
A Statue of Yi Hwang
Toi-Gye is an ITF-style teul (form). Toi Gye is the pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th century) an authority on neo-Confucianism. The 37 movements in this pattern refer to his birthplace on the 37th latitude.
Yi Hwang (1501-1570 C.E.) is one of the two most honored thinkers of the Korean Neo-Confucian tradition. His fully balanced and integral grasp of the complex philosophical Neo-Confucian synthesis woven by Chu Hsi during China's Sung dynasty marks the tradition's arrival at full maturity in Korea. His "four-seven debate" with Ki Taesŭng established a distinctive problematique that strongly oriented Korean Neo-Confucian thought towards exacting investigation of critical issues regarding the juncture of metaphysics and their all-important application in describing the inner life of the human heart-and-mind. Yi Hwang was a child prodigy and a poat.
Videos[]
ITF Taekwon-do forms often come in two styles: Sine Wave and non-Sine Wave. In either case, the basic movements are the same. The difference is in the "up and down" motion that's used (or not), the rhythm of the movements, and the breathing. See main article Sine Wave for additional details.
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Diagram[]

Movements in this Form[]

The lines of Toi-Gye (student view)
Here on this wiki, the wording used to describe this form deviates from the conventional wording historically used to describe the form. This was done to facilitate wiki-style links to the names of associated techniques. To view the conventional wording, see ITF Forms Summary Description.
- Ready Posture: Closed Ready Stance Type B
- 1. Step the left foot toward B into a Right L-Stance (i.e., left foot forward) facing B. Left Inner Forearm Outward Block to B.
- 2. Execute a Right Low Upturned Fingertip Thrust to B, sliding the right foot toward B into a Left Walking Stance facing B.
- 3. Bring the left foot to the right foot to form a Closed Stance facing D. Right Rear Backfist Strike to C, bringing the extended left arm downward to the side. Perform slowly.
- 4. Step the right foot toward A into a Left L-Stance (i.e., right foot forward) facing A. Right Inner Forearm Outward Block to A.
- 5. Execute a Left Low Upturned Fingertip Thrust to A, sliding the left foot toward A into a Right Walking Stance facing A.
- 6. Bring the right foot to the left foot to form a Closed Stance facing D. Left Rear Backfist Strike to C, bringing the extended right arm downward to the side. Perform slowly.
- Perform 7 and 8 in a continuous motion:
- 7. Step the left foot toward D into a Left Walking Stance facing D. X-Fist Pressing Block.
- 8. Execute a High Twin Fist Vertical Punch to D, while maintaining a Left Walking Stance facing D.
- 9. Execute a middle Right Front Snap Kick to D, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 8.
- 10. Lower the right foot to D into a Right Walking Stance facing D. Right Middle Punch to D.
- 11. Execute a Left Middle Punch to D, while maintaining a Right Walking Stance facing D.
- 12. Bring the left foot to the right foot forming a Closed Stance facing F. Twin Side Elbow Thrust. Perform slowly.
- 13. Step the right foot toward F in a stomping motion forming a Sitting Stance facing C. Right Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block to C.
- 14. Step the left foot toward F in a stomping motion, turning clockwise to form a Sitting Stance facing D. Left Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block to D.
- 15. Step the left foot toward E in a stomping motion, turning clockwise to form a Sitting Stance facing C. Left Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block to C.
- 16. Step the right foot toward E in a stomping motion, turning counterclockwise to form a Sitting Stance facing D. Left Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block to D.
- 17. Step the left foot toward E in a stomping motion, turning clockwise to form a Sitting Stance facing C. Right Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block to C.
- 18. Step the left foot toward F in a stomping motion, turning clockwise to form a Sitting Stance facing D. Left Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block to D.
- 19. Bring the right foot to the left foot, then step the left foot toward D into a Right L-Stance (i.e., left foot forward) facing D. Low Double Forearm Pushing Block to D.
- 20. Extend both hands upward as if to grab the opponent's head, sliding the right foot toward D into a Left Walking Stance facing D.
- 21. Execute a Right Knee Strike, while, pulling both hands downward.
- 22. Lower the right foot to the left foot, then step the left foot toward C into a Right L-Stance (i.e., left foot forward) facing C. Middle Knifehand Guarding Block to C.
- 23. Execute a Low, to-the-side Front Snap Kick to C, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 22.
- 24. Lower the left foot to C into a Left Walking Stance facing C. Left High Horizontal Fingertip Thrust (spearhand) to C
- 25. Step the right foot toward C into a Left L-Stance (i.e., right foot forward) facing C. Middle Knifehand Guarding Block to C.
- 26. Execute a Low, to-the-side, Left Front Snap Kick to C, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 25.
- 27. Lower the right foot to C into a Right Walking Stance facing C. Right High Horizontal Fingertip Thrust (spearhand) to C.
- 28. Step the right foot toward D into a Right L-Stance (i.e., left foot forward) facing C. Left Backfist Side Strike to D, and a Left Low Block to C.
- 29. Jump to C into a Right Cross Stance (cross stance) facing A. X-Fist Pressing Block.
- 30. Step the right foot toward C into a Right Walking Stance facing C. Right Double Forearm High Block to C.
- 31. Step the left foot toward B into a Right L-Stance (i.e., left foot forward) facing B. Low Knifehand Guarding Block to B.
- 32. Execute a Right Inner Forearm Circular Block to BD, sliding the left foot toward B into a Left Walking Stance facing B.
- 33. Bring the left foot to the right foot, then Step the right foot toward A into a Left L-Stance (i.e., right foot forward) facing A, at the same time executing a Low Knifehand Guarding Block to A.
- 34. Execute a Left Inner Forearm Circular Block to AD, sliding the left foot toward A into a Right Walking Stance facing A.
- 35. Execute a Left Inner Forearm Circular Block to CE, while going into a Left Walking Stance facing CE.
- 36. Execute a Right Inner Forearm Circular Block to AD, while going into a Right Walking Stance facing A.
- 37. Move the right foot on line AB to form a Sitting Stance facing D. Right Middle Punch to D.
- End: Bring the foot back to the ready position.
ITF Color-Belt Forms[]
The other forms in the ITF-series of Color Belt forms are:
- 10th gup - no form, just basic exercises: Four Direction Punch and Block
- 9th gup - Chon-Ji (19 movements)
- 8th gup - Dan-Gun (21 movements)
- 7th gup - Do-San (24 movements)
- 6th gup - Won-Hyo (28 movements)
- 5th gup - Yul-Gok (38 movements)
- 4th gup - Joong-Gun (32 movements)
- 3rd gup - Toi-Gye (37 movements)
- 2nd gup - Hwa-Rang (29 movements)
- Basic exercise at 2nd gup: Four Direction Thrust
- 1st gup - Choong-Moo (30 movements)
References[]
The primary reference is:
The following websites are also particularly good online references for ITF-style taekwondo: