Improve your fitness, how to find the time.

Martial Arts is a great way to get fit and feel healthier so it makes sense that you will improve your fitness when you join a martial arts club. The reality is, that a martial arts class should only be part of your fitness plan. In a class, your instructors will teach you about self-defence, patterns, sparring and so on. This will all improve your fitness but it shouldn’t be the only fitness work you do.

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Improve your fitness, how to find the time.

One day at Korea's Golgulsa Temple as a participant of the templestay program

Five am on a Sunday morning and I am woken with the sound of a dull bell and a monk chanting, coming through some runny speakers outside my room. I put my Templestay uniform on and run my hands through my hair before realizing it doesn’t matter because I am about to put a beanie on to face the minus degree temperature outside. It’s a one kilometer walk up a steep hill to get to morning prayer and meditation where everything is chanted in Korean. 

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A-Day-at-Golgulsa-Templestay-Program

Movies fights are nothing like real life

I am like a lot of people and love action movies. As you would expect, some of my favourite action movies have some awesome fight scenes. I love the way Jason Bourne takes out the bad guys. The Matrix

People see these movies and think that if they learn how to do martial arts, they can do moves like that, learn to defend themselves like that and that they can pull off moves just like in the movies. They believe that one day they can do these moves not just in classes but in real life fights as well. I am here to tell you; real life will never look like it does in the movies.had some great fight scenes as do movies like The Raid and that’s before we start to talk about specific stars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Bruce Lee. A lot of people start doing martial arts because they have seen some awesome moves in film but that has a negative side as well.

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ZMAX Blog - Movies fights are nothing like real life

Mark Underwood holds the rank of Master in three martial arts, 5th Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo. 4th Dan Black Belt in Haidong Gumdo (Korean swords) and 1st Dan Black Belt in Gongkwon Yusul (Korean MMA). He has also trained in a number of other martial arts styles. He is currently the owner and head instructor for Zone Martial Arts servicing the Sutherland Shire area from the Taren Point location.

Foundations of Traditional Taekwondo - Basic Techniques

This is the final post in my series on the Foundations of Taekwondo training. I listed them as basic techniques, poomsae, sparring, self-defence and breaking. These are what I believe are part of traditional Taekwondo training. I have gone into detail about most of them but I have left basic techniques till last and I have done this on purpose.

The word basic implies that these techniques are something for beginners and that once it is mastered it can be forgotten in favour of something more advanced. This can’t be further from the truth. These moves are fundamental to all of our training. Without these basic techniques, all the other aspects of Taekwondo I have been talking about are irrelevant. In many respects, the other components,

poomsae, sparring, breaking and self-defence are like the walls of the house and the true foundation of Taekwondo, the thing the walls are built on, are our basic techniques.

If our foundation is weak, if our basic techniques are not continuously practised then like a house built on sand, all our work will be swept away when we need it to stand strong.

Everything we do in Taekwondo whether it is for sport, self-defence, combat, health etc, is done by performing basic techniques. If you are sparring you are using basic techniques against an opponent, if you are performing patterns then you are using basic techniques. If you are doing self-defence against an attacker then you are using basic techniques in a practical way. So what exactly is basic techniques? The most common way of defining basic techniques are:

• Blocking techniques (Makki)
• Punching techniques (Jirruegi)
• Strike techniques (Chigi)
• Kicking techniques (Chagi)

And that’s it. This is also the basis of all the "official" or basic interpretation of poomsae application since all techniques must be in one of these categories. Each category can be subdivided of course. Blocking techniques (Makki) can be divided into upper section, middle section, and low section blocks. And these can be divided into even smaller subgroups. I will not delve into every grouping as that would make for too long a post.

Traditional taekwondo schools see that these fundamental movements need to be practiced in isolation so that each movement can be perfected with perfect form, speed, power and accuracy. This is often done with line work. Either moving backwards or forwards through the hall against an imaginary opponent or stationary. I am sure you agree that good basic techniques should contain with all the attributes above, but if you think about it you will notice that "line work" will only get you so far in terms of perfect form, but what about power, speed and accuracy?

The early masters of Taekwondo used several training aids to help them to perfect their techniques and one of the most important ones was the "Dallyon Joo" or "forging post" in English. It was essentially what the Japanese called Makkiwara and it is a striking post with a padded surface. All the "blocks", kicks and punches was trained by relentlessly pounding the Dallyon Joo over and over again. Impact training and conditioning was seen as very important maybe just as important as line work, and a great deal of time was used to train each technique so that it could be used with great power in a combative context. Modern clubs have replaced this device with block pads and punching bags and these all have their place and can help with generating power. Some clubs develop conditioning as well using other methods but the Dallyon Joo was essential for the original martial art that became today's Taekwondo.

The Dallyon Joo was not the only training aid as power and speed was seen as important but accuracy too was seen as paramount. Accuracy is the most important thing in a martial art. In a real fight you might only get one chance to strike your opponent and you need to put him down with that one technique. Historically, early masters of Taekwondo trained for this using different training aids like removing their shoes to kick them while their partners held them in their hands, like we use paddles today or hitting a small target (for example a nut) tied so that it floated at chest height or so above the floor (connected to the ceiling by a string) and kicking/punching it without stopping trying to hit it as it bobbed and weaved.

Another but largely overlooked part of basic training is the health aspect. The techniques of Taekwondo if done correctly does improve health. The stances strengthens the legs, the hip twist for power generation trains the hips, and lower back, the pulling hand tightens up your back muscles, the high kicks improve range of motion etc. Coupled with proper breathing training the fundamental movements of Taekwondo is great for your body.

Basic techniques are the fundamental in Taekwondo and are something all martial artists should be practising again and again. Always go back and re learn the basics, your skills will improve vastly if you do.

Mark Underwood

Mark is a 4th Dan Master in both Taekwondo and Haidong Gumdo (Korean swords). He has also trained in other styles of martial arts. He is currently the owner and head instructor for Zone Martial Arts in Sydney, Australia.

Foundations of Traditional Taekwondo - Poomsae/Patterns

This is the third entry of five on my thoughts on the foundations of Taekwondo training. I listed them as basic techniques, poomsae, sparring, self-defence and breaking. These are what I believe are part of traditional Taekwondo training. This entry focuses on poomsae or patterns.

Let’s start this looking at some definitions of what poomsae are

“Poomsae is a combination of basic actions and movements exercised with an imaginary opponent”

“Poomsae is the Korean equivalent of Kata in Japanese karate.”

“Poomsae are practised to improve Taekwondo techniques”

“Poomsae (patterns) are a pre-arranged set of movements gradually becoming more complex the more you learn.”

“Poomsae is a series of movements with both offensive and defensive techniques, which can be practised and trained even without the presence of an instructor.”

So according to the vast majority poomsae are basic techniques both offensive and defensive that gradually increases in complexity that are practised to improve Taekwondo. The training of Poomsae in main stream is all about performance. You practice poomsae to get to the next belt, for demonstrations, or for competition.

One thing I want to say outright is that I don’t believe Taekwondo is exclusively a patterns based martial art. I believe it is a technique based martial art, the same way BJJ, boxing, Judo etc are. Poomsae are a vital part of our training, but it is just a part, not the whole. Most people look at poomsae as a string of basics thrown together that are often practised to drill basic techniques but poomsae is more than that. It doesn't contain any deep strategy or principles and they do not contain any secrets. It isn't even a means to hand down the techniques as there are just so many techniques missing from poomsae that it makes poomsae a very poor way to transfer the knowledge of the martial art of Taekwondo.

Let’s look at Taegeuk il Jang first two moves: Turn 90 degrees to the left and perform an arae makki (low block) in ap seogi (short front stance) then step forward with right foot to ap seogi (short front stance) and perform a momtong jirruegi (middle section punch). Two simple techniques, that in the view of the common Taekwondo student are done like this to drill basics. But look at them. Why on earth do we turn and why to the left? Why exactly these two techniques? Why is the hand on your hip on both techniques? Why this stance as opposed to another stance? The questions are endless.
In a form based martial art this would all be obvious. There would be maybe two applications for the move (one basic and one advanced) or just the one definitive one. This application would show some important principles that could be used very different contexts during combat.

But Taekwondo poomsae goes beyond that. That turn to the left could be done in different stances, with different blocks and with difference counter attacks. The low block and punch are not the definitive moves. Rather the practice of poomsae is to remember principles of Taekwondo. It is a practice of focus and putting moves together. It is a practice of movement and concentration and being in the moment. You practice the form to remember the principle. But when you are fighting or defending yourself you do not need to use those specified techniques. You could use different strikes and punches and still use the principles mentioned above. It is not so much the techniques contained in the form that are important, but the message they are conveying.
Taekwondo is a wonderful martial art as it gives its practitioners so much more than just poomsae to practice. Yet there is an importance in poomsae that must not be forgotten. We are lucky with Taekwondo to have so many forms to practice. We have 17 official poomsae (Taegeuk 1 – 8 and 9 black belt patterns) as well as 8 Palgwae forms that are considered supplemental forms by many. Choose wisely and study diligently, or simply memorise the sequences and drill those basics as never before!


Mark Underwood

Mark is a 4th Dan Master in both Taekwondo and Haidong Gumdo (Korean swords). He has also trained in other styles of martial arts. He is currently the owner and head instructor for Zone Martial Arts in Sydney, Australia.