45. Joong-Gun opening

Joong-Gun is an unusual pattern. It is the first color belt form not based on the Heian/Pinan kata. It introduces odd movements such as the upward palm block and U-shaped block. It is also, I would argue, unusual in its design and applications.

The "official" application of the upward palm block in Step 3 is to lift up an incoming punch or kick.This application is bad, as lifting the punch does nothing to deflect it. This also does not explain the cat stance. Another suggested application is an arm break, pushing up under the opponent's right elbow.While better, this is still not to my liking. Instead, I apply this set against a front kick.

The ready position is used to catch the kick: overhook a left leg kick with your right arm. Then use the ridgehand block to lift the opponent's knee towards them while stepping forward. Kick their groin with your front leg. Why the front leg? Because we then land on their instep. This traps their standing leg as we push up their heel towards them, throwing them.

 

This application has several benefits:

• It explains the ready position
• It explains why the first movement is a ridgehand block
• It explains why we kick with the front leg
• It explains why the third step is in cat stance (we use our weight on the back leg to trap the opponent's standing leg)
• It explains the upward palm block

Why would the sixth ITF pattern begin with a kick defense?

In my opinion, the first five patterns (Chon-Ji through Yul-Gok) form a mini-system somewhat equivalent to the Pinan/Heian kata. It is after that system that the ITF patterns start teaching single-leg takedowns (starting in Joong-Gun) and wrist locks (starting in Toi-Gye).

44. Keumgang opening

Let's do one from a WT poomsae.

Keumgang utilizes a palm striking technique. This technique differs from the ITF palm strike in that the hand is bent 45-degrees. The ITF palm strike (as found in Choong-Jang) is vertical.

ITF (left) vs WT (right) palm strike

While the purpose of this 45-degree bend could be to alter the striking surface, it also reminds me of an open-handed strike a Kempo instructor once showed me. The strike is aimed at an unusual target: the angle of the mandible.

Why strike here? For one, it's very disorienting to the opponent. Both the jaw and neck are sensitive areas. Two, because you hook the opponent's jaw with the meat of your thumb, this is effective at pushing the opponent away from you. Three, according to the Kenpo instructor, striking hard enough will damage the opponent's temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

But how do we get the opponent into a position where striking here is feasible? With the opening movement of Keumgang, of course. One application of this, what we call an "inner-forearm wedging block" in ITF, is a shoulder lock against a right hand grab.

Source: One Minute Bunkai

1. Opponent grabs your shirt with their right fist
2. Grab their elbow sleeve with your right fist and their wrist with your left fist. 
3. Step forward with your left foot, away from the opponent's free arm, while executing the inner-forearm wedging block. This pulls the opponent's elbow and wrist in opposing directions, locking their shoulder
4. Step forward and strike under their jaw bone (angle of the mandible) with the right hand palm strike
   

Additional strikes

Could you not also use the palm strike as a strike to the chin? Of course! Keumgang contains two more palm strikes moving forwards. Since the poomsae is symmetric, the intended set is two palm strikes.

The poomsae is telling us that if the opponent blocks our first palm strike with their left arm, we may pull that arm out of the way as we step forward and strike their chin with our left palm.

You may repeat this as often as necessary: moving forwards while striking with the palm or moving backwards while striking with the inward knifehand (steps 5-7 of Keumgang).