Keumgang

I am entered to compete in the 2013 Oregon State Taekwondo Championship on February 2, 2013 at Portland Community College. I'm very excited. This will be my first tournament as a black belt. It will be the first time I wear the electronic chest gear. It is a qualifier for the national tournament in Chicago. I just learned today that my designated poomsae include taegeuk 8 and keumgang.

2013 Oregon State Taekwondo National Qualifier Championships - Designated Poomsae

I've been practicien koryo, so I'm a little freaked out. I know taegeuk 8, but I'v never even heard of keumgang. I did some looking around on the internet and discovered that it is the second black belt form. I will probably start studying it next year, but the tournament is this Saturday, so I'm going to try to learn it the best I can in five days. I hope that making these notes will help.


There are many sites on the Internet, which offer instruction on performing the forms of taekwondo. They vary widely, partly because instructors refer to the same techniques by different names, but mostly because people just write things differently. I am intrigued at the notion that although we are all doing these forms exactly the same way, we are all talking and writing about them very differently. It's really easier to learn forms in class than it is to learn them from written text, but I think this is helpful. I wrote this out to help me study for my test (December 2011), and I offer it up to anyone who might find it useful. If you note any errors, please let me know. Thanks.


Keumgang is represented by the symbol for earth.


From the Joon Be (ready) position:

1. Step forward with the left foot in front stance and perform a double middle block.
   
2. Step forward with the right foot in front stance and perform a palm strike (face high) with the right hand.
   
3. Step forward with the left foot in front stance and perform a palm strike (face high) with the left hand.
   
4. Step forward with the right foot in front stance and perform a palm strike (face high) with the right hand.
   
5. Step back with the right foot in back stance and perform a chop with the left hand.
   
6. Step back with the left foot in back stance and perform a chop with the right hand.
   
7. Step back with the right foot in back stance and perform a chop with the left hand.
   
8. Stand on your left foot and raise your right foot into crane stance and perform a diamond block (high block with right arm, low block with left arm), look left.
   
9. Step to the left with the right foot into horse stance and perform a hook punch with the right hand and an elbow strike with the left arm.
   
10. Step to the left with the right foot and spin 360* landing in horse stance and perform a hook punch with the right hand and an elbow strike with the left arm.
    
11. Step forward with the right foot into horse stance and perform a mountain block.
    
12. Step forward with the left foot into horse stance and perform a double middle block.
    
13. Slide the left foot back to JUNBEE and perform double low block, 6-count.
    
14. Turn 180* to the right into horse stance stomping the left foot and perform a mountain block.
    
15. Pivot on the left foot to face forward again, lift the right foot into crane stance and perform a diamond block with the left hand high and the right hand low.
    
16. Step to the right with the right foot into horse stance and perform a hook punch with the left arm and an elbow strike with the right arm.
    
17. Step to the right with the left foot and spin 360* landing in horse stance and perform a hook punch with the left arm and an elbow strike with the right arm.
    
18. Shift weight to the left foot and lift the right foot into crane stance and perform a diamond block with the left hand high and the right hand low.
    
19. Step to the right with the right foot into horse stance and perform a hook punch with the left arm and an elbow strike with the right arm.
    
20. Step to the right with the left foot and spin 360* landing in horse stance and perform a hook punch with the left arm and an elbow strike with the right arm.
    
21. Step forward with the left foot into horse stance and perform a mountain block.
    
22. Step forward with the right foot into horse stance and perform a double middle block.
    
23. Slide the right foot back to JUNBEE and perform double low block, 6-count.
    
24. Turn 180* to the left into horse stance stomping the right foot and perform a mountain block.
    
25. Pivot on the right foot to face forward again, lift the left foot into crane stance and perform a diamond block with the right hand high and the left hand low.
    
26. Step to the left with the left foot into horse stance and perform a hook punch with the right arm and an elbow strike with the left arm.
    
27. Step to the left with the right foot and spin 360* landing in horse stance and perform a hook punch with the right arm and an elbow strike with the left arm. Slide the left foot into june-bee.