Poomsae, sometimes known as forms, kata or patterns, are a type of formal exercises that are the primary means by which Taekwondo practitioners develop proper technique. Poomse are an integral aspect in almost every Martial Art. They are, in effect, formalised shadow boxing in which you defend against and counter-attack multiple opponents on all sides. Whether the student is a white belt or a senior grand master, all Taekwondo practitioners have forms associated with their belt levels. As practitioners rise through the ranks, their poomsae reflect more and more sophisticated techniques and ultimately the ability to channel internal power or life force energy.

To perform a poomsae the philosophical background should be understood. When the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was formed they standardized a new set of form called the Taegeuk Poomsae. The Taegeuk poomsae was established on the basis of profound philosophy of to be trained by Taekwondo beginners. The poomsae line (direction on movements) and seogi (stances) are based on the invariable basic thought of taekwondo.

The philosophical goal of Taekwondo is that it is meant to bring its practitioners into harmony with the universe. Rooted in Buddhist teachings, the core philosophy of Taekwondo is based on a view of the universe as a dynamic environment in a perpetual state of change in which opposite forces are constantly adjusting themselves to maintain the harmonious balance of the cosmos.



Taekwondo forms are based on the Eight Trigrams of the Taegeuk symbol which represents the principles of the cosmos creation and the norms of human life. The pattern where developed to represent their movements, appearances and projected meaning, in this way each Taegeuk represent a different Trigram. In Korean culture the yin and yang represent the development of the cosmos and human life and the oneness of symmetrical halves, such as negative and positive, hardness and softness, materials and anti-materials. This concept should be incorporated when performing the traditional forms. Taegeuk has eight opposing forces that represent the cyclical flow of the universe. Collectively these are known as the eight Kwaes, or signs of divination. Each sign is represented by a symbol consisting of three parallel lines drawn one on top of each other, with some symbols having one or more lines cut in two. Each of the lines represents the three levels of reality: surface, middle and deep. The surface level is appearance, that which is most readily seen. The middle level represents the functional aspect of the object or substance. The bottom level represents the spiritual aspect. A solid line stands for perfection of that aspect. Each symbol that is placed around the circle is the exact opposite of the one directly across from it, with their meanings being opposite as well. Thus heaven (keon) is at the top is opposed by earth (kon) at the bottom, while fire (ri) on the left is opposed to water (kam) on the right.

Many students concentrate only on the physical aspect of the Taegeuk Poomse. If students are interested in practicing the Taegeuk Poomse accurately and observe their intended meaning, then both aspects should be combined, the physical and mental aspects of the forms. When this is done, then the forms will have an entirely different meaning to the students which they could be able to utilize on their daily life.

For the constituents of community, the practice and transmission of techniques should be convenient and less complicated. In that sense, the poomsae has been gradually systemized through practical experiences together with the help of philosophical and medical sciences. It is believed that in ancient times the poomsae was practiced among the ruling class and the first poomsae pattern appearing in the documents or monuments was around the first century. Each poom (movement) of the poomsae has been inherited through a long history of about 5,000 years and combined with modern scientific techniques formulated on the basis of the traditional national spirit and practical experiments. From the technical viewpoint, the poomsae itself is taekwondo, and the basic movements are no more then the preliminary actions to reach the poomsae. The Kyorugi (sparring) is a practical application of the poomsae and the taekwondo spirit is manifested in the actions of poomsae. The poomsae is the style of conduct which expresses directly of indirectly mental and physical refinements as well as the principles of offence and defense resulting from cultivation of taekwondo spirit and techniques.

To be continued...

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