Back to Basics: The Surprising Challenge of Taekwondo's Poomsae
Taekwondo poomsae are known for their strict, formulaic movements. There's no denying they're highly standardized. However, this is the mainstream approach in Taekwondo, and I've had to embrace relearning them. Thankfully, Kukkiwon's official educational materials are quite generous. They've meticulously organized the poomsae tutorials, making them excellent resources for both instructors and self-learners. Kukkiwon's Educational Resources: A Boon for Learning and Teaching Kukkiwon categorizes Taegeuk Chapters 1 to 3 as entry-level poomsae, available in both English and Korean versions. The videos even include the Korean pronunciation of the movements, offering a great opportunity to pick up some Korean along the way. Here are the international versions of Taegeuk 1 to 3, along with their key movements: Taegeuk Il Jang (태극 1장) - Taegeuk Chapter 1 Key Movements: Narani Seogi (나란히 서기) : Parallel Ready Stance Ap Seogi (앞 서기) : Forward Stance Ap Kubi (앞굽이) : ...