52: Won-Hyo opening

More often than not I analyze the black belt patterns on this blog. But I figure most ITF students who stumble here won't even know those patterns. So let's do a color belt pattern today: here is my interpretation for the opening of Won-Hyo.

Won-Hyo is heavily based on the kata Pinan Shodan / Heian Nidan, although there are noticeable changes. Compare to the three opening moves of Pinan Shodan below:

 

What the static images don't convey is that move 2 is an inward block with the forearm and move 3 is an outward hammerfist. These two movements were changed to an inward strike with the knifehand and a punch respectively. Won-Hyo also adds a foot slipping motion to go into fixed stance for step 3, while in Heian Nidan you stay in back stance. Won-Hyo also adds a ready position.

In the kata the front fist is half-turned in the twin block, and the movement is sometimes interpreted as a simultaneous block and rising vertical punch. WT taekwondo doubled-down on this interpretation by turning the front fist into an uppercut.

(Left) An interpretation of the twin block as a simultaneous block and strike. Image from Headingley Karate. (Right) A similar technique from bareknuckle boxing, where using a rising block to defend a haymaker was more commonplace.

Unfortunately in Won-Hyo the front palm faces outward. Even the setup was later changed (crossed-arm chamber) so the movement is performed not-at-all like an uppercut.

It's been suggested that Won-Hyo's ready position (or perhaps the crossed-arm chamber, while isn't in the 1965 version) represents a "flinch block" against a haymaker, and the twin block may be used to pull away the opponent's arm while striking the side of their neck.

Jeb Chiles applying Pinan Shodan in a manner reminiscent of Won-Hyo. The twin block is used to both block the opponent's arm and push out on their face, then the inward "block" is applied as a hammerfist strike.

What's missing in the above image is that the right fist may be used to pull in the opponent as we strike their neck with the inward knifehand. In fact, because Won-Hyo lacks a separate grabbing step, my interpretation of the twin block is a simultaneous block-and-grab rather than simultaneous block-and-strike. There are a couple nit-picky reasons for this:

• Almost all the color belt patterns follow a "Step 1: block, Step 2: strike" design. So the primary purpose of the twin block may be to block a haymaker with the rising arm. But we also grab the opponent's shirt to pull them in and strike the neck in step 2.
  
• In Do-San we open blocking a haymaker with our front arm. In Won-Hyo with our rear arm. In Yul-Gok we block in a neutral (riding stance) stance. Thus the ITF patterns appear to teach responses to blocking attacks in different positions.

Of course in practice you can modify the set however you want. You can absolutely turn Won-Hyo's opening move into a block-and-strike.

What about Step 3, the "slip" into the fixed stance punch? Officially you slip the foot so that you can push the opponent away from you. Rather than a "push" (an interpretation I never liked), I prefer to think of this movement as a clothesline takedown. The footwork is used to slip your foot behind your opponent's leg. This way we integrate both the punch and the pulling hand to throw the opponent.

Daeshik Kim applying both the pulling hand and the punch as a push-pull takedown. I would hook the opponent's head rather than pushing the shoulder in this instance. Image from the book Hosinsul: Contextual Self-Defense

Again, the nit-picky reasons I have for this interpretation

• It is unusual to end a set in the ITF patterns with pushing away your opponent. Almost all the sets end in a finishing blow or takedown.
• Using a fixed stance punch as a "push" seems sub-optimal. Why not push with both hands? Or use a front stance?
• This application leads into the next set in the pattern, which we use if the clothesline throw fails

So there you go, my interpretation of the first three movements of Won-Hyo:

1. Block a swinging arm while grabbing the opponent's front shirt
2. Pull in the opponent while striking their neck with an inward knifehand
3. Slip your front foot behind their leg and execute a clothesline throw