Yellow Belt

Yellow Belt

Overview

“Don’t block with your face” – Unknown

Yellow belt is the second belt on your road to Black belt, students who have achieved yellow belt should have a better understanding of what Tae Kwon Do is and some of its foundational moves. Most activities as a yellow belt will be centered around; a continued development of the basic blocks and strikes, increasing in flexibility, and students will be introduced into patterns. Patterns are a set of strikes and blocks, that many could relate to shadow boxing (fighting imaginary attackers). More importantly though, the pattern symbolizes the students development and discipline within that belt, a strong pattern shows the student is hard working and dedicated. It is for this reason most schools use the pattern as a benchmark to assess students looking to join at a higher rank. What this means, is as you learn and study for your orange belt test, the pattern will serve as your benchmark and will allow you to enter other schools at a higher rank.

While white belts had no time limit for testing, yellow belts are required to hold their belt for 1 semester or about 3 months. The material should be slightly more physically challenging, and it will take some practice. The purpose is to allow you to better understanding into what Tae Kwon Do is, and set up a good foundation for your pattern, which will help make future belt tests easier, and allow you to have the confidence of a yellow belt in all Tae Kwon Do schools.
Here is a breakdown of what you can expect from yellow belt.

  • Beginner/Intermediate Level Kicks
  • Basic Blocking (Star Block)
  • Basic stances
  • Beginning/Intermediate fighting techniques
  • Simple traditional courtesies
  • More advanced stretching
  • Releases
  • Pattern

Testing Requirements:

Time Requirements

Yellow belts are required to hold their belts for a minimum of one (1) semester. A semester is typically between 3-4 months or about 15-20 classes.

Required Material

  • Kicks:
    • Front Kick
    • Roundhouse
    • Side Kick
    • Axe Kick
    • 180 Back Kick (New)
  • Blocks:
    • High Block
    • Low (Down) Block
    • Inside Block
    • Outside Block
    • Press Block (New)
  • 4 Kicking Drills
    • 1. Front Kick, Roundhouse, Back Punch
    • 2. Roundhouse, Axe Kick, Back Punch
    • 3. Side Kick, Step-Behind Side Kick, Rear Leg Side Kick, Back Punch
    • 4. Roundhouse, Elevated Roundhouse, Rear Leg Roundhouse, Back Punch
  • Pattern (Taeguek Il Jang)
  • Board Breaking (Axe kick/Knife hand strike)

New Knowledge

  • Blocking
    • Press Block
  • Kicking
    • 180 Back Kick
    • Step-Behind Side Kick (required in kicking drill #3)
    • Elevated Roundhouse Kick (required in kicking drill #4)
  • Stances (proper foot position)
    • Attention stance
    • Ready stance
    • Walking stance
    • Front stance

Kicking Drills:

  • Kicking Drill 1:
    • 1. Front Kick (R), Roundhouse (L), Back Punch (R)
    • 2: Turn
    • 3: Front Kick (L), Roundhouse (R), Back Punch (L)
    • 4: Turn
  • Kicking Drill 2:
    • 1. Roundhouse (R), Axe Kick (L), Back Punch (R)
    • 2: Turn
    • 3: Roundhouse (L), Axe Kick (R), Back Punch (L)
    • 4: Turn
  • Kicking Drill 3:
    • 1. Side Kick (R), Step-Behind Side Kick (R), Rear Leg Side Kick (L), Back Punch (R)
    • 2: Turn
    • 3: Side Kick (L), Step-Behind Side Kick (L), Rear Leg Side Kick (R), Back Punch (L)
    • 4: Turn
  • Kicking Drill 4:
    • 1. Roundhouse Kick (R), Elevated Roundhouse Kick (R), Rear Leg Roundhouse Kick (L), Back Punch (R)
    • 2: Turn
    • 3: Roundhouse Kick (L), Elevated Roundhouse Kick (L), Rear Leg Roundhouse Kick (R), Back Punch (L)
    • 4: Turn

Release Drills (Bonus)

Straight Wrist Grab

*Attacker is grabbing your right wrist with his left hand.

  1. Open your right hand into an arc (like you would hold a cup). With your left hand grab the attackers fingers (that he is holding your right hand with) and your wrist (the idea is to pin the attackers hand to your wrist so he cannot let go).
  2. With your left hand pinning, raise your right hand straight up and grab the attackers wrist, this should make the attackers wrist bend.
  3. Stepping with your right foot across (in between you and your attacker), twist the attackers arm and place your right elbow over his elbow (this should leave your attackers arm near your armpit.
  4. Using your left hand to hold the attackers wrist, let go with your right hand and use it to back-fist the attackers face.

Cross Wrist Grab

*Attacker is grabbing your right hand with his right hand.

  1. Circle your right hand away from your body. As you circle your hand above your head, the attackers hand will become palm up.
  2. Using your left hand, grab the attackers right hand. Make sure the your thumb on the back of his hand and your fingers are wrapping around his hand.
  3. Pull your right hand free, and place it next to your left hand. Step forward and twist the attackers hand back and away from him.

Inside-Outside Hook Block Face Takedown

* Attacker is stepping forward with his right foot, throwing a punch with his right hand.

Note: This technique can either be performed as a straight wrist grab or from a lung punch defense. For this description we will address it as a lung punch. For the release drill description see Orange belt releases.

  1. With your right foot step at a 45′ angle to your attackers inside (dodging the punch).
  2. Step with your left foot at a 45′ angle and at the same time circle your left hand inward and hook block the attackers hand (a hook block is very similar to an outside knife hand strike. On a hook block, you grab the attackers hand after you block, on a knife hand strike, you simply deflect the block).
  3. With your right foot circle your right leg behind the attackers right leg (so that the back of your knee is right in front of the back of attackers knee.
  4. Using your right hand (your left hand should still be holding the attackers wrist), either grab the attackers left shoulder or strike the attackers chin with a palm heel and push the attackers head up and away from you.
  5. Using your right arm, circle the attacker around to your left. This should cause the attacker to trip over your right leg.
  6. As the attacker is going to the ground kneel down (with your left leg up) beside the attacker. Using your left arm (that is still holding the attackers wrist) break the attackers left arm over your leg.

One-Step Sparring (Bonus)

One-Step #1

*Attacker throws a right lung punch.

  1. Step with your left leg at a 45′ angle to attacker’s outside into a deep walking stance. As you step use your right arm to perform an outward hook block.
  2. As your left foot lands, shift your weight to your left foot and use your right foot to roundhouse kick the attacker’s stomach. As you complete the roundhouse kick set the right foot down in between the attackers feet.
  3. As you set your right foot down use your left hand to perform a straight punch to the attacker’s jaw.

One-Step #2

*Attacker throws a right lung punch.

  1. Step with your left leg at a 45′ angle to attacker’s inside into a walking stance (your left foot should be just to the outside of the attackers right foot. As you step use your left arm to perform an outward block.
  2. As your left foot lands, step with your right foot in between the attackers feet. As you step perform a palm heel to attackers chin.

Pattern Advice:

Before attempting to learn a pattern online, remember patterns were meant to be learned by practicing. While we have done our best to explain the moves step-by-step, many students have difficulty learning a pattern by reading or watching videos. Our advice is to have us practice the pattern with you in class, and use the written pattern and video as supplementary material.

If, however, you do not have time to practice with us (because your test is in a week and you forgot to practice all semester), I recommend watching the video below a few times while reading the step-by-step instructions. The video is Kukkiwon demonstration and considered to be what a good pattern looks like. I would recommend watching the video all the way through once, then practicing a few steps. Watch a little further on the video and practice a little further. Keep practicing like this until the pattern becomes easy and you can do it without watching the video.

Yellow Belt Pattern

Name:
Taeguek IL Jang
Taeguek 1

Meaning/ Symbolism:
Keon (Korean for Heaven and Universe)

Number of Moves:
16 or 18

Description:
Taeguek IL Jang is the first of eight Poomses (patterns) in the World TaeKwonDo Federation forms. Students should be able to demonstrate the basic blocks, stances, and kicks, while adding movement.
The different types of moves required for this pattern are listed below.

Stances:

  • Attention stance (just before and after bowing)
  • Ready stance
  • Walking stance
  • Front stance

Blocks:

  • Down block (low block)
  • Inward block (middle block)
  • High block

Strikes/Punches:

  • Middle Punch

Moves:

  •  Premove 1: Attention (cha ryuht- Korean)
  •  Premove 2: Bow (kyung nae – Korean)
  •  Premove 3: Ready stance (choon bi- Korean)
  •  1: Turn 90′ to your left. Step forward with your left foot into a walking stance– left foot in front. Left hand down block.
  •  2: Step forward with your right foot into walking stance. While you step do a right arm middle punch.
  • 3: With your right foot (left foot stays in the same position) turn 180′ to your right into a walking stance– right foot forward. Right hand down block.
  • 4: Step forward with your left foot into walking stance. While you step do a left arm middle punch.
  • 5: Bring your left foot back to your right foot, turn 90′ to the left. Step out with your left foot into front stance– left foot forward. Do a down block with your left arm.
  • 6: Keep your feet where they are and do a right arm middle punch.
  • 7: Bring your right foot up to your left foot and turn 90’to the right. Step out with your right foot into a walking stance. As you turn and step do an inward middle block with your left arm.
    *Note: for this move and the next 3 moves you should have the opposite arm and leg moving: In this step, your right foot forwards and left arm blocking.
  • 8: Step forwards with your left foot into walking stance. As you step do a right arm middle punch.
  • 9: With your left foot (right foot does not move) turn to your left 180′ so you end up in walking stance with your left foot forwards. While you turn do a right arm inward middle block.
  • 10: Step forwards with your right foot into walking stance and do a left arm middle punch.
  • 11: With your right  foot turn 90′ into a front stance with your right foot forwards. Do a right arm down block.
  • 12: Keep your feet where they are and do a left arm middle punch.
  • 13: Bring your left foot up to the side of your right foot and turn 90′ to your left. Step with your left foot into a walking stance with your left foot in front. Do a high block with your left arm.
  • 14: Do a front kick with your right leg and land the leg in front, in walking stance. Do a right hand middle punch.
  • 15: With your right foot turn to your right 180′ to end up in walking stance with your right foot in front. Do a high block with your right arm.
  • 16: Do a front kick with your left leg and land the leg in front in walking stance. Do a left hand middle punch.
  • 17: Bring your left leg back to your right leg and turn 90′ to your  right (towards your starting position), step forward with your left into front stance. Do a left arm down block.
  • 18: Step forward into front stance with your right foot in front. Do a right arm middle punch. *yell*Ki-hap!
  • Ending move 1: Return to ready stance (bah ro- Korean): Pivot on your right foot turning toward your left. Bring your left foot along side of your right foot and into a ready stance (At this point the instructor will provide any feedback).
  • Ending move 2: Relax (shiuh- Korean): From ready stance, bring your feet to attention, bow to the instructor, and relax, the pattern is over.

Chokes

Thumb Takedown (The Prayer)

*Attacker is choking you from the front.

  1. Raise both of your hand above attackers hand, by circling them to the outside.
  2. Place your palms together with your fingers closed and touching the same finger of the opposite hand.
  3. Wrap your thumbs under the attackers thumbs, and close your fingers around their thumbs.
  4. Stepping across, twist your hand (and the attackers thumbs) away and down. This should cause both thumbs to break.

Elbow Takedown

*Attacker is choking you from the front.

  1. Using your left hand, circle it over the attackers hand and grab the attackers left wrist. (this grab is used to hold the attackers arm in place)
  2. Step straight back with your left foot and rotate your body to the left. At the same time, use your right arm to strike the attackers left elbow. (This should break the attackers arm)

Under/Over Arm Takedown

*Attacker is choking you from the front.

  1. Using your right hand, grab the attackers right hand by reaching under the attackers arms.
  2. Using your left hand, grab the attackers left hand by reaching over the attackers arms.
  3. Using your right foot step across; at the same time circle your right elbow over the attackers elbow.
  4. Pin both the attackers arms to your chest by pulling your left hand closer to your chest, let go with your right hand, and use your right hand to elbow the attacker in the face.