As a first degree (1st Dan) Black Belt you have completed your basic training. Now is the time to learn your patterns to a greater depth whilst also learning two new patterns, the first being the pattern Kwang Gae (also written Gwang-Gae).
Pattern: Kwang-Gae Hyong – 39 Movements
광개
The pattern Kwang-Gae is named after the famous Gwang-Gae-Toh-Wang 광개토태왕, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty. His full name and title given to him posthumously is 국강상광개토경평안호태왕 and means “Entombed in Gukgangsan, Broad Expander of Domain, Peacemaker, Supreme King”. This is because Gwang-Gae-Toh-Wang did much to expand the realm of Goguryo, one of the major Kingdoms on the Korean peninsula, both within Korea but also Manchuria. Under Gwang-Gae’s rule Goguryo once again became a major power amongst the Three Kingdoms. He is also noted for using the first ‘era name’, which Goguryo kings used thereafter, as a way of showing Korean Kings to be equals of their Chinese counterparts.
The pattern was developed between 1962 and 1964 in Malaysia with the assistance of Master Kim Bok Man and Master Woo Jae Lim and has 39 movements representing the age (39) of Kwang-Gae’s death but also perhaps the year (391) that he ascended the throne.
39 Movements
Ready: Feet shoulder width apart, arms raised with open hands forming a triangle with the thumbs and index fingers. Look through the triangle.
1. Shift weight to the right foot, keeping the left leg straight whilst quickly separating the hands to just outside the shoulders. Bring the hands down to belt level in a circular motion clasping the right fist in the left hand, simultaneously bring the feet together settling into closed stance with equal weight on both feet.
2. Move slowly into left forward stance executing a slow right upset punch whilst contracting all muscles and breathing out under control.
3. Step forward into right forward stance executing a slow left upset punch whilst contracting all muscles and breathing out under control.
4. Move the left foot beside and slightly afront of the right, then move the right foot into right forward stance executing a right high section hooking block.
5. Move the right foot back into right back stance while executing a low section knife hand guarding block.
6. Move the right foot beside and slightly afront of the left, then move the left foot into left forward stance executing a left high section hooking block.
7. Move the left foot back into left back stance while executing a low section knife hand guarding block.
8. Move the left foot forward into right back stance while performing a high knife hand guarding block.
9. Move the right foot forward into left back stance while performing a high knife hand guarding block.
10. Step the left foot forward and rotate counter-clockwise 180 degrees into left forward stance whilst executing a right rising palm block. Done in slow motion with breath control.
11. Step forward with the right foot into right forward stance executing a left rising palm block. Done in slow motion with breath control.
12. Step the left foot to the right into a close stance and at the same time bring the hands in a circular motion to the front of the belt, hitting the left palm with the right knife hand.
13. Maintain the same hand position and execute a low left pressing side kick to your left side.
14. Quickly execute a left mid section side kick, done as a double kick with step 13.
15. Step the left foot down into right back stance and execute a right high inward knife hand strike, bringing the left fist to the right shoulder.
16. Bring the left foot to the right foot into a closed stance and execute a left downward hammer fist to your left.
17. Maintain the same hand position and execute a low right pressing side kick to your right side.
18. Quickly execute a right mid section side kick, done as a double kick with step 17.
19. Step the right foot down into left back stance and execute a left high inward knife hand strike, bringing the right fist to the left shoulder.
20. Bring the right foot to the left foot into a closed stance and execute a right downward hammer fist to your right.
21. Step forward into left forward stance performing a double pressing ‘block’ with the left hand rising whilst the right hand drops. Done in slow motion with breath control.
22. Step forward into right forward stance and repeat pressing ‘block’ with opposite hand movement. Done in slow motion with breath control.
23. Move the right foot clockwise 180 degrees in a stamping movement and execute a right high section back fist strike.
24. Move the right foot into right forward stance whilst executing a mid section twin forearm block.
25. Execute a left low section reverse block whilst maintaining the position of the right hand.
26. Execute a right high section spear hand strike whilst carefully extending the stance using the right foot. Done in slow motion with breath control.
27. Move the left foot counter-clockwise 180 degrees in a stamping movement and execute a left high section back fist strike.
28. Move the right foot into right forward stance whilst executing a mid section twin forearm block.
29. Execute a right low section reverse block whilst maintaining the position of the left hand.
30. Execute a left high section spear hand strike whilst carefully extending the stance using the left foot. Done in slow motion with breath control.
31. Step forward into right forward stance with a stamping motion and execute a high section twin vertical punch.
32. Turn to the left moving your left foot in a stamping motion into left forward stance, executing a twin upset punch.
33. Execute a mid section front kick with the right foot.
34. Lower the right foot to beside the left, rotate clockwise 180 degrees and step the left foot back into left back stance executing forearm guarding block.
35. Move forward into left forward stance and execute a left high section punch.
36. Step forward into right forward stance with a stamping motion and execute a twin upset punch.
37. Execute a mid section front kick with the left foot.
38. Lower the left foot to beside the right, rotate counter-clockwise 180 degrees and step the right foot back into right back stance executing forearm guarding block.
39. Move forward into right forward stance and execute a right high section punch. (Kyup)
Finish: To conclude pattern Kwang Gae, move the left foot towards the right turning counter-clockwise into parallel stance and adopt the hand positions of the start at the pattern.