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What are patterns?
Patterns are a series of defending and attacking movements performed against imaginary opponents in a set pattern.
By practicing and perfecting the performance of patterns,
students learn the practical use of Taekwondo techniques.
The Reason for 24 Patterns
"The life of a human being, perhaps 100 years, can be
considered as a day when compared with eternity. Therefore, we
mortals are no more than simple travelers who pass by the eternal
years of an eon in a day. It is evident that no one can live more
than a limited amount of time. Nevertheless, most people foolishly
enslave themselves to materialism as if they could live for
thousands of years. And some people strive to bequeath a good
spiritual legacy for coming generations, in this way, gaining
immortality. Obviously, the spirit is perpetual while material is
not; therefore, what we can do to leave behind something for the
welfare of mankind is, perhaps, the most important thing in our
lives.
Here I leave Taekwondo for mankind as a trace of man of the late
20th century. The 24 patterns represent 24 hours, one day, or all my
life. The name of the pattern, the number of movements, and the
diagrammatic symbol of each pattern symbolizes either heroic figures
in Korean history or instances relating to historical
events."
General Choi, Hong Hi
Rules to be applied when performing patterns
The following points should be considered while performing
patterns:
- Patterns should begin and end at exactly the same
spot. This will indicate the performers accuracy.
- Correct posture and facing must be maintained at all
times.
- Muscles of the body should be either tensed or
relaxed at the proper critical moments in the
exercise.
- The exercise should be performed in a rhythmic
movement with an absence of stiffness.
- Movement should be accelerated or de-accelerated
according to instruction from your Instructor.
- Each pattern should be perfected before moving to
the next.
- Students should know the purpose of each movement.
- Students should perform each movement with realism.
- Attack and defense techniques should be equally
distributed among right and left hands and feet.
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