Keumgang

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 is also considered by some clubs/associations to be one of the Yudanja forms, but it isn't considered so by the Kukkiwon (for gradings or the Master Instructor Course) or by the WTF (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.

금강 (geumgang), which means diamond / mountain, symbolizes hardness, or that which is too strong to be broken. This form refers to the mountain called 금강산 (Keumgangsan), which is considered the centre of Korean national spirit, and is a symbol of immovability and the immutability. Just as a diamond exhibits hardness, and beauty through clarity, this form must express the spiritual strength necessary to cut through all distractions presented by life.

See: Mount Kumgang on Wikipedia.

Official Video[]

The Kukkiwon official video for this form.

GM Kyu Hyung Lee Video[]

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

Grand_Master_Kyu_Hyung_Lee_-_WTF_Poomsae_Keumgang

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 going forward...[]

Keumgang OutwardOpeningBlock Chamber — Chambering for the Inner Forearm Opening Block

Keumgang OutwardOpeningBlock — Inner Forearm Opening Block

Keumgang PalmheelJawStrike — Palmheel Jaw Strike

Ready stance
1. Step forward with the left foot into left Front Stance. Inner Forearm Opening Block.
2. Step forward with the right foot into right Front Stance. Right Palmheel Jaw Strike.
3. Step forward with the left foot into the left Front Stance. Left Palmheel Jaw Strike.
4. Step forward with the right foot into right Front Stance. Right Palmheel Jaw Strike.

Then going backward...[]

5. Step backward with the right foot into right Back Stance (i.e., left foot forward). Left Knifehand Inward Block.
6. Step backward with the left foot into left Back Stance (i.e., right foot forward). Right Knifehand Inward Block.
7. Step backward with the right foot into right Back Stance. Left Knifehand Inward Block.
8. Pivoting on the right foot, look left. Slowly draw the left foot up into Right Crane Stance. Diamond Block.

Then going left...[]

Keumgang LargeHingeBlock — Large Hinge Block

9a. Step down into a Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
9b. Move the right foot first to turn 360 counterclockwise.
10. Finish the turn in Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
11. Pivot 90 counterclockwise on the left foot, lift the right foot and forcefully stomp into Horse-riding Stance. Mountain Block. Kihap.

Then going right...[]

12. Pivot 180 clockwise on the right foot, step into Horse-riding Stance. Inner Forearm Opening Block.
13. Slide the left foot into Parallel Stance. Low Opening Block.
14. Pivot 180 clockwise on the right foot, lift the left foot and forcefully stomp into Horse-riding Stance. Mountain Block.
Do this once...

- 15. Pivot on the left foot. Slowdly draw the right foot up into Left Crane Stance. Diamond Block.
- 16a. Step down into Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
- 16b. Move the left foot first to turn 360 clockwise.
- 17. Finish the turn into Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
Then do it again...
- 18. Slowly draw the right foot up into Left Crane Stance. Diamond Block.
- 19a. Step down into Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
- 19b. Move the left foot first to turn 360 clockwise.
- 20. Finish the turn into Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
21. Pivot 90 clockwise on the right foot, left the left foot then stomp into horseriding stance. Mountain Block. Kihap.

Going left again, back to the starting point...[]

22. Pivot 180 counterclockwise on the left foot, step into Horse-riding Stance. Inner Forearm Opening Block.
23. Slide the right foot into Parallel Stance. Low Opening Block.
24. Pivot 180 counterclockwise on the left foot, left the right foot then stomp into Horse-riding Stance. Mountain Block.
25. Pivot on the right foot, look left. Slowly draw the left foot up into Right Crane Stance. Diamond Block.
26a. Step down into Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
26b. Move the right foot first to turn 360 counterclockwise.
27. Finish the turn in Horse-riding Stance. Large Hinge Block.
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