Most ITF students may not be aware that when General Choi's 1965 book on Taekwon-Do was published, the original bending ready stance from Shotokan karate was still in use, and it was used to make the original 20 patterns.
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| Steps 7 and 8 of Won-Hyo in the 1965 book |
This instruction is for all of the one-legged stances before a kick (as well as the one-legged stance in Gae-Baek). The only exception is Ko-Dang, where a "mid section wedging block" is instructed to be used while the leg is lifted.
Sometime before the 1980s, the bending ready stance was changed to the version modern ITF students practiced. But I've always had a bone to pick with this version. It's not that it doesn't have applications of its own. It's that the original 20 patterns were designed with the original version in mind. So if you are hunting for applications in those patterns (like I do), the fists-on-the-hip must be taken into account.
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| The modern Bending Ready Stance A |
Changes to the 1965 versions of the patterns are not uncommon. In my book on Sam-Il, I documented three changes from the 1965 version. But those were specific to the pattern and had practical considerations. E.g. the X-fist pressing block at Step 21 was changed from a 90-degree technique to a 45-degree technique, likely due to the position of your opponent. The problem with the change to the bending ready stance A was it was applied universally across all patterns, regardless of whether it made sense or not.
Applications of the old version
The pulling of both fists to the opposite hip, also called "smaller hinge" or "cup and saucer" position, is mainly used either to strike into the opponent's inner elbow or lock their outer elbow.
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| A commonly given "Cup-and-saucer" application displayed by Karate Dungannon |
This puts the opponent in a position where you may apply a kick to their knee.
There are some other, more esoteric applications of the cup-and-saucer. In Naichanchi it's often applied as a neck crank. In some contexts you can underhook and pull the opponent's shoulder. Even the elbow pull earlier in the above video (while he identifies as a hikite application) can be a hidden cup-and-saucer application, one I would use in Step 7 of Won-Hyo.
Applications of the new version
The modern Bending Ready Stance A gives the impression of holding the opponent's arm while you set up a kick, then pulling back as you kick. In theory, this will increase the power of the kick.
A more advanced application is to use the stance itself as a sweep. You might pull the back of the opponent's shirt while sweeping their foot, as in the image below.
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| A different way to interpret Step 7 of Won-Hyo, if you end up outside the opponent's right arm |
Is the new version appropriate?
In both Won-Hyo and Yul-Gok, it is possible to make the modern Bending Ready Stance A work. But the more I played around with both versions, the more I felt the original version made sense for me. Choi-Yong is similar. I could probably come up with a new application, but the original cup-and-saucer movement is more parsimonious for the context of the pattern.
And then you have Choong-Moo and Gae-Baek. In these cases I have a specific application for the cup-and-saucer motion which is not replicated by the new version. Gae-Baek is unique because the stance is not followed by a kick. It's followed by a palm scooping block instead, which I apply as throwing the opponent by pushing out their head and turning their face to the floor.
But what about the patterns beyond the original 20? Moon-Moo and So-San?
So-San I never learned, but in Moon-Moo the new version seems appropriate. I interpret it as blocking the opponent's arm while I setup a kick to their knee. Given that both Moon-Moo and So-San were made after Choi's 1965 book, they may have been made with the new bending ready stance in mind.
But since most of my research is limited to the original 20 patterns, I increasingly find I prefer the cup-and-saucer movement.
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