1st Gup to VI Dan were lined up before 11:00 a.m. for a much anticipated Black Belt class. Grand Master Winegar, escorted by Master Martin and Master Steadman, entered the Do-Jang with applause. Also here from Colorado, Mrs. Winegar, VI Dan, was on the floor training with the rest of us. After a formal bow-in Grand Master Winegar gathered the class close, invited everyone to sit cross-legged and began by thanking Master Martin for treating he and Mrs. Winegar like royalty while here in Wyoming. He gave a quick run-down of what he would be teaching. It would be all Taekwon-Do all the time.

Class began with warm-ups for those who had not warmed up prior to the start of class. Opening technique was sitting stance, preparing for a punch. (right foot to sitting stance, raising the left fist extended). Single punching, then double punching; be sure to have two complete sine waves, and feet straight forward.
We continued with reverse techniques in walking stance, practicing hand techniques that are usually done as obverse techniques such as: low block with the knife hand, middle thrust with straight fingertip, high strike with finger pincers (targets the esophagus), high front strike with thumb knuckle fist, high inward crescent strike with the arc hand, high downward strike with the base of the knife hand (targets the clavicle), high front strike with the knife hand with the opposite backhand in front of the forehead as a centering device.

Then we went on to multiple hand techniques such as: reverse low block with the outer forearm, obverse high side block with the knife hand, reverse high thrust with the flat fingertip. Or horizontal strike with the twin knife hand, side front strike with the backfist. Grand Master Winegar noted that the sine wave in place is down-up-down, not up-down or forward-backward. He also emphasized that the off hand must come hard and fast to the belt on any hand technique.
From there we went to work on stepping, beginning with obverse punch in a double stepping motion, walking stance. Then double stepping with a slide. Then double stepping, turn and slide. Students were turning different directions, so Grand Master Winegar pointed out that the turn is always done to the front unless otherwise indicated. He said that as we are teaching classes, we need to give the Black Belts more advanced techniques to work on (using multiple techniques and advanced stepping) while the color belts are working at their own level. This will keep the Black Belts thinking, working and improving as well as giving the color belts something to look forward to as they advance.

Back to hand techniques: low obverse block with the outer forearm in an L-stance. Grand Master Winegar noted that the General said this block is always accompanied by a reverse middle side block with the inner forearm, as in Ko-Dang. Then downward block with the outer forearm in an L-stance, downward block with the palm in a rear foot stance, and downward thrust with the straight elbow in a rear foot stance. On all these techniques, he emphasized the preparatory hand positions – traditional cross on the low block. Both hands up to prepare for the downward blocks. Without the correct preparatory hand positions, little power can be produced. Continuing on with hand techniques: L-stance, horizontal strike with the backfist – keep the arm straight! L-stance, downward block with the alternate palm – hands alternate evenly and at the solar plexus level. Keep the elbows level with the palms. If the left leg is back, the left hand is closest to the body.

On to kicking!
Starting in an L-stance, front leg turning kick – Grand Master Winegar liked what he saw as everyone seemed to have good foot position on this kick, and we moved on to front leg hook kick. This kick requires good flexibility through the hip. Lift with the knee down, extending at 45 degrees before the target. Then pull the kick, straight leg, horizontally through so that the upper leg ends up at 45 degrees past the target, opening up the hip and bending the knee to finish the kick. The supporting leg pivots on the ball of the foot to begin the kick. Keep the heel of the supporting foot on the floor at the moment of contact.
Kicking targets: Two lines in front of the heavy bags, Grand Master Winegar watched one student at a time. If you got it all right, he was happy and you went along to the back of the line. If he wasn’t quite happy, you received instructions to improve and make corrections to the kick until he was happy.

The Red Belts were up first, working on twin foot side kick, one target. Both feet must hit the bag at the same time. Only the bottom leg is straight, extended to hit the target. The top leg remains slightly bent to allow both feet to hit the target together. One way to work on this is to start out kicking with the bottom leg only.
Black Belts worked on 180 back piercing kick. This needs to be executed with tuck, striking with the proper tool in the center of the bag. Jump, turn, look to see the target, hit with good foot position, retract bringing the knee back quickly. A piercing kick should ‘fold’ the bag. Do not leave the leg extended or push the bag. Land on one foot so Grand Master could observe body position and leg retraction.
Then the Black Belts went on to 360 back piercing kick, no step. As you jump, bring the first knee up high, turn, look…using the same cues as for the 180.

Patterns:
1st Gups did Choong-Moo with Master Steadman instructing.
I Dans did Kwang-Gae with Master Martin instructing.
II & III: Juche with Grand Master Winegar instructing.

Going through the patterns by count allowed for instruction on individual technique to improve and execute techniques correctly.
Then Grand Master Winegar, with Master Martin and Master Steadman helping, took the III Dans and up through these patterns:
III & IV: Choi-Yong
IV & V: Moon-Moo
V & VI: Se-Jong
Grand Master Winegar worked with VI, VII and VIII on Tong-Il.

---

Click here to see BB Class Archives