Taekwondo 태권도Taekwondo Preschool

Promotion from one geup to the next can proceed rapidly in some schools, since schools often allow geup promotions every two, three, or four months. Students of geup rank learn the most basic techniques first, and then move on to more advanced techniques as they approach first dan. Many of the older and more traditional schools often take longer to allow students to test for higher ranks than newer, more contemporary schools, as they may not have the required testing intervals. View Taekwondo belt levels »

Palm Heel Inward Block

( 바탕손 안막기 batangson-an-makgi )

Difficulty Level: Intermediate Technique: Blocks ( 막기 makgi )

To perform this intermediate technique, open the hand ( 손 son ) and use the bottom of the palm ( 바탕손 batangson ) to block ( 막기 makgi ) the trunk area. The bottom of the palm is called batangson ( 바탕손 ) in korean. The wrist ( 팔목 palmok ) should be bent and the blocking technique starts from shoulder level close to the armpit. The finishing point is below the solar plexus area.

Typically because of the angles involved, the Palm Heel Inward Block ( 바탕손 안막기 batangson-an-makgi ) is used to block ( 막기 makgi ) against attacks aimed at the lower torso. Most critical organs are housed within the torso. For example, in the upper chest, the heart and lungs are protected by the rib cage, while the abdomen contains the stomach, kidney, and etc.

Palm Heel Inward Blocks ( 바탕손 안막기 batangson-an-makgi ) are executed against the attacker by quickly pushing their arm away to the right or left side and counterattacking when the procedure is done correctly. For example once the attack is blocked, the practitioner can counterattack with the Palm Heel Forward Strike ( 바탕손 앞치기 batangson-ap-chigi ) or with the Rear Hand Middle Punch ( 몸통 바로 지르기 momtong-baro-jireugi ). The important thing to remember is that the block ( 막기 makgi ) is moving across the trunk area. The block ( 막기 makgi ) is first introduced in Taegeuk #6 태극 6장 Yuk Jang Poomse and is also included in Taegeuk #7 and 8.

If the taekwondo practitioner side steps ( 옆딛기 yeop-ditgi ) or does a turning step ( 돌아딛기 dora-ditgi ) during combat, the block ( 막기 makgi ) can achieve a positional advantage relative to your opponent. Some attackers move and strike in linear fashion and the Palm Heel Inward Block ( 바탕손 안막기 batangson-an-makgi ) will throw them off when the block ( 막기 makgi ) is least expected from the side. Deploying effective footwork ( 딛기 ditgi ) involves keeping balance, closing or furthering the distance, controlling positioning, and creating additional momentum for strikes and blocks ( 막기 makgi ).

Experienced practitioners learn through repetition and muscle memory when (not just how) to launch particular blocks ( 막기 makgi ), based on the circumstances they are facing. Fights and fighters may have ebbs and flows in momentum and action that become predictable. Disrupting this flow may give the blocker an advantage.

* Please see a certified Master Instructor ( 사범님 sabeomnim ) for training. Proper guidance and instructions are needed to ensure safe training.

Did you know?

Taekwondo Olympic Demonstration Sport

Taekwondo made its first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The opening ceremony featured a mass demonstration of taekwondo with hundreds of adults and children performing moves in unison. Taekwondo was again a demonstration sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. For more information View Taekwondo Olympic Demonstration Sport »

Year	Date	Flag	City	Host Country
1992	July 25 - August 9		Barcelona	Spain
1988	September 17 - Oct 2		Seoul	South Korea

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Taekwondo at the Summer Olympics" which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Quiz

Question. What is the korean terminology for Attention Stance?

Attention is a stance ( 서기 sogi ) where your body is in an upright standing position with the legs side by side, heels touching, distribute 50/50 weight ratio on the left and right legs, and toes facing straight forward. Your hands should be parallel with your body, to the side as your hands tap the legs.

Question. What year was Taekwondo an official Olympic Demonstration Sport in Seoul, Korea?

Taekwondo made its first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games as a demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The opening ceremony featured a mass demonstration of taekwondo with hundreds of adults and children performing moves in unison. Taekwondo was again a demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. There were no demonstration sports at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA.

Question. What is the korean terminology for Low Block?

The Low Block is one of the most basic Taekwondo blocks ( 막기 makgi ) and one of the first things a beginner will learn. The lead forearm is bent and raised to shoulder height, snapping the arm straight down with the palm ( 손바닥 sonbadak ) facing the ground, which blocks any incoming low kicks ( 차기 chagi ) or low strikes.

Question. What is the korean terminology for Walking Stance?

The Walking Stance is a beginner stance ( 서기 sogi ) that is used to approach or retreat in combat and poomse. Feet should be maintained approximately 3 foot-length from origin. To maintain a solid base, the front foot is facing straight forward and the back foot is 30 degrees to aid balance.

There are five tenets defined in the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) and several more in World Taekwondo (WT).

Perseverance ( In Nae / 인내 ): "One will persevere time and time again until they have achieved a result which is adequate towards what one was trying to achieve." View Taekwondo Tenets »

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of Taekwondo Techniques", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.