Taekwondo Green Belt Techniques

Knowledge of the following stances, hand techniques, and foot techniques are required for a green belt in Taekwondo. The following written instructions explain how to perform the various moves.

Stances:

Diagonal Stance:  This is a modified straddle stance in which the heel of the front foot is in line with the toes of the rear foot as opposed to a straddle stance in which both feet are in line with each other. The stance is determined by the front foot.


Hand Techniques:

U-block:  To execute a U-block in a right L-stance to the north, begin in junbi position to the north. Start moving the left foot to the north and pivoting the right foot to the east while bringing both fists to the hips palm side up. Just before the left foot lands, the left fist should move to the north at hip height with the palm side up and stop when the left elbow is touching the left hip. At the same time, the right fist should move up and to the north while rotating so that the palm side is down. The right fist should be directly above the left fist. As the left foot lands in a right L-stance to the north both fists should open into knife hands with the thumbs away from the index fingers blocking the opponent's strike with a staff or bow between the thumbs and index fingers.


U-punch:  To execute a U-punch in a right L-stance to the north, begin in junbi position to the north. Start moving the left foot to the north and pivoting the right foot to the east while bringing both fists to the hips palm side up. As the left foot lands in a right L-stance to the north, the left fist should move to the north at hip height with the palm side up and stop when the left elbow is touching the left hip. At the same time, the right fist should move up and to the north while rotating so that the palm side is down. The right fist should be directly above the left fist and both fists should strike the opponent at the same time.


U-grab:  To execute a U-grab in a right L-stance to the north, begin in junbi position to the north. Start moving the left foot to the north and pivoting the right foot to the east while bringing both fists to the hips palm side up. Just before the left foot lands, the left fist should move to the north at hip height with the palm side up and stop when the left elbow is touching the left hip. At the same time, the right fist should move up and to the north while rotating so that the thumb side is down. The right fist should be directly above the left fist. As the left foot lands in a right L-stance to the north both fists should open into knife hands with the thumbs away from the index fingers blocking the opponent's strike with a staff or bow between the thumbs and index fingers and then closing the right hand grabbing the staff or bow. You can now rotate your right hand clockwise and down while the left hand goes clockwise and up taking control of the opponent's staff or bow.


Twin Knife Hand Block:  To execute a twin knife hand block in a right L-stance to the north, begin in junbi position to the north. Start moving the left foot to the north and pivoting the right foot to the east while bringing both fists slightly behind the right hip. The fists should be close together but not touching with the palms facing to the rear. Just before the left foot lands, both arms should move to the north and both fists should open into knife hands. When the left foot lands in a right L-stance to the north your left knife hand with the palm facing away from you should be above the left thigh and at shoulder height with the left elbow bent at 90 degrees to deliver the block. The right knife hand should be a couple of inches above and in front of your head with the palm facing away from you with the thumb side down to deliver the block. Both knife hands will be used to deliver the blocks.


Hooking Block:  To execute a left arm hooking block in a right L-stance to the north, begin in junbi position to the north. Start moving the left foot to the north and pivoting the right foot to the east while bringing the left knife hand a couple of inches away from the right ear with the palm facing the ear. The back of the right fist should be touching the back of the left hand. Just before the left foot lands, move your left arm to the north and your right fist towards your right hip rotating both of your wrists. When the left foot lands in a right L-stance to the north your left knife hand should be above the left thigh and at shoulder height with the left elbow bent at 90 degrees to deliver the block. As soon as the block is made the left thumb should move away from the index finger and under the opponent's wrist while the other fingers move over top thus grabbing the opponent's wrist. The right fist will be palm side up beside the right hip.


Crescent Punch:  To execute a right arm crescent punch in a straddle stance to the north, begin in junbi position to the north. Start moving the left foot to the west while bringing the left fist up to solar plexus height with the palm down and the right fist to the right hip palm side up. As the left foot lands in a straddle stance to the north the left fist will rotate and move beside the left hip with the palm side up and the right fist will rotate and move to in front of the solar plexus with the palm side down striking the opponent.


Hook Punch:  To execute a left arm hook punch in a right L-stance to the north, begin with the hands in guard in a right L-stance to the north. Start moving the left elbow up so that it is at the same height as the left fist with the palm several inches away from but facing towards the left eye and the left elbow bent 90 degrees. Once the left hand is in position begin moving the hips clockwise and to the east driving the fist and striking the opponent. The strike itself is driven almost entirely by the rotation of the hips with very little movement of the arm itself once it is in its proper initial position.


Foot Techniques:

Twisting Kick:  To execute a twisting kick with the rear leg from a right L-stance to the north while the hands are in guard, begin by moving the right knee to the north and to the height of the target. Start rotating the right inner thigh so that it begins to point up. Next, extend the right foot by straightening the knee with the toes pointed back thus kicking towards the east and contacting your opponent with the ball of your foot.


Hook Kick:  To execute a hook kick with the rear leg from a right L-stance to the north while the hands are in guard, begin by moving the right knee to the northwest and just beside and to the height of the target. Start rotating the right hip so that the inner thigh is pointed down and the knee is pointed to the west. At the same time, the left foot will be pivoting counterclockwise with the toes pointed to the southwest. Next, quickly extend the right foot to the northwest by straightening the knee and then quickly retract the knee while pivoting clockwise on the left foot to the north thus moving the right foot to the east kicking your opponent with the heel.


Reverse Turning Kick:  To execute a reverse turning kick with the rear leg from a right L-stance to the north while the hands are in guard do the following six steps in rapid succession. First, lift the right leg so that the thigh and sole are parallel to the floor while pivoting on the left foot clockwise. Second, turn the right hip over while pivoting on the left foot clockwise to the southeast so that the right thigh is parallel to the floor. The right knee will be pointed to the south and the right heel will be pointed to the north. Third, quickly extend the right foot by straightening the knee and then quickly retract the knee while pivoting clockwise on the left foot to the north thus moving the right foot to the east kicking your opponent with the heel. Fourth, retract the right foot by bending your knee so that the knee points north and the heel is pointed south. Fifth, turn the right hip up while pivoting on the left foot clockwise to the north so that the thigh and sole are parallel to the floor. Sixth, set your right foot back down into a right L-stance to the north.


Popular posts from this blog

Free Taekwondo Martial Arts Classes In Pittsburgh

Image
Are you interested in Martial Arts classes? According to some online sources, classes may cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per month. That may not fit within some peoples budgets. If you are in a similar situation, then there may be a solution for you. Se-Jong Tae Kwon Do Educational System Inc. offers free Martial Arts classes in Pittsburgh. According to their website at sejongtkd.org they were founded by Father Robert Connolly, an Eighth Degree Black Belt. They currently have 19 schools, most of which are in the western Pennsylvania area, with one in the Philadelphia area and one in Wilmington, North Carolina. There is no charge to attend their classes, other than a nominal yearly fee to cover insurance. Se-Jong Tae Kwon Do Educational System Inc. is a domestic nonprofit corporation started in 1990. A complete list of their schools can be found on their website at Se-Jong Schools . The following are some of the schools and locations. If you live to the northeast of Pittsburgh, Se-Jong...
Read more

Uppercut - A Powerful and Devastating Punch

Image
When fighting at close range, the uppercut can be a devastatingly effective punch. If done with the proper technique, an uppercut to the chin can be quite powerful and can knockout an opponent. In science class we learn that force equals mass times acceleration. Therefore, in order to have a powerful uppercut you need to get your body weight behind the punch or to increase the speed of the punch or some combination of the two. In Se-Jong Tae Kwon Do  classes, the uppercut is required knowledge for a gold belt with a green stripe. If you want to have a powerful uppercut, it is important to get your body weight behind the punch. If you just move your arm up to execute the punch, then it will not be as effective since there is not much weight behind your arm. To execute an uppercut from a fighting stance with your hands in guard (just below eye height) start by bending your knees. You want to bend your knees enough so that your fist is below your opponent's chin. Next, you will begin ...
Read more

Self-Defense Key Moves for White Belts

Image
In Se-Jong Tae Kwon Do, beginners learn some great moves for self-defense. A lot of these moves are taught as part of the white belt curriculum. When thinking about self-defense, one of the first things that comes to mind is how should you be standing. There are numerous stances in taekwondo, and each has its purpose. The L-Stance , which is taught to beginners, is a great overall stance for self-defense. This is because it is fairly stable both front to back and side to side. This stance also makes it relatively easy to execute kicks with the front leg. White belts are taught some powerful hand techniques which can aid in self-defense. Throwing multiple punches in quick succession at an attacker's face could catch them off guard allowing you to escape. In addition, Se-Jong Tae Kwon Do teaches beginners four different elbow strikes which can be quite effective if an attacker is in close proximity. There are elbow strikes that can be used if an opponent is in front of you, behin...
Read more