Poomse / Taegeuk- Direction, Pattern, Stance, & Technique
Taegeuk forms 1 through 8 embraces the basic physical movements and philosophical thoughts from which Tae Kwon Do was derived. There are four elements considered in executing the forms; direction, pattern, stance, and technique.
Direction is simply the direction the student faces in the form. In the figure above, the student is in the center of a clock. The student's front is 12 o'clock, back is 6 o'clock, right is 3 o'clock, and left is 9 o'clock. The clock method is often used to convey direction.
The pattern is the area the student follows on the floor while executing the form. In the above figure, the student stands at the beginning of the Taegeuk pattern. At the end of the form, the student moved along the black lines and returned to the starting position.
Stance refers to the movements and positioning of the feet and body throughout the forms (e.g., front stance, walking stance, etc.).
Technique refers to the specific blocking, striking, or kicking methods that make up the form (e.g., low block, high block, front kick, etc.).
Students are required to memorize the proper direction, pattern, stance, and technique of multiple forms while maintaining proper balance, power, and rhythm. This takes hours of practice.
Official World Taekwondo Forms
We recommend starting with the first form and progressing sequentially through them as you improve.