66: Tong-Il W-shape blocks

I don't believe that forms, on their own, teach you how to fight. The reason I hunt for applications is because I see it as one big puzzle box to solve. Plus I want to know what the movements I practice may be used for.

Since I recovered from four years of chronic low back pain, I have been getting back into taekwondo forms (mainly as a form of aerobic exercise). It gave me time to reflect on portions of the original 20 ITF patterns that were still mysterious to me. One movement that has been my bane is the outward W-shape block found in Tong-Il.

Source: Master Natasa Manavaki

The outward W-shape block (also called "mountain block") comes from the karate kata Jitte, which also contains the stomping W-shape block.

I tried looking up applications or bunkai for the block. I didn't find much. The typical application is to block with the setup (arm fold) and then strike the opponent's neck while pushing out their arm.

My question is why do we do two outward W-shape blocks in Tong-Il, with a slide between them?

One interpretation is to use the first move as a block against a right-handed attack, while also holding the opponent's left arm. From here, you may strike into the opponent's left inner-elbow while sliding right, and then strike the side of their neck with the second W-shape block.

 From here, the opponent may try to dive down for a body lock or leg grab. But you can foil this by applying the next movement, the stomping inward-moving W-shape block, to move CCW while maintaining contact with the opponent's head, possibly moving the opponent's arm behind them.

Christopher Hein demonstrating how if your opponent dives for a body grab from this position, you may keep contact with their head while moving CCW. Is it easier to maintain contact with the forearm than the palm.

Although we turn CCW once in the pattern, we can continue to turn CCW as much as we need to frustrate the opponent, maintaining forearm contact with their head.

From here, what would I do? One option is to overhook their left arm as I shift left, trying to get a kumura lock. This applies the setup (arm fold) part of step 44

Image source: tritacacademy

From here I have two options.

The first, since the opponent's head is lowered, is that I can perform a downward elbow strike to the top of their head. This would be the application of the final outward W-shape block (Step 44), which would be a finishing blow, though I lose the kimura lock.

The other option is to keep the kimura lock and throw the opponent by performing a sweep. This is an application for the next movement in the pattern, step 45

 

We even turn 90-degrees left to throw like we do in the pattern, and can kick behind us (step 46) because our opponent falls behind us.