Red Belt: 2nd Gup - Gajok Taekwondo

Signifies danger, cautioning the student to exercise control and warning the opponent to stay away.

Taegeuk Pal Jang

Meaning: Earth

Philosophical Meaning: Earth in this pattern represents that “Earth is the foundation of growth for all life and the place to which all life returns” or in other words, the ending of one journey and the beginning of another. Therefore, this ending (last pattern of the colour belt stage) can represent the beginning of a new stage (the black belt stage). Thus, just as earth, this pattern can be viewed as the “foundation” in which you begin the transition into black belt stage where you will continue to grow and improve. This means you are carrying and bringing your basic techniques which you have learned up until this stage of training into your black belt journey, hence why the black belt stage is often seen “as just the beginning”. Thus, this pattern represents where all basic techniques (from white belt to black stripe) come together and “return” to the beholder before embarking on your black belt journey just as earth is the place where all life physically returns once it is deceased and (re)joins nature in its ever-evolving process.

Written Instructions for Taegeuk Pal Jang

Start in the Ready or “Joon Bi” stance
Step forward with left foot into left back stance, double fist middle block
Slide left foot sideways into left front stance, reverse middle punch with right hand
Left double front kick, yell Kihap!, left inside block, double punch (right hand first)
Step forward into right front stance, right middle punch
Turn left 270 degrees, left low block and right single mountain high block (at same time), reverse front stance, look towards direction of low block
Move left foot into (forward) left front stance, grab imaginary opponent’s collar with left hand & pull towards your right shoulder, slow right uppercut to imaginary opponent’s chin
Double step backwards, turn your head 180 degrees, right low block and left single mountain high block (at same time), reverse front stance, look towards direction of low block
Move right foot into (forward) right front stance, grab imaginary opponent’s collar with right hand & pull towards your left shoulder, slow left uppercut to imaginary opponent’s chin
Turn left 270 degrees, left double knife hand block in back stance
Move left foot into left front stance, right middle punch
Right front kick, return foot back to kicking position (behind left foot), step back with left foot, bring right foot into tiger/cat stance, right low palm block
Turn left 90 degrees, left foot in tiger/cat stance, left double knife hand middle block
Left front kick, right middle punch in front stance
Move left foot back into tiger/cat stance, right low palm block
Turn right 180 degrees, right foot into tiger/cat stance, right double knife hand middle block
Right front kick, left middle punch in front stance
Move right foot back into tiger/cat stance, low palm block
Turn right 90 degrees, right double fist low block in back stance
Left double front kick, yell “Kihap!”, land in a right front stance, right inside block, double punch (left hand first)
Turn left 270 degrees, left single knife hand middle block in back stance
Move left foot into left front stance, reverse elbow strike with right arm, reverse backfist to the nose with right fist, middle punch with left hand
Move right foot and turn 180 degrees to the right into a right back stance, single knife hand middle block
Move right foot into right front stance, reverse elbow strike with left arm, reverse backfist to the nose with left fist, middle punch with right hand
When Instructor yells “Bah Ro”, move left foot, turn left 90 degrees and return to Ready/Joon Bi stance.