Interesting Techniques in Patterns

I find it interesting that no matter how well I think I know patterns, it’s incredibly easy to be asked a question that completely stumps me. This will often happen when we’re stepping through a pattern in class and examining each move. The one time I don’t want it to happen is when I’m grading and asked something like “How many different kinds of pressing block are there?”.

To answer this question I’ve put together a list of some of the more interesting movements in the patterns up as far as Juche; pushing blocks, pressing blocks, pressing kicks, side-front techniques, and double stepping motion.

Pushing Blocks:

  • Toi-Gye – Step 19. Bring the right foot to the left foot and then move the left foot to D forming a right L-stance toward D while executing a low pushing block to D with the left double forearm.
  • Hwa-Rang – Step 1. Move the left foot to B to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle pushing block to D with the left palm.

Pressing Blocks:

  • Joong-Gun – Step 27. Execute a pressing block with the right palm while forming a left low stance toward C, slipping the left foot to C. Perform in slow motion.
  • Joong-Gun – Step 29. Execute a pressing block with the left palm while forming a right low stance toward C, slipping the right foot to C. Perform in a slow motion.
  • Toi-Gye – Step 7. Move the left foot to D forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a pressing block with an X-fist.
  • Toi-Gye – Step 29. Jump to C forming a right X-stance toward A while executing a pressing block with an X-fist.
  • Hwa-Rang – Step 24. Execute a pressing block with an X-fist while forming a left walking stance toward C, slipping the left foot to C.
  • Kwang-Gae – Step 21. Move the left foot to C, forming a left low stance toward C while executing a pressing block with the right palm. Perform in slow motion.
  • Kwang-Gae – Step 22. Move the right foot to C, forming a right low stance toward C while executing a pressing block with the left palm. Perform in a slow motion.
  • Po-Eun – Step 6. Execute a pressing block with the left fore fist while executing a side front block with the right inner forearm, maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Po-Eun – Step 7. Execute a pressing block with the right fore fist and a side front block with the left inner forearm while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Po-Eun – Step 24. Execute a pressing block with the right fore fist while executing a side front block with the left inner forearm, maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Po-Eun – Step 25. Execute a pressing block with the left fore fist and a side front block with the right inner forearm while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Choong-Jang – Step 18. Execute a pressing block with an X-fist while forming a left walking stance toward C pivoting with the right foot.
  • Choong-Jang – Step 24. Lower the right foot to D and then execute a pressing block with a twin palm while forming a right rear foot stance toward C, pivoting with the right foot.

Pressing Kicks:

  • Kwang-Gae – Step 13. Execute a pressing kick to E with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 12.
  • Kwang-Gae – Step 17. Execute a pressing kick to F with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 16.
  • Po-Eun – Step 3. Execute a pressing kick to A with the right foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 2.
  • Po-Eun – Step 21. Execute a pressing kick to B with the left foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 20.

Side Front Techniques:

  • Joong-Gun – Step 2. Execute a low side front snap kick to B with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 1.
  • Joong-Gun – Step 5. Execute a low side front snap kick to A with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 4.
  • Toi-Gye – Step 23. Execute a low side front snap kick to C with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 22.
  • Toi-Gye – Step 26. Execute a low side front snap kick to C with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 25.
  • Hwa-Rang – Step 26. Bring the left foot to the right foot, turning counter clockwise to form a closed stance toward B while executing a side front block with the right inner forearm while extending the left forearm to the side downward.
  • Hwa-Rang – Step 27. Execute a side front block with the left inner forearm, extending the right forearm to the side downward while maintaining a closed stance toward B.
  • Po-Eun – Step 6. Execute a pressing block with the left fore fist while executing a side front block with the right inner forearm, maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Po-Eun – Step 7. Execute a pressing block with the right fore fist and a side front block with the left inner forearm while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Po-Eun – Step 24. Execute a pressing block with the right, fore fist while executing a side front block with the left inner forearm, maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Po-Eun – Step 25. Execute a pressing block with the left fore fist and a side front block with the right inner forearm while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Ga-Baek – Step 13. Execute a low side front snap kick to C with the left foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 12.
  • Choong-Jang – Step 1. Move the right foot to A to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a side front block with the right inner forearm and extending the left forearm side-downward.
  • Choong-Jang – Step 2. Execute a side front block with the left inner forearm extending the right forearm side downward while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
  • Choong-Jang – Step 34. Execute a high side front strike to D with the right back fist striking the left palm with the right elbow while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot.
  • Choong-Jang – Step 36. Execute a high side front strike to D with the left back fist striking the right palm with the left elbow while forming a right walking stance toward D, slipping the right foot.

Double Stepping Motion

  • Kwang-Gae – Step 4. Move the left foot to the side front of the right foot, and then move the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D, at the same time executing a high hooking block to D with the right palm. Perform in a double stepping motion.
  • Kwang-Gae – Step 6. Move the right foot to the side front of the left foot and then move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a high hooking block to D with the left palm. Perform in a double stepping motion.

So in answer to the question “How many different kinds of pressing block are there?”, it appears there are six (or four if we count left and right as one kind),

  • pressing block with the right palm
  • pressing block with the left palm
  • pressing block with an X-fist
  • pressing block with the left fore fist
  • pressing block with the right fore fist
  • pressing block with a twin palm

I used the Taekwondo Wiki to come up with this list.