Almost every technique is aimed at one of three sections of the body. The Korean term often forms part of the technique's full name.
The face and neck — from the shoulders up. Targeted by high kicks, high punches and rising blocks.
The trunk — from the shoulders to the navel. The most common target in sparring and patterns.
From the navel down. Defended with low blocks; the legal striking limit in most sparring is the belt line.
A stable, correct stance is the foundation of power and balance. These are the core ITF stances; the weight distribution is the key to telling them apart.
| Stance | Korean | Weight | Description & use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attention stance | Charyot sogi | 50 / 50 | Heels together, feet at 45°. Used for courtesy and the bow. |
| Parallel ready stance | Narani junbi sogi | 50 / 50 | Feet one shoulder-width apart, parallel. The default “ready” posture. |
| Walking stance | Gunnun sogi | 50 / 50 | Long, stable front stance for attacking and front-facing blocks. |
| L-stance | Niunja sogi | 70 back / 30 front | Back-weighted defensive stance shaped like the Korean letter ㄴ. |
| Sitting stance | Annun sogi | 50 / 50 | Horse-riding stance, weight low and even; builds leg strength and side techniques. |
| Fixed stance | Gojung sogi | 50 / 50 | Like a longer, locked L-stance; very stable for committed strikes. |
| Rear-foot stance | Dwitbal sogi | ~90 back / 10 front | Almost all weight on the back leg; the front foot is light for quick kicks. |
| Low stance | Nachuo sogi | 50 / 50 | A longer walking stance used to extend reach. |
| X-stance | Kyocha sogi | varies | One foot crossed behind/over the other; used for jumping, shifting and X-fist work. |
| Closed / Close stance | Moa sogi | 50 / 50 | Feet together; a compact ready or transitional posture. |
| Bending ready stance | Guburyo junbi sogi | ~100 on one leg | One knee raised, ready to deliver a side or back kick. |
| Vertical stance | Soojik sogi | 60 back / 40 front | A narrow, upright stance between L-stance and walking stance. |
Footprint charts in the style of the Encyclopedia. The shaded prints show where the weight rests — the number is the percentage of body weight on that foot — and the red arrow marks the direction you face. A dashed print is a raised (lifted) foot.
The single feature that most distinguishes modern ITF Taekwon-Do from other styles is the sine-wave motion (파상 운동). Rather than holding the hips at a constant height, the body moves through a gentle down–up–down curve with each technique, adding the mass of the dropping body to the strike (the principle of Mass in the Theory of Power).
The basic sine wave has three parts, driven by a relaxed “knee spring”:
Note: the sine wave was formalised in the 1980s. Some ITF groups and older lineages use a flatter, more natural-motion execution — a legitimate stylistic difference, not an error.
How techniques are linked together within a pattern.
One complete sine wave per technique, returning to full power — the default rhythm.
Two techniques flow one after the other without the body fully sinking between them; performed smoothly and without pause.
Two or more techniques performed in quick succession, each still distinct, with a shortened sine wave.
Two techniques joined as a single movement in one breath, without an intervening sine wave.
A technique performed deliberately slowly to show balance and control (e.g. the slow movements in Toi-Gye and Juche).
Many movements pair an attacking tool with the opposite fist or foot pulling back sharply, supplying power through reaction force.
Attacks are classed as punches, strikes or thrusts, and named after the “tool” — the part of the hand that makes contact.
| Attacking tool | Korean |
|---|---|
| Fore-fist | Ap Joomuk |
| Back-fist | Dung Joomuk |
| Side-fist (hammer-fist) | Yop Joomuk |
| Knife-hand | Sonkal |
| Reverse knife-hand | Sonkal Dung |
| Fingertips | Sonkut |
| Elbow | Palkup |
| Palm / back-hand | Sonbadak / Sondung |
| Blocks · Makgi | Korean |
|---|---|
| Low block | Najunde Makgi |
| Inner forearm block | An Palmok Makgi |
| Outer forearm block | Bakat Palmok Makgi |
| Rising block | Chookyo Makgi |
| Knife-hand guarding block | Sonkal Daebi Makgi |
| Wedging block | Hechyo Makgi |
| Twin forearm block | Sang Palmok Makgi |
| Pressing block | Noollo Makgi |
The red area marks the part of the hand that strikes the target.
Three classes of hand attack: Jirugi (punch — a straight thrust of the fist), Taerigi (strike — a swinging or downward blow, e.g. with the back-fist or knife-hand), and Tulgi (thrust — a stabbing attack, e.g. fingertip thrust).
Powerful, varied kicking is the signature of Taekwon-Do. ITF distinguishes “snap” kicks (whipping) from “piercing/thrusting” kicks (driving through the target).
| Kick | Korean | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Front snap kick | Ap Cha Busigi | Ball of the foot whips up to the target; a fast, fundamental kick. |
| Side piercing kick | Yop Cha Jirugi | The footsword drives through the target sideways — a powerful core ITF kick. |
| Turning kick | Dollyo Chagi | Arc kick with the ball of the foot or instep; the “roundhouse”. |
| Back piercing kick | Dwit Cha Jirugi | Driven straight backwards with the heel; great power against a rear attacker. |
| Reverse turning kick | Bandae Dollyo Chagi | Spinning hook kick striking with the heel. |
| Downward kick | Naeryo Chagi | “Axe” kick brought down onto the target from above. |
| Twisting kick | Bituro Chagi | Travels outward in a twisting path; useful at unexpected angles. |
| Crescent / hooking kick | Bandal / Goro Chagi | Half-moon path used to strike or to hook and unbalance. |
| Flying kicks | Twimyo Chagi | Jumping versions of the above — a celebrated demonstration and grading feature. |
In ITF tradition the kicking foot is itself a set of tools: the ball of the foot (Ap Kumchi), the footsword (Balkal), the heel (Dwitchook), the instep (Baldung) and the knee (Mooroop) are each used for different kicks.