Part 1: Flow drills for Taekwondo hand techniques

Taekwondo is not exactly renowned for its hand techniques which I have always felt was a little odd.

Not odd becuase we do normally stress leg techniques over hand techniques, but odd because we have just about every hand technique that you would find in any Karate style. Again, many have a superficial knowledge about Taekwondo, and it does not help that:

1. Many hand techniques never appear in Poomsae
2. Many who practise Taekwondo to later convert to other styles only learn rudementary or basic Taekwondo.

Now every strike you would find in Karate, most of the common strikes in Chinese Martial Arts and in Boxing are all present within Taekwondo. Hand Techniques of Taekwondo for actual fighting does a very good job documenting these strikes, allthough the author does it primarily form a "non-attached" striking viewpoint or "boxing style" strikes. I come from the opposite side of the spectrum as I usually like to be "attached" i.e. using my other hand active so I do not have what Choki Motobu called "dead hand" or inactive hand. Most students of Taekwondo will spar using the competition rulesets so for Kukki-TKD people they will go sparring much like the WT competition style fights go. Lots and lots of emphasis on kicking, long distance, and handtechniques are scarce or non-existant. If they do drill their hand techniques with a partner it is usually in a ritualised manner of formal sparring; one, two or three step sparring.

Micro Post: 3 Applications for high block from Master Henrik

Master Henrik from Sangrok Taekwondo in Norway has yet again made a well produced clip on practical applications for traditional techniques. This time he is focusing on the high section block or Eulgeul Makki in Korean.

Video of a Taegeuk Sa Jang application

I have often promised to make videos, but I have never really gotten around to actually do it:-P Last
night we did some pictures for my latest article for totally taekwondo magazine (joint locks and terminology), and when we were finished (55 seconds later) I thought, why not shoot a few seconds of footage and make "something" rather than "nothing" :-) The result was that we filmed two flow drills, and a few seconds of drilling a variation application from Taegeuk Sa Jang.

Micro Post; 3 Applications on outward block from master Henrik

Master Henrik from Sangrok Taekwondo Norway has yet again published a clip on taekwondo applications. This time it's the outward block, or bakkat makki that is in focus. He presents 3 different applications to this technique in a well produced clip. Again it' his father who assists in the clip:-)

500 000 views :-) Thank you everyone :-)

Micro Post: Interview on the new competition poomsae with USA Poomsae Coach

I really enjoyed this interview. I'e been asked about the topic on the new poomsae many times, and since they are for competition and my entire focus these days are Taekwondo as a martial art (as opposed to martial sport) they are not really relevant for me. I'e also dismissed them as "fluff" without much if any real "martial content". I do try to keep an open mind (even if that does not come through my in my writings) so I clicked this interview not really knowing what someone whose focus is sport thinks about them. He does raise many good points, and I'll try to find the complete interview (this ones 8 minutes long, and it cuts just as they are starting to talk about the evolution of sport sparring. I hope you enjoy as well :-)

Micro Post: 3 Applications for inward block from master Henrik

In the video below you can see the Norwegian Taekwondo master Henrik Hunstad explaining and demonstrating 3 different applications for momtong an Makki or inward block. Enjoy: