Articles
Why We Do Patterns
This article is written by Andrew Trotman, 1st Dan. Andrew trains at the Dunedin Kukjae Hapkido Club and has also studied hapkido in London and the U.S.A.
Over and over again we see debate about the correct techniques in the patterns. Should it be a back-fist then a knife-hand in the yellow belt pattern or should it be knife-hand then back-fist. It doesn't really matter, and I'll explain why.
Different martial arts teach different patterns for different reasons. Kuk Jae Hap Ki Do is no exception.
Flying Eagle Hap Ki Do in London teaches a pattern tukki chagae hana. This pattern is a take down pattern, a sequence of sweeps and takedowns interconnected with forward and backward stepping.
The purpose of this pattern is best understood along with its history. Originating in a do jang in Singapore where space is a premium and students are not; patterns are done drill style. Every member of gym completes the same sequence at the same time in the same place to the same call.
Image how small the do jang can be when 50 people simultaneously do the same pattern. Compare that with the amount of space necessary for the same 50 people to do a sequence of takedowns on mats. Tukki chagae hana is a pattern used to teach a large group of people a sequence of techniques in a small space - techniques that otherwise would be impractical to carry out.
Jundokan Karate in Dunedin (a variant of Gojo Ryu) analyze their patterns to completion. Each is an interconnected sequence of blocks, counters and takedowns. Each sequence can be thought of as a snippet. Each snippet is an effective defense against a viable attack. Each snippet, when completed enough times, becomes instinctive. Jundokan patterns are a way of passing on effective sequences - sequences that, once they become instinctive, will serve the student well.
What is the purpose of KukJae HapKiDo patterns?
They are unlike Jundokan patterns in that many of the techniques are not effective sequences. Take the blue belt knife-hand-high-block round-kick knife-hand-high-block starting sequence. I invite anyone to suggest a viable attack to which this is an effective defense.
They are unlike Flying Eagle Hap Ki Do patterns. Try this simple experiment in your do jang; line everyone up drill-style and invite each person to complete their belt's pattern to the same call. It won't take long before people start colliding. KukJae Hap Ki Do patterns cannot be completed in this way.
The patterns, however, do have a very important purpose. Understanding this purpose will answer many of the questions raised about them. Our patterns are a way of demonstrating the student's competence of a small set of techniques. This set of techniques changes from grade to grade. Under examination conditions they are an ideal way to get a feel for the ability of a student.
The white belt pattern is about blocking and punching. Does the student know a low block from a middle block, a punch from a grab? Can they be carried out in a sequence?
Yellow belt examines the simplest of kicks, the front kick. The simplest of combinations, the front-kick punch and the jab reverse combination. The end-sequence examines targeting, a head-high back-fist and a mid-height knife-hand. And this is the crux; it doesn't matter if it's a knife-hand back-fist or a back-fist knife-hand. What matters is the targeting.
After white belt all the patterns follow the same meta-sequence. Labeling the front of the gym north (N), the sequence is completed W, E, N, W, E, S, with a finishing sequence N. Actually, they are also completed on both your right side and left side. Further, anyone watching sees the left side of your body, the right side of your body, your front and your back as you carry out these techniques. They are an ideal way of demonstrating competence.
Blue belt examines round-kick and side-kick. It also examines independence of left hand and right hand. Those knife-hand blocks at the start have elbow strikes done with fists.
For the red tip patterns things begin to get a lot more exciting. Not only has the pattern moved on to hooking kicks and knee attacks, but combinations involving upper body and lower body are included. Remember, that knee attack uses both the hands and knees.
The double red tip begins to examine two things, concurrent techniques and interconnected techniques.
When we get to red belt we are, at last, examining balance. For the first time in a pattern we are required to take a step. For the first time we are required to carry out a technique close to the ground and above out heads.
The black tip pattern examines the water principle. The techniques flow one to the next, yet at the same time each technique must be distinct and each technique must be effective. The opening sequence of this pattern is most enjoyable. The way the techniques flow is quite astounding given how it reads on paper.
But what about the double black tip pattern? The opening sequence flows beautifully. Your balance had better be good to do those jumping sequences too. To north and south each move builds on the previous. Of all the patterns, this is my favorite. Like the rest of double black tip, this pattern examines everything you've ever done before.
I suggest a different way of looking at our patterns. Our patterns are not a sequence of techniques that must be carried out in the right order - the same techniques and order in each club. Our patterns are a way of demonstrating competence in some important aspect of our martial art. Small regional variations are simply reinterpretations of the original pattern. If the purpose of the pattern doesn't change it's hard to argue any interpretation is wrong. It is perhaps for this reason the variants have never been corrected - they are not wrong.
Some techniques are in more than one pattern. The closed-fist-elbow-strike is the obvious example. At white belt all upper-body techniques come with this strike - that's every technique except the finishing sequence. At yellow belt, less so, but it is applied alongside every block and every punch. The elbow-strike exists in all patterns including the double-black-tip pattern where it appears with a knife-hand-strike. There's also a double-elbow strike at double-black-tip.
These repeated techniques could be thought of in two ways. First, they are the core techniques, techniques it is important to get right, techniques drilled into us at every grade, techniques examined at every grade. Second, they can be thought of as intermediaries. At white belt it is simply part of a block or punch. Very quickly the elbow-strike becomes an important part of how the pattern flows. It winds the body up ready for the next technique. Examine the jab-reverse punch combination, without the elbow-strike the second punch is compromised.
Next time you do a pattern, whatever level it may be, ask yourself what is being demonstrated. Am I demonstrating my ability to remember the exact sequence? I suggest not! Is it a knife-hand then a back-fist, or a head-high-strike then mid-height-strike? In this case, the targeting is more important than the exact technique. Ask yourself if there's anything obviously out of place; are my feet and hands located correctly to carry out the next technique? If not, you've probably forgotten a step or an elbow-strike.
Understanding the purpose of our patterns will help us focus on what is really important at each grade. The patterns have been carefully constructed and given to us by grandmaster Lee for a reason. We should embrace the reasoning behind each pattern.