than simple travellers who pass by the eternal years of an
aeon in a day.
It is evident that no one can live more than a limited amout of
time. Nevertheless, most people foolishly enslave themselves to
materialism as if they could live for thousand of years. And some
people strive to bequeath a good spiritual legacy for coming
generations, in this way, gaining immortality.
Obviously, the spirit is perpetual while material is not.
Therefore, what we can do to leave behind something for the
welfare of mankind is, perhaps, the most important thing in our
lifes.
Here I leave Taekwon-Do for mankind as a trace of man of the late
20th century. The 24 patterns represent 24 hours, one day, or all
my life.
Click here for a printable version of "The Interpretation of Patterns."
Click here for a printable version of One-Step Requirements for
testing.
One-step Requirements for Testing
(Page 1)
One-step Requirements for Testing
(Page 2)
There are six belts: white, yellow, green, blue, red and black.
White is given to beginners and black is given to students who
have progressed through the grades and have a solid foundation
for learning the techniques of Taekwon-Do.
The definition of the belts are as follows:
White Belt Signifies innocence, as that of the
beginning student who has no previous knowledge of Taekwon-Do.
Yellow Belt Signifies the earth from which a plant
sprouts and takes root as the foundation of Taekwon-Do is being
laid.
Green Belt Signifies the plant's growth as Taekwon-Do
skills begin to develop.
Blue Belt Signifies the Heaven towards which the
plant matures into a towering tree as training in Taekwon-Do
progresses.
Red Belt Signifies Danger, cautioning the the
student to exercise control and warning the opponent to stay
away.
Black Belt Opposite of white, therefore signifying
the maturity and proficiency in Taekwon-Do, also indicates the
wearer's imperviousness to darkness and fear.
One of the greatest misconceptions within the martial arts is
the notion that all black belt holders are experts. It is
understandable that those unacquainted with the martial arts
might make this equation.
However, student should certainly recognize that this is not
always the case. Too often, novice black belt holders advertise
themselves as experts and eventually even convince themselves.
The first degree black belt holder has usually learned enough
techniques to defend himself against a single opponent. He can
be compared to a fledgling who has acquired enough feathers to
leave the nest and fend for himself. The first degree is a
starting point. The student has merely built a
foundation. The job of building the house lies ahead.
The novice black belt holder will now really begin to learn
technique. Now that he has mastered the alphabet, he can begin
to read. Years of hard work and study await him before he can
even begin to consider himself an instructor and expert. A
perceptive student will, at this stage, suddenly realize how
very little he knows.
The black belt holder also enters a new era of responsibility.
Though a freshman, he has entered a strong honorable fraternity
of the black belt holders of the entire world: and his actions
inside and outside the training hall will be carefully
scrutinized. His conduct will reflect on all black belt holders
and he must constantly strive to set an example for all grade
holders.
Some will certainly advance into the expert stages. However, far
too many will believe the misconception and will remain novice,
mentally and technically.
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