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Taegeuk Poomsae For Coloured Belts
While there are many taekwondo poomsae (or styles), some Taekwondo schools use them to the same degree or with the same importance in their teaching. Some may be more prevalent at certain levels than others, but none are absent from the curriculum.
There are, however, two specific taegeuk poomsae that most masters will agree are essential skills for every student to know how to do well. These are the front kick and the back fist.
Many students never even get the chance to learn these moves because they have never been shown correctly. Others may only see teachers perform without context as to why it is essential or what level of competition it applies to.
It is common to hear stories of people who spend lots of money on training fees only to find out that their teacher does not teach their style! This can easily prevent students from getting good value for their money. It also creates an uncomfortable situation for the student when they have paid so much money only to be told, “you don’t need this here”.
Luckily, this article will explain both kicks, how to perform them correctly, and why you should know them.
Important poomsae elements
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The first element of any taegeuk poomsae technique is usually referred to as a changing position or stepping foot pattern. This step covers feet, legs, arms or body, depending on which poomsae are taught.
In Taekwondo, thTaekwondoight taegeuk poomsae in total. These are typically done by changing leg position, arm position or torso angle. There are two starting stances, one forward and one backward, then six moving techniques.
These movements should be slow and deliberate to ensure that you do not interfere with balance or muscle control. Only when these steps have been mastered can you add more complex moves!
The second part of Taegeuk poomsae is gi use. You will need a white cotton shirt with black trimmings for this. If you already have this, then great! But if you don’t, why not buy yourself some now? They won’t cost too much!
Gi use comes after the hak bo (white belt) level and the Sampo buppoo (yellow belt) level.
Combination poomsae
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A combination poomsae is a poomsae that mixes all five traditional styles into one. There are many variations of this style, but they all share two things in common: too many moves to describe entirely, and they are tough to learn!
There can be as few as three or four moves in a combo poomsae, making it quite simple to perform. However, learning these moves takes time because not every move pair goes well together.
Usually, martial artists use combination poomsae to showcase their skill with the art.
Three-step and four-step poomsae
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Two main types of taegeuk (arm exercises) are categorized as either three-step or four-step poomsae. The three-step poomsae require you to have your starting, transition and ending positions in each activity.
The three-step poomsae typically start with your right hand moving up towards your left elbow and then back down along your inner thigh. Your feet should be hip-width apart and facing forward. You can also add an extra move where you push off both legs and lower yourself onto one leg before switching legs.
Four-step poomsae work similarly, but they have horizontal directions instead of just a vertical movement. These moves are usually lifting one foot off the ground, stepping away from you, or hopping it backwards. Both sets of steps must be done at a steady pace and with proper form; otherwise, the effect may not match what is intended.
Touch and go
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For coloured belts, being able to perform taegeuk poomsae is very important. More advanced taes are usually called “touch and go” or “taegus” (no matter what way you say it, it sounds cool).
“you” comes from the Korean word tang, which means “to fight or struggle.” The suffix -gose emphasizes this struggle, making it feel more powerful.
Thus, a taegu should be solid and well-trained in touch and go! This can mean performing them at full speed or less quickly but with precision timing.
There are three types of taegu; beginner level, intermediate and advanced. As you advance your belt, you will probably start learning new trades related to it.
Disarming techniques
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One of the most fundamental poomsae is disarming. This is done when you feel that your life or health has been threatened and is needed to prevent harm to yourself or someone else.
The term poomey comes from the Korean word taegeup, which means “to grab” or “to take hold of.” A poomae typically throw their hands outward to intercept an attack and stop further violence.
This technique can be applied to either self-defence or the defence of another person. When practising this skill, ensure your hand is not close to anything sensitive, like a face or throat.
Your index finger should be parallel to the ground, and your middle finger slightly bent up and back – this position helps keep the arm stable while moving the other fingers to perform the punch.
Practice with soft, fake targets first, so you do not accidentally hurt anyone! Only practice this move under direct supervision or training from a professional.
Distracting techniques
Many taekwondo practitioners use certain moves, strategies or concepts while training to feel more confident in their art. Some of these are called ‘distraction’ tactics because they take your attention away from what part of the technique you should be focusing on and onto something else instead.
A well-known example is when someone throws an axe handle kick, and instead of landing a good foot punch, they put their hand up and grab the thigh as the leg comes down. This distracts the mind by thinking about how much pain you will cause with that grip!
This can also apply to other body parts, such as grabbing the elbow or shoulder during a hammer fist, hook kick, etc. These distractions make it harder to execute the move correctly, so why do it?
These movements are prevalent outside of Taekwondo, buTaekwondoople add them to their style to gain some confidence in their skills. They may even go one step further and combine them with some self-assessment tool which compares your performance to others.
Low blow
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In Taekwondo, low-level taekwondo technique is only allowed if you are over 18 years old and have your black belt as a colour belt. This is called a “low blow” or “kick to block”. The term comes from the fact that it requires kicking with very little power but still enough force to hit something else.
This works because you must be at least double-degree (yellow) rank to use this technique. It would be best if you were either blue or purple degree (white) to lower someone’s grade. These individuals cannot perform higher-ranking methods at the most basic level than a back kick!
This seems unfair because anyone could technically do a backfoot sweep next! So how does one get away with doing this? Only if you can dodge the punch first! If you see a threat of a force coming towards your face, then run back and try to find some space where you can take cover.
High blow
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The high blow is one of the most fundamental poomsae styles in Taekwondo. If Taekwondo has ever seen or heard of someone doing this, they probably practised it themselves at some point!
The basic idea of the technique comes from hip-hop dance moves where people punch each other in the chest. Taekwondo artists tweak it slightly to make it more efficient and effective.
In Taekwondo, your Taekwondoer’s arm is typically already up, so instead of hitting their chest, you hit their upper body just above their shoulder joint. This creates much greater force because you move more weight – the head and torso as opposed to only the arms.
This can help you when practising your art since the goal is to strike with enough power to hurt or even break a bone (if applicable).
Taegeuk Il Jang
Taegeuk Il Jang is one of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt poomsae or poomse) curriculum. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development.
Taegeuk Il Jang is the first of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Gi), which represents the principle of yang (?) or “heaven.” The poomsae consists of a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Il Jang are intended to represent the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk I Jang
Taegeuk Ee Jang or Taegeuk I Jang s the second of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt poomsae or poomse) curriculum. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development.
Taegeuk Ee Jang is the second of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Goo), which represents the principle of yin (?) or “earth.” The poomsae consists of a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Ee Jang are intended to represent the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk Sam Jang
Taegeuk Sam Jang is the third of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt poomsae or poomse) curriculum. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles.
Taegeuk Sam Jang is the third of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Ee), which represents the principle of fire. The poomsae consists of a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Sam Jang are intended to represent the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk Sa Jang
Taegeuk Sa Jang is the fourth of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt pumsae or poomse) curriculum. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development.
Taegeuk Sa Jang is the fourth taegeuk poomsae associated with the trigram (Jeong), representing the principle of thunder. The poomsae consists of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Sa Jang are intended to represent the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk O Jang
Taegeuk O Jang is the fifth of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt pumsae or poomse) curriculum. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development.
Taegeuk O Jang is the fifth of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Won), which represents the principle of wind. The poomsae consists of a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk O Jang are intended to represent the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk Yuk Jang
Taegeuk Yuk Jang is the sixth of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt pumsae or poomse) curriculum. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development.
Taegeuk Yuk Jang is the sixth of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Jin), which represents the principle of water. The poomsae consists of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Yuk Jang are intended to represent the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk Chil Jang
Taegeuk Chil Jang is the seventh of the eight patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt pumsae or poomse) curriculum. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles.
Taegeuk Chil Jang is the seventh of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Gye), which represents the principle of the mountain. The poomsae consists of a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Chil Jang are intended to describe the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
Taegeuk Pal Jang
Taegeuk Pal Jang is the eighth and final of the patterns or forms in the traditional taekwondo poomsae (also spelt pumsae or poomse) curriculum. The taegeuk poomsae are named after the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and each poomsae is associated with a specific trigram and set of principles. Poomsae are predetermined sequences of taekwondo techniques performed alone as a form of training and development.
Taegeuk Pal Jang is the eighth and final of the taegeuk poomsae and is associated with the trigram. (Chil), which represents the principle of earth. The poomsae consists of kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, typically performed by lower belt students. The movements of Taegeuk Pal Jang are intended to describe the creation of the universe and the balance of yin and yang.
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