Taekwondo -- Gup 9White yellow/tip -> YellowStudent/Parent Handbook

Donnie Bryson, Aug 2006

What is Taekwondo? Taekwondo roughly means the way (do) of striking with the feet (Tae) and fist (kwon). To some it is a sport. To some it is a system of self-defense. To some it is a series of exercises to keep fit. To some it is a way to approach life. In reality, Taekwondo is all of those things and much more. It would be a mistake to try to fit all of Taekwondo into the small box we see at the Olympics. Taekwondo, the Olympic sport, strongly favors kicks because kicks are more exciting to watch than short fast hand techniques. However, Taekwondo, the self-defense system, uses many hand techniques. However, we do not see the many hand techniques of Taekwondo, the self-defense system, when we watch Taekwondo, the Olympic sport.

Your friends may ask you what type of Taekwondo you are learning. There are many different flavors of Taekwondo. You are learning what is called the blue-cottage, ITF, or Chon-ji, form set. When you begin to spar, you will be sparring using the AAU point rules which, to sum up, is sparring with very light contact with no contact to the face.

How is Taekwondo different than Karate? Without going into a long discussion of the history of Korea, Taekwondo, Japan, and Karate, let me just say that Taekwondo and Karate are almost the same exact thing. You can almost think of Taekwondo being Korean Karate and Karate being Japanese Taekwondo. That is a broad generalization, but for the most part true.

As you start your martial art training, let me share a story told to me from Leslie Sowl, a black belt student of Grandmaster Joseph Lumpkin to demonstrate two of the key aspects of the any martial art (1) practice to perfection (2) thinking things through:

“An old Judo master took a student that was missing his left arm. The Judo master taught the student one throw. For an entire year, the student only practiced this one throw. One day the student asked the Judo master, "Master, when can I learn something new?" The old Judo master said, "when you have perfected this throw."

So, for another year the student practiced his one throw over and over. One day the Judo master took this student to a Judo competition. Match after match the student threw and pinned each of his opponents. At the end, he was the champion. The student asked his Judo master, "Master, how is it that I only know one throw and these other students know more and yet, I won?" The old Master said, "I taught you one throw that the only counter to was to grab the left arm. You perfected the throw. That is why you won."

1

What Can I Expect?New friends? Sweat? Fun? Improved Reflexes? Improved physical conditioning? More confidence? A good night’s sleep on Tuesday and Thursday nights? Yes to all those things. However, this is a beginning class in Taekwondo. You will not be sparring, you will not be breaking boards, and you will not become a lethal weapon. You will physically feel better, feel better about yourself, make a new friend or two, and have a good time in the process. If you learn the form Chon-ji, your basic kicks, and can list the five tenets of Taekwondo, then you will be promoted to 9th Grade (yellow-tip).

Tenets of Taekwondo1. COURTESY (Korean: Ye Ui)2. INTEGRITY (Korean: Yom Chi)3. PERSEVERANCE (Korean: In Nae)4. SELF CONTROL (Korean: Guk Gi)5. INDOMITABLE SPIRIT (Korean: Baekjool Boolgool)

The Goal of All Martial Art TrainingThe true goal of all martial art training is becoming a better person. As you learn more self-control, you learn more self-respect. As you learn more self-respect, you expect more personal integrity from yourself. Your personal integrity causes you to persevere and have an indomitable spirit.

In the age of bombs and guns, it is foolish to learn an ancient martial art to conquer another man. It is wise to learn one to conquer yourself.

Rules1. Fighting at home, church, or school will not be tolerated. Students who cannot

control their temper will not be taught. All fighting, without excuse, will result in dismissal from the current nine-week period. If you are dismissed from the current session for fighting, you may re-apply for the next session, but it is at the head instructor’s sole discretion after reviewing the circumstances of the fight if you are allowed to continue studying Taekwondo.

2. You may not use profanity inside the dojang (workout room). Profanity is showing disrespect to yourself, your classmates, and your instructors. It will not be tolerated.

3. You must bow before entering the dojang and bow before leaving the dojang.4. You are required to show respect to your instructors, your fellow students, and

yourself. You must respect yourself before you can show respect to others and if you show disrespect to others you certainly can’t respect yourself.

5. Students must either be barefoot or wear athletic shoes. Students may never work out in sox feet.

6. Students may not work out while eating candy or chewing gum.7. Horseplay will not be tolerated.

2

8. Students should not correct other students unless specifically directed by the teacher to work with that fellow student.

9. During the time that the teacher is working with another student, you are expected to be courteous to your instructor and classmate. Be quiet.

10. During class, students may address the teachers as (in order of preference), Sensei, Sabomnim, Mr. Bryson/Mr. Wooten, or Sensei-Donnie/Sensei-Mike. While sabomnim is the Korean equivalent of the Japanese word, Sensei, I personally prefer sensei because the word has worked its way into the English language while Sabomnim hasn’t.

11. Our primary learning tool is push-ups. If you break a minor rule, or you keep doing the same technique incorrectly, you will be given push-ups. These push-ups are not optional and there is no debate. The only acceptable response to ‘give me ten push-ups’ is ‘yes sir’. Any other response adds ten more.

12. Students must exit the building immediately after class.

BELT TIEING (see last page for alternate method)1. Fold your belt (Dee) in half with the ends together to find the center. Place center of the belt on stomach.2. Wrap both ends around waist and cross in back. Bring ends back around to front, crossing the end in your right hand over the end in your left hand.3. Switch hands on your belt ends and take the end in your left hand and slip it under both piece of your belt around your waist. Pull both ends up and down to tighten.4. Take top end that is in your left hand and hold it out in front of you. Take the end in your right hand and bend it over to the left.5. Take the left end and bend it over the right end, up and through the knot hole.6. Pull both ends tight with a couple of pulls. Note, you have just made a square knot. Pull ends down to see that they are even.

Working out at homeStudents are expected to work out at home. You should warm-up, stretch, work-out, and stretch.Example home work-out1. Jumping jacks (warm-up)2. feet-shoulder-width apart (stretch)3. Chinese splits (stretch)4. American splits (stretch)5. Butterfly (stretch)6. front-snap kick (work-out)7. sidekick (work-out)8. roundhouse kick (work-out)9. down block (work-out)10. rising block (work-out)11. Chon-ji (work-out)12. cooling down stretches

3

CHON-JIMovements – 19

CHON- JI means literally " the Heaven the Earth". It is, in the Orient, interpreted as the creation of the world or the beginning of human history, therefore, it is the initial pattern played by the beginner. This pattern consists of two similar parts; one to represent the Heaven and the other the Earth.

The illustrations for this pattern assume that the student is standing on line AB and facing D.

Ready Posture: Parallel Ready Stance

Move the left foot to B forming a left walking stance toward B

while executing a low block to B with the left forearm.

Move the right foot to B forming a right walking stance toward B while

executing a middle punch to B with the right fist.

Move the right foot to A, turning clockwise to form a right walking

stance toward A while executing a low block to A with the right forearm.

Move the left foot to A forming a left walking stance toward A while

executing a middle punch to A with the left fist.

Move the left foot to D forming a left walking stance toward D while

executing a low block to D with the left forearm.

Move the right foot to D forming a right walking stance

toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist.

Move the right foot to C turning clockwise to form a right walking stance

toward C while executing a low block to C with the right forearm.

Move the left foot to C forming a left walking stance toward C while

executing a middle punch to C with the left fist.

Move the left foot to A forming a right L-stance toward A

while executing a middle block to A with the left inner forearm.

Move the right foot to A forming a right walking

stance toward A while executing a middle punch to A with the right fist.

Move the right foot to B turning clockwise to form a left L-stance

toward B while executing a middle block to B with the right inner forearm.

4

Move the left foot to B forming a left walking stance

toward B while executing a middle punch to B with the left fist.

Move the left foot to C forming a right L-stance toward C while

executing a middle block to C with the left inner forearm.

Move the right foot to C forming a right walking stance toward C

while executing a middle punch to C with the right fist.

Move the right foot to D turning clockwise to form a left L-

stance toward D while executing a middle block to D with the right inner forearm.

Move the left foot to D forming a left walking stance toward D

while executing a middle punch to D with the left fist.

Move the right foot to D forming a right walking stance toward D

while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist.

Move the right foot to C forming a left walking stance

toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the left fist.

Move the left foot to C forming a right walking stance toward D

while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist.

Bring the left foot back to a ready posture.

5

6

Requirements to go from White/Yellow-tip to Yellow

All previous kicks, stances, and blocks

Additional KicksFlip KickSide Kick/Back KickRoundhouse/Back Kick

Additional BlocksOutside->InsideInside->Outside

Chon-ji Form

All Information in Handout

Attendance Record --You are responsible to enter the dates you attended class below. You are eligible to take your test after this attendance sheet is full.

7