ITF Taekwondo Theory Quiz
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    Pattern (Tul)-3rd Kup

    Toi-Gye

    퇴계

    Pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang

    Belt Grade

    3rd Kup

    Red Tag

    Movements

    37

    Ready Posture

    Diagram

    士

    scholar

    Meaning

    Toi-Gye was the pen name of Yi Hwang, the sixteenth-century scholar regarded as Korea's foremost authority on neo-Confucianism. His birthplace on the 37th parallel gives the pattern its 37 movements, and as in Yul-Gok the diagram forms the character for 'scholar'.

    Examiner often asks

    • 1.Who was Toi-Gye named after?
    • 2.Why does Toi-Gye have 37 movements?
    • 3.What does the diagram of Toi-Gye represent?

    Special Motions

    Movements of Toi-Gye performed outside the pattern's normal rhythm.

    Slow motionPerformed slowly and under full control, on one long breath.
    3612

    Pattern Movements

    All 37 movements of Toi-Gye, in our own notation, following the sequence set out in the Encyclopedia.

    1. 1Left foot → B · right L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing B · middle side block (Kaunde Yop Makgi) → B, left inner forearm. Prep: forearms crossed at the chest first, blocking arm underneath.Move the left foot to B, forming a right L-stance toward B while executing a middle side block to B with the left inner forearm. Keep forearms crossed in front of the chest with both back fists faced upward, placing the blocking one under the other.
    2. 2Left foot slips → B · low thrust (Najunde Tulgi) → B, right upset fingertip · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing B. Prep: both palms face down, attacking hand underneath.Slide to B, forming a right L-stance toward A while thrusting to B with the right side elbow. Keep both palms faced downward, placing the attacking one under the other.
    3. 3Left foot drawn to right · close stance (Moa Sogi) facing D · side back strike → C, right back fist (등 주먹). Prep: performed slowly.Slow motionBring the left foot to the right foot to form a close stance toward D while executing a side back strike to C with the right back fist, extending the left arm to the side-downward. Keep the left elbow straight.
    4. 4Right foot → A · left L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing A · middle side block (Kaunde Yop Makgi) → A, right inner forearm. Prep: both palms face down, attacking hand underneath; end — right foot back to ready posture.Slide to A, forming a right L-stance toward B while thrusting to A with the right side elbow. Keep both palms faced downward, placing the attacking one under the other. END: Bring the right foot back to a ready posture. * Exercise clockwise and counter-clockwise turning alternately.
    5. 5Right foot slips → A · low thrust (Najunde Tulgi) → A, left upset fingertip · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing A.Execute a low thrust to A with the left upset fingertip while forming a right walking stance toward A, slipping the right foot to A.
    6. 6Right foot drawn to left · close stance (Moa Sogi) facing D · side back strike → C, left back fist (등 주먹). Prep: performed slowly; performed slowly.Slow motionBring the right foot to the left foot to form a close stance toward D while executing a side back strike to C with the left back fist, extending the right arm to the side-downward. Keep the right elbow straight.
    7. 7Left foot → D · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing D · pressing block (Noollo Makgi), x-fist. Prep: crossing point reaches lower-abdomen height.Move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a pressing block with an X-fist.
    8. 8High vertical punch (Nopunde Sewo Jirugi) → D, twin fist () · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing D.Execute a high vertical punch to D with a twin fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward D.
    9. 9Middle front snap kick (Kaunde Apcha Busigi) → D, right foot. hands stays as in 8. Prep: attacking tool: ball of the foot (앞 꿈치). Prep: hands stay as in 8.Execute a middle front snap kick to D with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 8. The ball of the foot is the attacking tool.
    10. 10Right foot lowered → D · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing D · middle punch (Kaunde Jirugi) → D, right fist.Lower the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist.
    11. 11Middle punch (Kaunde Jirugi) → D, left fist · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing D.Execute a middle punch to D with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward D. Keep the left heel slightly off the ground.
    12. 12Left foot drawn to right · close stance (Moa Sogi) facing F. performed slowly.Slow motionBring the left foot to the right foot, forming a close stance toward F while bringing both fists to the hips simultaneously. Perform in a slow motion.
    13. 13Right foot → F · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing C · w-shape block (San Makgi) → C, right outer forearm. stamping motion. Prep: forearms stay straight.Move the right foot to F in a stamping motion, forming a sitting stance toward C while executing a W-shape block to C with the right outer forearm. Keep the forearms straight.
    14. 14Left foot → F · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing D · w-shape block (San Makgi) → D, left outer forearm. stamping motion. Prep: forearms stay straight.Move the left foot to F in a stamping motion, turning clockwise to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a W-shape block to D with the left outer forearm. Keep the forearms straight.
    15. 15Left foot → E · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing C · w-shape block (San Makgi) → C, left outer forearm. stamping motion. Prep: forearms stay straight.Move the left foot to E in a stamping motion, turning clockwise to form a sitting stance toward C, at the same time executing a W-shape block to C with the left outer forearm. Keep the forearms straight.
    16. 16Right foot → E · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing D · w-shape block (San Makgi) → D, right outer forearm. stamping motion. Prep: forearms stay straight.Move the right foot to E in a stamping motion, turning counter-clockwise to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a W-shape block to D with the right outer forearm. Keep the forearms straight.
    17. 17Left foot → E · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing C · w-shape block (San Makgi) → C, left outer forearm. stamping motion. Prep: forearms stay straight.Move the left foot to E in a stamping motion, turning clockwise to form a sitting stance toward C, at the same time executing a W-shape block to C with the left outer forearm. Keep the forearms straight.
    18. 18Left foot → F · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing D · w-shape block (San Makgi) → D, left outer forearm. stamping motion. Prep: forearms stay straight.Move the left foot to F in a stamping motion, turning clockwise to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a W-shape block to D with the left outer forearm. Keep the forearms straight.
    19. 19Right foot drawn to left, then left foot → D · left foot → D · right L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing D · low pushing block (Najunde Miro Makgi) → D, left double forearm.Bring the right foot to the left foot and then move the left foot to D, forming a right L-stance toward D while executing a low pushing block to D with the left double forearm.
    20. 20Left foot slips → D · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing D.Extend both hands upward as if to grab the opponent's head while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot to D.
    21. 21Upward kick (Ollyo Chagi), right knee.Execute an upward kick with the right knee while pulling both hands downward.
    22. 22Foot lowered to the left · left foot → C · right L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing C · middle guarding block (Kaunde Daebi Makgi) → C, knife-hand.Lower the right foot to the left foot and then move the left foot to C, forming a right L-stance toward C while executing a middle guarding block to C with a knife-hand. Keep the right heel slightly off the ground.
    23. 23Low side front snap kick (Najunde Yobap Cha Busigi) → C, left foot. hands stays as in 22.Execute a low side front snap kick to C with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 22.
    24. 24Left foot lowered → C · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing C · high thrust (Nopunde Tulgi) → C, left flat fingertip ().Lower the left foot to C, forming a left walking stance toward C while executing a high thrust to C with the left flat fingertip.
    25. 25Right foot → C · left L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing C · middle guarding block (Kaunde Daebi Makgi) → C, knife-hand.Move the right foot to C, forming a left L-stance toward C while executing a middle guarding block to C with a knife-hand.
    26. 26Low side front snap kick (Najunde Yobap Cha Busigi) → C, right foot. hands stays as in 25.Execute a low side front snap kick to C with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 25.
    27. 27Right foot lowered → C · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing C · high thrust (Nopunde Tulgi) → C, right flat fingertip ().Lower the right foot to C, forming a right walking stance toward C, at the same time executing a high thrust to C with the right flat fingertip.
    28. 28Right foot → D · right L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing C · high strike (Nopunde Taerigi) → D, right back fist (등 주먹) · low block (Najunde Makgi) → C, left forearm.Move the right foot to D, forming a right L-stance toward C while executing a high strike to D with the right back fist and a low block to C with the left forearm.
    29. 29Jump → C · right X-stance (Kyocha Sogi) facing A · pressing block (Noollo Makgi) → A, x-fist.Jump to C, forming a right X-stance toward A while executing a pressing block to A with an X-fist.
    30. 30Right foot → C · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing C · high block (Nopunde Makgi) → C, right double forearm.Move the right foot to C, forming a right walking stance toward C while executing a high block to C with the right double forearm.
    31. 31Left foot → B · right L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing B · low guarding block (Najunde Daebi Makgi) → B, knife-hand.Move the left foot to B, forming a right L-stance toward B while executing a low guarding block to B with a knife-hand.
    32. 32Left foot slips → B · circular block (Dollimyo Makgi) → BD, right inner forearm · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing B.Execute a circular block to BD with the right inner forearm while forming a left walking stance toward B, slipping the left foot to B. Keep the right heel slightly off the ground.
    33. 33Left foot drawn to right, then right foot → A · right foot → A · left L-stance (Niunja Sogi) facing A · low guarding block (Najunde Daebi Makgi) → A, knife-hand.Bring the left foot to the right foot and then move the right foot to A, forming a left L-stance toward A, at the same time executing a low guarding block to A with a knife-hand. Keep the left heel slightly off the ground.
    34. 34Right foot slips → A · circular block (Dollimyo Makgi) → AD, left inner forearm · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing A.Execute a circular block to AD with the left inner forearm while forming a right walking stance toward A, slipping the right foot to A. Keep the left heel slightly off the ground.
    35. 35Circular block (Dollimyo Makgi) → CE, right inner forearm · left walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing CE. Prep: both heels stay slightly raised.Execute a circular block to CE with the right inner forearm while forming a left walking stance toward CE. Keep both heels slightly off the ground.
    36. 36Circular block (Dollimyo Makgi) → CE, left inner forearm · right walking stance (Gunnun Sogi) facing A. Prep: both heels stay slightly raised.Execute a circular block to CE with the left inner forearm while forming a right walking stance toward A. Keep both heels slightly off the ground.
    37. 37Right foot → along line AB · sitting stance (Annun Sogi) facing D · middle punch (Kaunde Jirugi) → D, right fist. Prep: end — right foot back to ready posture.Move the right foot on line AB to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist. END: Bring the right foot back to a ready posture.

    For fuller detail, consult Gen. Choi Hong Hi’s Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do. The wording here is our own.

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