To-San is the 3rd form of the Chang-hon form set, and is the first form that features kicking. It has 24 movements and is mostly symmetrical. There are many foundational skills featured in To-San so it offers an excellent opportunity for beginners transitioning to the intermediate level, but also offers a place for seasoned veterans to improve on skills that are essential in the higher forms.
I love reviewing / analyzing the lower forms because we can pinpoint many of the "first time" movements and To-san features several. To-San starts with an outer block and for the "first time" features a reverse technique with its reverse punch followup. This is the first time a student will execute a block / counter in the same stance and so it is an important part in a student's development. Also a first, is what we call the "half step, half step" turn. I'm referring to moving your front foot across the body about a half step's width, and then your back foot a half step's width to complete the turn to 180 degrees to your right. This becomes an essential movement in later forms and can be practiced early here. Many hours will be spent by the beginner getting the timing of the first four moves of To-San correct, without looking too fast, too slow and or too off balance. From there we proceed to a knife hand guarding block and into what we call a straight spear-finger.
Here we get into another first. Off the spear-finger, we see one of the first clear hold escapes; at least, that's what I was always taught the downward turn of the hand (upward turn of the right elbow) was supposed to be. It is an interesting case of an actual application outside of punching, kicking, and blocking being openly visible. I don't believe the movement to be anything more than an escape from a wrist grab, though I recognize, that like many movements in nearly all the forms, that you can interpret it in many ways. As it has been a while since I wrote a forms analysis article, let me remind people right here that I subscribe to the notion that the simplest interpretation of a movement is probably its intended application. I bore quickly when playing the "well, it could be this..." game. I think 9 times out of 10, the movement is either meant to block something, or strike something.
Another interesting technique is the traditional back fist. This is also the first time we will throw this technique in a form. I find this technique particularly interesting, because unlike our straight and reverse punches, the traditional back fist is thrown very different from how it is in application. In sparring, the back fist is thrown parallel to the ground (most times) and is executed with a snapping motion that is contrary to the execution of its traditional forms application.
After a repeat of the opening moves, albeit with a 270 degree turn, we execute what we call an outer forearm wedging block (your vocabulary probably differs) and finally we see our first kick.
In my opinion, in a form already consisting of many "firsts" none is as important as the execution of the front kick, transitioning into a forward landing with a punch-reverse punch sequence. So many lessons will be learned here, and so many good or bad habits will be created right here in the third form. Paramount to all the the nuanced lessons you can take from the wedge to front kick to punch-reverse punch sequence is the idea that just because you are on one leg doesn't mean reaction force goes out the window. The front kick needs to be completed, with a proper re-chambering of the kick coming to a complete stop, before the hands adjust to the proper chamber position for the straight punch. Many students will struggle here, with balance, timing and finesse but the skills being worked in this very short sequence are so important later on / higher up in the forms list.
The form finishes with symmetrical high blocks leading into symmetrical knife hand strikes from horse stance. If you are an instructor reading this, you may be facepalming at the thought of how many times your yellow belts did the end of Dan-gun for To-san, or vice versa. It's not just you, don't worry. I facepalmed while writing this - because it happens all the time.
To-san is a great form, and really is the first form to me that feels "Taekwon-do". Although as I do more research on forms and I learn more and more that our beloved Chang-Hon forms are really just "Frankenstein's monster" variations of the Japanese forms; I can't help but feel like when they were constructing To-san, they really got it right. Far from an original creation, To-san, to me captures what I think they were shooting for in how they wanted TKD to look. To-san may not be "original" (go watch the heinan forms - in particular heinan yodan), but perhaps just like music, someone had to play certain note sequences the first time, and the fact that a great song is built from building blocks earlier used doesn't negate the greatness of the song that came after.
