Kihap and Chumbi Seogi in Matchoe Kyorugi

In my last two posts I wrote a little more indepth about"Chumbi Seogi" and "Kihap" as well as their role in Taekwondo. This time I wanted to shed some light over the role of Chumbi Seogi and Kihap in Matchoe Kyorugi (in our Dojang at least).

When you do one, two, three step sparring you do a lot of Kihap, as well as Chumbi Seogi. Even though it is considered an external hard excercise it does contain a lot of inner soft training as well. The Kihap and Chumbi Seogi as Ki excersises have been dealt with (albeit shortly) in my last two previous posts so I will not repeat myself to much in this one as both Kihap and Chumbi Seogi does have a few extra roles in Matchoe Kyorugi.

For those who do not know Matchoe Kyorugi is predetermined sparring where all actions are known beforehand. It follows a strict framework and in our school they are all completly "set", but in other schools and organisations they are made up on the spot, all that is known is where the attacker is targeting as well as how many attacks the attacker will do. Except from that fact the framework wich the Matchoe Kyorugi works is the same:

1. Both opponents face each other in attention stance and bow (depending on the school this is done between each and every matchoe kyorugi, others like my school does this before the first and after the last Matchoe Kyorugi). The distance between the opponents should be no longer than one arms length. He or she should be able to hit his or hers partner from this distance if he or she wanted to.
2. Both partners do Chumbi Seogi simultainiously. As both opens with the left foot some adjustment is needed so the face each other front to front.
3. The attacker steps back with his right foot into long front walking stance (Ap Koobi) low block (Arae Makki) and performs Kihap.
4. The defender still in Chumbi Seogi performs Kihap.
5. The attacker attacks with a predermined attack or at least to a predetermined area on the defenders body a predetermined number of times before freezing.
6. The defender defends against the attacks before counter attacking after the last attack from the attacker. After or rather at the completion of the counter attack the defender performs Kihap.
7. Both move into Chumbi Seogi before the roles are reversed.
8. After the last Matchoe Kyorugi the partners return to Chumbi Seogi, then attention stance and bow.

This is the framework that Matchoe Kyorugi works within.

The Chumbi seogi in point two is done so both are standing in perfect balance, but not in a "fighting position". The attacker moving his right leg back and do low block signifies that a Taekwondo student never strikes first (this should NOT be taken literally). The fact that the defender starts defending from Chumbi Seogi does NOT mean that Chumbi Seogi is a ready fighting stance. It should be understood that this is actually training to defend from a neutral "normal" body position. You are rarely if ever ready to fight when attacked in self defence so this is acknowledged in our training.

Then there are the "Kihap`s". My teacher explained it to me as a "conversation" between the partners. You see in the "old days" when he started training it was not allowed to speak during practise. The instructor would speak, but there would be no whispering, no questions and no small talk during class. Kihap on the other hand was encouraged so the first Kihap from the attacker is Taekwondoish for: "I am going to attack you with all my might. Are you ready?" The defenders first Kihap is Taekwondoish for: "I am ready, give me your best shot and do not hold back". The defenders last Kihap is Taekwondoish for: "I am finished now, lets go to chumbi seogi together and continue training".