U.T.F.
4-Direction Exercises
Introduction & Tips
The 4-Direction Punch and 4-Direction Kick provide a way of practicing the basic
punching, kicking, guarding, and blocking techniques of U.T.F. Taekwon-do. More
importantly they also provide the opportunity for you to practice by yourself
the new fundamental body movements and motions which will be needed in
all the rest that you will learn in this art. For most people this way of moving
will at first seem awkward and difficult, and you may discover muscles you never
knew you had. But practice will make it more natural and automatic, improve your
speed and agility, and will bring benefits to your everyday life.
Some of the things these 4-Direction Exercises will encourage you to do are:
1. to step (forward, sideways, and backward) by leading with your center
(your lower abdomen just below your navel), rather than your shoulders;
2. to start the power for your techniques from your center,
instead of your arms or legs;
3. to use more parts of your body in effectively timed sequences, rather
than as separate parts alone, or the entire body as one block.
Tips
1. These 4-Direction Exercises are done in two continuous halves. When you are
attacking with one side the opposite foot will pivot in the same place
the whole time and never move from its spot. In the first half the
right side attacks and the left foot pivots; in the second half the left side
attacks and the right foot pivots.
2. When you have to turn, turn the head first in order to become aware of
what exactly is going on, determine the appropriate response, and then have your
center lead the rest of the body in a spiraling turn to deliver the technique to
the point it is needed.
3. Get low and stay low. Many of the benefits of these exercises are
derived from forcing the hip and abdominal muscles to lead. Bobbing up and down
as you step will remove these benefits, will make your motions more unstable,
and will decrease the focus of your forward punches and kicks. The lower you
stand and move, the more benefit you will get and the faster you will improve.
Moving in a lower posture will increase your leg flexibility as well as your leg
and abdominal strength, at the same time as the practice improves the basic
techniques in the exercises - this will give you triple benefits for the time
spent, and will lessen the need for spending other time doing separate
strength and flexibility exercises.
4. Set your exercise height with your center. If you try to set the
height with your head or shoulders then your body will stretch and scrunch
underneath them as you move during the exercise. If you keep your center the
same low height throughout then your upper body will stay in a relaxed and
well-aligned posture that will increase power production.
10-12-05
Punch version 1 Punch version 2 Right side Kick Left side Kick Both Sides with Transition
Some U.T.F. schools also practice a 4-Direction Knifehand Strike that consists of 16 strikes (using both sides while pivoting on one foot) without blocking. The same fundamental body movements and motions apply. Knife Hand Strike