Green Belt Forms And Basics

Question 1

Knife Hand Middle

Answer 1

1) starting in a neutral stance, transition to a cat-stance while doing the following with your hands:
hands-up fingers together (thumbs-in …perhaps slight bend)

RH Block:
left hand facing down (extended behind your left side, back the furthest)
right hand facing up – cupping your heart (or badge on uniform)

LH Block:
right hand facing down (extended behind right side, back the furthest)
left hand facing up (cupping where you uniform badge might be)

transition hands to front of body, first the left hand then the right (so that they cross over each other …as in most Taekwondo blocks and strikes)

both hands w/ fingers together (thumbs-in perhaps slight bend, but “hard”)
left hand ends facing up (cupping solarplexius)
right hand facing forward (right wrist straight; elbow bent) fingertips about “shoulder” level (for mid, eye-level for high knife-hand)

Question 2

cat stance

Answer 2

starting from neutral stance, bring feet together, drop weight straight down, as you pivot your back foot back slightly and extend your front foot leg straight ahead…

front foot facing forward (100%)
_ (e.g. right foot)
\ (e.g. left foot)
back foot 45degrees back

heals lined-up

70% of weight on back leg
30% on front leg
(final position should look as if you sat straight down and then extend front foot …so don’t lean forward as you extent your front leg)

knees bent
back knee bent more
(shouldn’t see front toes …but don’t over bend, either …knee should not extend infront of toe-line)

back straight (body essentially facing sideways)
head facing forward

Question 3

Knife Hand Down

Answer 3

(not required for green)
like Knife Hand Middle, except the block is a downward strike (hand facing down/back-toward-body) – no bend in wrist or elbow this time.

the other hand and the cat-stance remain the same.