One of the cornerstones of Tae Kwon Do (as well as many other martial arts) is the study, practice and attempted perfection of pre-arranged patterns of punches, kicks, blocks and related techniques. These patterns or forms are variously called names like poomse, hyung and tul in the Korean martial arts and kata in the Japanese/Okinawan martial arts. The patterns feature diverse techniques used against a number of potential opponents. Karate and Tae Kwon Do patterns have evolved over time as the unarmed martial arts migrated from China to Okinawa to Japan to Korea and to the West. Many of the techniques contained in the various patterns of Okinawa, Japan and Korea exhibit significant similarity and the key differences are predominantly rooted in personal stylistic preferences.
Okinawan Karate Patterns (i.e., Kata developed pre-1900)
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Japanese Karate Patterns (i.e., Kata evolved during the 1920s-30s)
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Korean Tang Soo Do (Karate) Patterns (i.e., Hyung evolved during the 1930s - 50s)
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Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do Patterns (i.e., Tul developed in 1950s, 60s, 80s)
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Pal-gwe Tae Kwon Do Patterns (i.e., Poomse developed in 1967)
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Tae-geuk Taekwondo Patterns (i.e., Poomse developed in 1972)
Proponents of patterns practice often cite numerous reasons for the value of such training including:
development of muscular strength and timing
increased cardiovascular conditioning and stamina
improved balance, rhythm and speed
enhanced concentration and focus
development of correct breathing habits
development of muscle coordination
The patterns typically practiced at the Auburn Martial Arts Fellowship are based on the Chang Hon patterns for color belt students and a mixture of Chang Hon and Tang Soo Do/Okinawan Ryukyu Kempo patterns for black belt students. However, some students practice the Taeguek patterns of the World Taekwondo Federation as well as other traditional Tang Soo Do and karate patterns. The most important aspect of patterns practice is not the specific pattern used in training, but how the techniques contained in the pattern are applied in realistic self defense applications. The relationships between the movements in the patterns and their corresponding self defense applications should be routinely studied. Many of the self defense techniques of the club come from Okinawan Kyusho-Jitsu (vital point striking) and Tuite-Jitsu (joint manipulation) applications of the patterns. Proper usage of the pressure points of nerves is continually stressed to enhance the effectiveness of all techniques. Black belt students refine their basic skills and learn applications involving ground survival, knife and gun defenses, and advanced pressure point techniques.
| Level | Belt | Pattern | Style | Self Defense |
| 9th gup | White | Chon-Ji | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Finger Locks |
| 8th gup | Yellow | Dan-Gun | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Wrist Locks |
| 7th gup | Orange | Do-San | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Wrist Locks |
| 6th gup | Green | Won-Hyo | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Elbow Locks |
| 5th gup | Blue | Yul-Gok | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Shoulder Locks |
| 4th gup | Purple | Joong-Gun | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Choke Defenses |
| 3rd gup | Red | Toi-Gye | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Bear Hug Defenses |
| 2nd gup | Brown | Hwa-Rang | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Kick Defenses |
| 1st gup | Sr. Brown | Choong-Moo | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Punch Defenses |
| 1 Dan | Black | Kwang-Gae | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Ground Survival |
| 1 Dan | Black | Chul-Gi / Naihanchi | Tang Soo Do/Okinawan Ryukyu Kempo | Ground Survival |
| 1 Dan | Black | Ge-Baek | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Ground Survival |
| 2nd Dan | Black | Pal-Che / Passai/ Bassai | Tang Soo Do/Okinawan Ryukyu Kempo | Knife/Gun Defenses |
| 2nd Dan | Black | Eui-Am | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Knife/Gun Defenses |
| 2nd Dan | Black | Choong-Jang | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Knife/Gun Defenses |
| 3rd Dan | Black | Kong Sang Kun / Kusanku | Tang Soo Do/Okinawan Ryukyu Kempo | Adv. Pressure Points |
| 3rd Dan | Black | Yoo-Sin | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Adv. Pressure Points |
| 3rd Dan | Black | Choi-Yong | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Adv. Pressure Points |
| 4th Dan | Black | Sei Shan / Seisan | Tang Soo Do/Okinawan Ryukyu Kempo | Individualized Adv. Study |
| 4th Dan | Black | Yeon Bi / Wanshu | Tang Soo Do/Okinawan Ryukyu Kempo | Individualized Adv. Study |
| 4th Dan | Black | Moon-Moo | Chang Hon Tae Kwon Do | Individualized Adv. Study |
© Ruel A. Overfelt 2006