Friday, September 17, 2010

Tae Guek Sam Jang

There are many sites on the Internet which offer instruction on performing the forms of taekwondo. They vary widely, partly because instructors refer to the same techniques by different names, but mostly because people just write things differently. I am intrigued at the notion that although we are all doing these forms exactly the same way, we are all talking and writing about them very differently. It's really easier to learn forms in class than it is to learn them from written text, but I think this is helpful. I wrote this out to help me study for my test, and I offer it up to anyone who might find it useful. If you note any errors, please let me know. Thanks.

Tae Guek Sam (3rd ) Jang is represented by the symbol for fire.

From the Joon Be (ready) position:
  1. Turn 90* to the left, stepping with the left foot in walking stance and perform a low block with the left hand.
  2. Perform a front kick with the right foot (fists on belt), coming down in front stance.
  3. Perform a middle punch with the right hand and another middle punch with the left hand.
  4. Turn 180* to the right and step with the right foot in walking stance and perform a low block with the right hand.
  5. Perform a front kick with the left foot (fists on belt), coming down in front stance
  6. Perform a middle punch with the left hand and another middle punch with the right hand.
  7. Turn 90* to the left (facing flags) and step with the left foot into walking stance (left foot forward) and perform a chop with the right hand.
  8. Step forward (facing flags) with the right foot in walking stance and perform a chop with the left hand.
  9. Turn 90* to the left and step with the left foot forward into back stance and perform a single knife block with the left hand.
  10. Shift into front stance by moving the front foot (left foot) and perform a middle punch with the right hand.
  11. Turn 180* to the right and step with the right foot forward into back stance and perform a single knife block with the right hand.
  12. Shift into front stance by moving the front foot (right foot) and perform a middle punch with the left hand.
  13. Turn 90* degrees to the left (facing flags) and slide the left foot forward into walking stance and perform an outside-in middle block with the right hand.
  14. Step forward (facing flags) with the right foot in walking stance and perform an outside-in middle block with the left hand.
  15. Turn 270* to the left (so that you are facing 90* to the right) and step with the left foot in walking stance and perform a low block with the left hand.
  16. Perform a front kick with the right foot (fists on belt), coming down in front stance
  17. Perform a middle punch with the right hand and another middle punch with the left hand.
  18. Turn 180* to the right and find the right foot forward in walking stance and perform a low block with the right hand.
  19. Perform a front kick with the left foot (fists on belt), coming down in front stance.
  20. Perform a middle punch with the left hand and another middle punch with the right hand.
  21. Turn 90* to the left (back to flags) and step with the left foot in walking stance and perform a low block with the left hand followed immediately by a middle punch with the right hand.
  22. Step forward with the right foot in walking stance and perform a low block with the right hand followed immediately by a middle punch with the left hand.
  23. Perform a front kick with the left foot (fists at chest) and land in walking stance (left foot forward) and perform a low block with the left hand followed immediately by a middle punch with the right hand.
  24. Perform a front kick with the right foot (fists at chest) and land in walking stance (right foot forward) and perform a low block with the right hand followed immediately by a middle punch with the left hand. KI HAP! (yell)
Turn 180* to the left (facing flags) into Joon Be (ready) position.