Macro Patterns (Part 2)

In Part 2 of the Macro Patterns series I want to dive into the first kicking forms of taekwon-do.  This post may run a bit long, and if so I apologize; there are just so many juicy things to discuss! 

To-san was one of those early benchmark forms I remember not being able to wait to learn.  It featured the first kicks and deviated, albeit slightly from the standard "I" shape.  I think that deviation is interesting.  Taking a step back and looking at the first 9 forms as a whole -- there are more I shaped forms than not, by the count of 6-3.  Setting aside the technique that make up the forms, I find it odd that the non I shaped forms are kind of "sprinkled in".  I question this logic.  Students tend to pick up moving in a straight line in forms (and in fighting) easier than moving on an angle.  I'm not sure why the design of these forms was such that they built angular movement in so sporadically.

While I find the actual techniques in the form ramp up in a very logical way, the overall layout is inconsistent and can be confusing.  As an instructor, I've seen people, here and there, struggle when they suddenly have to step on an angle.  Angular movement on a whole can be one of the harder things a student is asked to do in a form, particularly early in their career.  It seems shortsighted to apply angular movement in an almost haphazard way, the way the architects of these forms applied it.

The thing is, I don't think you could just reorder the original 9 and fix this issue.  The techniques would not build from transition and difficulty correctly if you did.

Won-Hyo sees us return to the I shape pattern of movement and includes the first side kick.  Does anything say TKD more than a well thrown sidekick?  It is the signature kick of the art as a whole and I'm still wrapping my mind around it's placement in the 4th form.

As I hinted in my last post I find it odd that the foot fist way doesn't start kicking until the 3rd form in.  A friend replied with the time honored "you have to learn how to walk before you run".  I think that is certainly true, however, knowing TKD's roots lie more in Japanese karate arts than anywhere else, I might venture a guess and say that in the beginning TKD started with more of a Japanese, punch first mentality. 

Contrary to how the ITF progression advances, the WTF pick up kicking in either their first or second form.  While learning kicking in the first versus the third form may not seem like that big of a difference, remember that the "on paper" space between learning chonji and tosan is close to a year's worth of training.  So for a year, the WTF are kicking in their forms and adjusting to it before some ITF schools are.

This sort of makes sense when you take into account how far the offshoot of the original idea of TKD -- namely the WTF, strays from the use of hand techniques in their system.  WTF Olympic sparring looks nothing like Japanese karate, or like ITF sparring -- it is a wholly unique fighting system.

The original ITF seems more like a prototype art. While Choi's goal might have been to have a unique and distinct art from the contemporary Japanese arts of his day, the WTF accomplished that goal (in my opinion) better than Choi did.  If the signature technique of the Japanese arts is the piercing reverse punch, the stark contrast would be the WTF round house kick.    All this being said, I don't think it diminishes what ITF TKD is, after all, you have to learn how to walk before you run.   

So does it really matter when a student starts kicking in their forms?  I don't honestly know.  Logic tells me that the sooner you start doing something, the better you'll be at it in the long run.  I am curious what you think though, so please feel free to leave a comment.  I'll try to keep the next topic a little lighter on content.