Definitions and so forth

[axal_the_wise]

My instructer gave me definitions to memorize and i have memory problems and i dont know if i can memorize all of it. the one i know im supposed to know is chunji but how can i memorize all the other things. my memory is not very good. as of course it took me years and years to get my drivers license. and then he gave me something about Stances and left right left punch and all that stuff to memorize im just confused.

 

[Hand Sword]

Just like the license, Give it time. If you keep training and hear the reference words, and then see it executed, you'll get to know them!

 

[zDom]

Your memory will improve with use (just like muscles).

Let you instructor know that memorizing is something you have difficulty with. I'm sure he or she will work with you.

Just do your best.

By the way,

Chonji = Heaven and Light, the beginning.

(Keep heaven, light, the beginning in mind while doing this form once you get the basic moves down. For now, just concentrate on remembering the pattern and executing the techniques properly.)

It is the first ITF poomsea. Turn and low block, step and punch, with front stances.

Your first block is with left arm. Then punch.

When you have right punch out, the turn for the next block is 180 degrees (opposite direction).

When your left punch is out, your turn for the next block is only 90 degrees (to your left).

After you have done the first four punches, the next four blocks are middle blocks with back stances.

Hope this helps!

 

[exile]

My instructer gave me definitions to memorize and i have memory problems and i dont know if i can memorize all of it. the one i know im supposed to know is chunji but how can i memorize all the other things. my memory is not very good. as of course it took me years and years to get my drivers license. and then he gave me something about Stances and left right left punch and all that stuff to memorize im just confused.

Axal---your instructor was talking about the chun ji hyung or poomsae, one of the choreographed patterns of technique combinations that are the TKD analogue of kata in karate. There's a description of it at this url:

http://tkd.myweb.uga.edu/chunji.htm

Look over the motions described there and see if they correspond to what your instructor was talking to you about. This is a green belt form in a lot of places.

If your memory isn't very good for certain kinds of information, it's going to make it harder to learn poomsae, but it's not impossible. Does your instructor demonstrate the whole patten before he asks you to perform parts of it? You might consider asking a friend to come with you to class and help you record your instructor's moves as he performs them---with a camcorder, say. And you should probably tell your instructor about the difficulties you're having retaining the sequence of movements. If he knows that, he'll be in a better position to explain them to you in a way that will help you retain them better.

 

[matt.m]

In the first 4 poomse for the ITF remember the most important thing.....It always begins with a left turn. Big point number 2 is that whatever you do on the left you will do on the right.

Good luck and practice, practice, practice. Poomse is hard but very rewarding.

 

[exile]

In the first 4 poomse for the ITF remember the most important thing.....It always begins with a left turn. Big point number 2 is that whatever you do on the left you will do on the right.

Good luck and practice, practice, practice. Poomse is hard but very rewarding.

The left turn is pretty much the default, in the hyungs I know---the Palgwes (and the kichos, of course)---and ditto for the left/right mirror imaging. It seems to be one of those rules of poomsae construction. I actually can't think of one which begins with a righthand turn, can you, Matt?

 

[Kacey]

You can also look here, for the Ch'ang H'on (ITF) pattern set, with all the moves for each pattern as well as the pattern histories.

Does your instructor want you to memorize the information word for word, or be able to state it in your own words? Different strategies work best for the former than the latter, but here are some ideas that may help you - choose the one or ones that best suit your learning style:

- write or type the information several times a day, while saying it out loud
- make flash cards with the name / key word on the front and the information on the back; quiz yourself or give them to someone else
- make a recording of the information on a portable format (tape, mp3, CD) and play it to yourself in spare moments - in the car, walking the dog, etc.
- find other information that you can relate it to; for example, Chon-ji is the Korean creation myth, their equivalent to the story of Genesis. Connecting new information to known information will help you remember it, and doing the research to find those connections will also help engrain the information in your memory.
- talk to your instructor - tell him that this is an area of difficulty for him and ask for help; this will show that you're not asking for a hand out, but a hand up - and who knows? Maybe he, or another student, has had a similar problem and will have some other ideas to help you.

Good luck, and check back and let us know how it's going!

 

[The Kidd]

I know what I did I videotaped my instructor doing the form and then wrote it out while watching the tape. Start small each form can be divided up into small sections learn these sections until they are second nature then move on to the next.

 

[matt.m]

The left turn is pretty much the default, in the hyungs I know---the Palgwes (and the kichos, of course)---and ditto for the left/right mirror imaging. It seems to be one of those rules of poomsae construction. I actually can't think of one which begins with a righthand turn, can you, Matt?

I can't think of any that begin with a turn to the right. If I am not mistaken I think that there is poomse that begin with either stepping forward or back. I don't remember, I could be wrong. Not sure.

 

[mcmillintkd]

I am surprised to see that some schools do this at green belt as we learn it at white.
Don't worry just work through it slowly and it will all come to you. I have seen plenty of people have great difficulty on this form then not have as much difficulty learning the next several (23 more if you get to the end). I should clarify that you can learn how the form goes but still need to work on particular moves.

A clue is that you always turn the direction of the hand that is punching.

Good luck and hang in there.