Taekwon-Do I.T.F. Patterns
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 no yet been
Developed, it was impossible for a student of the martial arts to practice or test his individual
skill of attacks and defense against actual moving opponents.
Individual advancement was certainly hindered until an imaginative practitioner created the first
patterns. Patterns are various fundamental movements, most of which represent either attack or
defense techniques, set to a fixed or 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 students to go through many fundamental movements in series,
to develops sparring techniques, improve flexibility of movements, master body shifting, build
muscles and breath control, develop fluid and smooth motions, and gain rhythmical movements.
It also enables a student to acquire certain special techniques which cannot be obtained from
either fundamental exercises or sparring, In short, a pattern can be compared with a unit tactic
or a word, if fundamental series of sparring, power, feats and characteristics 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 Reason for the 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 travelers who pass by the eternal years of an aeon in a day are. It is evident that no one can live mores than limited amount of time. Nevertheless, most people foolishly enslave themselves to materialism as if they could live for thousands 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 making is, perhaps, the most important thing in our lives. “Here I leave Taekwon-do for mankind as a trace of man of the late 20 th century. The 24 patterns represent 24 hours, one day, or all my life”.
The Interpretations Of Patterns
The name of the pattern, numbers of movements, and the diagrammatic symbol of each pattern symbolizes either heroic figures in Korean history or instances relating to historical events.
The Nine Points to be Observed While Performing Patterns
1. Pattern should begin and end at exactly the same spot.
This will indicate the performer’s accuracy.
2. Correct posture and facing should be maintained at all times.
3. Muscles of the body should be either tensed or relaxed at the proper critical
moments in exercise.
4. Patterns should be performed in rhythmic movements with an absence of stiffness.
5. Moves should be accelerated or decelerated according to the instructions in the encyclopedia.
6. Each pattern should be perfected before going on to the next.
7. Students should know the purpose of each movement.
8. Students should perform each move with realism.
9. Attack and defense techniques should be equally distributed among left and right hands and
feet.
Four Direction Punch
SAJU JIRUGI
Ready Posture - PARALLEL READY STANCE
Four Direction Block
SAJU MAKGI
Ready Posture - PARALLEL READY STANCE
Patterns
| Name of Tul | Rank | Order of belt |
|---|---|---|
| CHON-JI | 9th Gup | White/Yellow Stripe |
| DAN-GUN | 8th Gup | Yellow |
| DO-SANG | 7th Gup | Yellow/Green Stripe |
| WON-HYO | 6th Gup | Green |
| YUL-GOK | 5th Gup | Green/Blue Stripe |
| JOONG-GUN | 4th Gup | Blue |
| TOI-GYE | 3rd Gup | Blue/Red Stripe |
| HWA-RANG | 2nd Gup | Red |
| CHOONG-MOO | 1st Gup | Red/Black Stripe |
| KWANG-GAE/ PO-EUN/ GAE-BAEK | 1St Dan | Black |
| EUI-AM/ CHOONG-JANG/ JUCHE | 2nd Dan | Black |
| SAM-IL/ YOO-SIN/ CHOI-YONG | 3rd Dan | Black |
| YONG-GAE/ UL-JI/ MOON-MOO | 4th Dan | Black |
| SO-SAN/ SE-JONG | 5th Dan | Black |
| TONG-IL | 6th Dan | Black |