Jitae

Kukkiwon/WT Taekwondo uses the following series of forms (called the Yudanja series) for Black Belt forms:

• Koryo (고려) - first dan, also spelled Goryeo and Koryeo ("learned man", symbolizing a wise person)
  • An older, deprecated form called Original Koryo also exists, but it isn't considered so by the Kukkiwon (for gradings or the Master Instructor Course) or by WT (for the World Poomsae Championships).
• Keumgang (금강)) - second dan ("diamond", symbolizing hardness, unbreakable)
• Taebaek (태백)) - third dan ("sacred mountain", symbolizing spirituality)
• Pyongwon (평원)- fourth dan, also spelled Pyeong-won ("open plain", symbolizing peacefulness)
• Sipjin (싶진)) - fifth dan, also spelled Shipjin ("eternal 10", symbolizing health and longevity)
• Jitae (지태) - sixth dan (symbolizes mankind as the connection between heaven and earth)
• Cheonkwon (천권) - seventh dan, also spelled Cheon-gwon ("sky", symbolizing piety)
• Hansoo (한수) - eighth dan, also spelled Hansu ("water", symbolizing adaptability)
• Ilyeo (일여) - ninth dan (symbolizing the Buddhist concept of oneness of the mind and body)

Each of the yudanja forms has a floor pattern that traces out a Chinese character or other symbol. Each character is said to represent a characteristic that should be exhibited by a taekwondo master: wise, unbreakable, spiritual, peaceful, long-lived, pious, adaptable, etc.

지태 (jitae) refers to the earth. The earth hides its greatest power deep within its fiery core, occasionally permitting it to well up and shake civilization, reminding mankind of his frailties. This form must show the vigor of life as it stems from the power welling up from strong muscles and a deep, powerful core.

Official Video

The Kukkiwon official video for this form.

GM Kyu Hyung Lee Video

The following video is a step-by-step demonstration of Jitae, with notes.

[1]

Diagram

To print the diagram, click on the image and select "See full size image," or right-click and open the image in a new tab.

Written Instructions

First to the Left (Da direction)

Slow High Block

• Begin from Ready Stance (joon-bee).
• 1. Step with the left foot into Right Back Stance (i.e., left foot forward) and execute a Left Outward Block.
• 2a. Slowly step forward with the right foot into Right Front Stance and slowly and powerfully execute a Right High Block (i.e., upward block).
• 2b. Without stepping, slowly and powerfully pull the opponent with the right hand while executing a Left Punch.

Then to the Right (Ra direction)

• 3. Step with the right foot to turn 180 clockwise into Left Back Stance (i.e., right foot forward) and execute a Right Outward Block.
• 4a. Slowly step forward with the left foot into Left Front Stance and slowly and powerfully execute a Left High Block.
• 4b. Without stepping, slowly and powerfully pull the opponent with the left hand while executing a Right Punch.

Up the Middle (Ga direction)

Diamond Punch

Augmented or Assisted Inward Block

• 5. Step with the left foot to turn 90 counterclockwise into Left Front Stance and execute a Left Low Block.
• 6. Without pausing, slide the left foot back into Right Back Stance (i.e., left foot forward) and execute a single Knifehand High Block.
• 7a. With the left foot fixed, execute a Right Front Kick.
• 7b. Set the right foot down in Left Back Stance (i.e., right foot forward) and execute a Double Knifehand Low Block.
• 8. Without stepping, slowly and powerfully execute an Outward Block.
• 9a. With the right foot fixed, execute a Left Front Kick.
• 9b. Set the left foot down in Right Back Stance (i.e., left foot forward) and execute a Double Knifehand Low Block.
• 10. Slide the left foot back into Left Front Stance and slowly execute a High Block
• 11a. Stepping forward with the right foot, lower the left arm to prepare for a Diamond Punch
• 11b. Complete the step forward into Right Front Stance and execute a Diamond Punch.
• 12a. Without stepping, execute a Left Inward Block.
• 12b. Without stepping, quickly execute a Right Augmented Inward Block.
• 13. Step back with the right foot into Right Back Stance (i.e., left foot forward) and execute a Left Knifehand Low Block.
• 14a. With the left foot fixed, execute a Right Front Kick.
• 14b-c. Set the right foot down to the rear into Left Front Stance) and execute a Double Punch, punching first with the right hand and then with the left hand.

At the Top

Hammerfist Target Strike

• 15. Pivoting 180 counterclockwise move the left foot into Horse-riding Stance and execute a Bull Block.
• 16. Without stepping, execute a Left Low Side Block.
• 17. Without stepping, turn the upper body 180 to the right and execute a Right Knifehand Side Block.
• 18. Without stepping, execute a Left Hammerfist Target Strike. Kihap.
• 19. Lift the right leg into Left Crane Stance and execute a Right Low Side Block.
• 20a. Without stepping, execute a Small Hinge Block.
• 20b. Pivoting on the left foot, execute a Right Side Kick.
• 21. Set the right foot down beside the left foot, then lift the left leg into Right Crane Stance and execute a Left Low Side Block.
• 22. Without stepping, execute a Small Hinge Block.
• 23a. Pivoting on the right foot, execute a Left Side Kick.

Then Back to Start (Na direction)

• 23b. Set the left foot down in Left Front Stance and execute a Right Punch.
• 24. Step forward with the right foot into Right Front Stance and execute a Right Punch. Kihap.
• 25. Pivoting 270 counterclockwise, move the left foot into Right Back Stance (i.e., left foot forward) and execute a Double Knifehand Low Block.
• 26. Step forward with the right foot into Left Back Stance (i.e., right foot forward) and execute a Double Knifehand Block.
• 27. Pivoting 180 clockwise, move the right foot into Left Back Stance (i.e., right foot forward) and execute a Double Knifehand Low Block.
• 28. Step forward with the left foot into Right Back Stance and execute a Double Knifehand Block.
• Moving the left foot, return to Ready Stance.

References

• Black Belt forms at the Kukkiwon website
• Black Belt forms at the World Taekwondo Federation website
• Black Belt forms at TheSchoolofMartialArts.com