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Tips for improving your poomsae.
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Your poomsae should finish in the same position as you started. If you don’t there is a chance the length of your stances are incorrect.
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Control your breathing. This will help you focus your energy on the target intended and use your strength efficiently.
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Add power only where necessary on moment of impact. During preparation relax and breathe abdominally.
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Ensure that during the whole poomsae your weight is distributed correctly on the balls of your feet thus finding maximum balance and control. This also enables you to dodge an attack and counter-attack instantaneously.
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Try not to alter your height throughout the poomsae. When stepping from stance to stance remain the same height. The lower you are to the floor the more balance you have.
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Concentrate on every individual technique be it a block, strike or kick, and try to get maximum power into each. This is just as much a mental exercise as it is physical.
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Whenever ki-haping (shouting) make sure it is short and powerful.
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Always keep your eyes level. This ensures your head is straight and therefore you will have more balance when performing.
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Never favour a particular poomsae as each Pal Jung Do poomsae is designed for health benefits.
What is a Taekwondo Poomsae?
A poomsae is a combination of basic actions and movements exercised against an imaginary opponent. Therefore through practicing poomsae one can become accurate in both offensive and defensive techniques and can obtain special techniques that cannot be acquired through free sparring, such as breathing control and how to apply techniques.
Chung Do Kwan Grand Master, Kim Yong Ho, 9th Dan, has spent his life-time studying both Taekwondo technique and theory to create eight Pal Jung Do and Pal Mudo Poomsae. Consequently martial art students cannot become skilled in poomsae over a short period of time as the poomsae must be fully understood and practiced with great tenacity and endurance.
All actions and movements exercised in free sparring, one-step sparring, breaking and self-defence are based on poomsae. It is therefore important that instructors should ensure their students correctness in posture, stances and techniques.
We practise A Special Series of 8 Poomsae collectively called:
Pal Chung DO Poomsae.
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The set of poomsae our club practise are called Pal Chung DO Poomsae. They are a set of eight poomsae created by Grand Master Kim Yong Ho, 9th Dan, and are based on the principles of oriental philosophy and medicine. The series of Poomsae are intended to improve breathing control; therefore health, technique, stepping skills and balance. The eight Dan Grade Poomsae are called Pal Mu Do.
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Pal Jung Do focus on abdominal breathing control to move your internal energy (ki/chi) around your body to not only your inner organs but to the relevant weapons needed when practicing the martial arts. The unique breathing exercises strengthen the inner body while the physical poomsae concentrates on correct traditional Taekwondo technique.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE POOMSAE: In oriental philosophy all parts of the body are linked like a chain. Internal energy runs through invisible networks of meridians throughout our body and all link up together. Any illness is explained through a blockage of energy somewhere in the body. By constantly keeping the energy flowing freely around these meridian lines keeps you healthy and strong.
All internal body parts are represented on the hands and feet, the same theory as acupuncture. By touching certain parts of your hands and using correct abdominal breathing, energy can be transferred around the body to strengthen the relevant internal organs.
Instead of the traditional ready position at the start of a poomsae, Pal Jung Do uses a unique stepping-breathing exercise which gradually becomes more advanced depending on the level of poomsae. All eight of these exercises are designed for health benefits, to strengthen your internal organs as well as your mind.
In the table below are the names and meaning of the poomsae and which vital organs they help strengthen.
MEANING OF EACH POOMSAE:
1. Jung Shim, left foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Spirit Internal Organ: LUNGS
2. Jung Eui, right foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Loyalty Internal Organ: LARGE INTESTINE
3 Jung Shin, right foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Faith Internal Organ: STOMACH
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4. Jung Nyum, left foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Thought Internal Organ: SPLEEN
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5. Jung In, right foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Generosity Internal Organ: GALL BLADDER
6. Jung Hyo, left foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Respect to Elders/Parents Internal Organ: LIVER
7. Jung Haeng, left foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Action Internal Organ: HEART
8. Jung Do, right foot to junbi. Meaning: Righteous Path Internal Organ: SMALL INTESTINE