Closed Stance
Moa Seogi
모아 서기
“Moh-Ah Suh-Gee”

Height: Upper Stance

Poomsae: A stance with the inside edges of both feet completely closed together and both knees straight.

Practical Application: Used to develop the ability to relay powerful arm strikes and defensive movements without relying entirely on the force one can generate from a wider and longer base such as an Angled Riding Stance or Forward Stance.

Parallel Stance
Naranhi Seogi
나란히 서기
“Nah-Rahn-Hee Suh-Gee”

Height: Upper Stance
Width: 1 foot length

Poomsae: The feet are parallel and each leg supports an equal amount of weight.

Practical Application: Used to develop the ability to relay powerful arm strikes and defensive movements without relying entirely on the force one can generate from a wider and longer base such as an Angled Riding Stance or Forward Stance.

Riding Stance
Juchum Seogi
주춤 서기
“Joo-Choom Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance
Width/Length: Approximately 2.5 foot lengths

Poomsae: Also called Horse Riding Stance. The feet are parallel and each leg supports an equal amount of weight, knees are slightly bent.

Practical Application: An equal amount of body weight loaded over each knee makes the Riding Stance great for actual fighting, typically in the form of an Angled Riding Stance / Mo Juchum Seogi. When used stationary and practicing poomsae style techniques it can help with the development of the quadriceps muscles.

The older style wider and lower Horse Riding Stance can be called 낮추어 서기 Najchueo Seogi ('“Nahj-Choo-Uh Suh-Gee”) / Low Stance.

Forward Stance
Ap Gubi
앞 굽이
“Ahp Goob-Ee”

Height: Lower Stance
Length: Approximately 2.5 - 3 foot lengths
Width: Approximately 1 foot width

Poomsae: Also called Front Stance or Long Stance. The front foot points forward at 0°, the rear foot and torso are pivoted out at approximately 30°, the forward leg supports two-thirds of the body’s weight.

Practical Application: Using the legs to generate explosive forward force in order to cover distance while delivering a strike with the hands or elbows, or prior to delivering a kick. We do not fight from a Forward Stance but we use a Forward Stance while fighting.

Walking Stance
Ap Seogi
앞 서기
“Ahp Suh-Gee”

Height: Upper Stance
Length: Approximately 1 foot length
Width: Approximately 1 foot width

Poomsae: Also called Short Stance. The front foot points forward at 0°, the rear foot and torso are pivoted out at approximately 30°, each leg supports an equal amount of weight.

Practical Application: Used to develop the ability to relay powerful arm strikes and defensive movements without relying entirely on the force one can generate from a wider and longer base such as an Angled Riding Stance or Forward Stance.

Backward Stance
Dwit Gubi
뒷 굽이
“Dweet Goob-Ee”

Height: Lower Stance
Length: Approximately 2 foot lengths
Width: Front heel overlaps the rear heel if the feet are drawn together

Poomsae: Also called Back Stance. The feet make a 90° angle and the rear leg supports two-thirds of the body’s weight by bending the knee to approximately 100° - 110°.

Practical Application: Used to quickly move the head and torso out of range of an attack by loading weight onto the rear leg, usually paired with a backward step of the rear foot. Also makes for quicker kicking attacks off of the front foot. We do not fight from a Backward Stance but we use a Backward Stance while fighting.

Tiger Stance
Beom Seogi
범 서기
“Buhm Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance
Length: Forward foot heel aligned with rear foot’s toes
Width: Approximately 1 foot width

Poomsae: The front foot points forward at 0°, the rear foot and torso are pivoted out at approximately 30°, the rear leg supports the majority of the body’s weight while the forward foot is lightly touching the floor with the heel completely raised.

Practical Application: When used defensively one can quickly take weight off of the forward leg when blocking a low kicking attack isn’t possible, lessening the damage of the blow. When used offensively one can deliver speedy kicks with the front leg.

Front Cross Stance
Ap Kkoa Seogi
앞 꼬아 서기
“Ahp Koh-Ah Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance
Width: Approximately 1 foot width

Poomsae: The calf muscle of the forward leg is in contact with the shin of the rear leg, the heel of the forward foot is raised with the heel of the rear foot being planted. Both legs support an equal amount of weight.

Practical Application: Used as a quick crossing step on the spot prior to delivering a Turn Kick / Dollyeo Chagi. Can serve to freeze the opponent in place from the quick movement as well as add more power to a front leg attack. The cross step can be paired with a feint of the upper body to further mask the kick.

Back Cross Stance
Dwi Kkoa Seogi
뒤 꼬아 서기
“Dwee Koh-Ah Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance
Width: Approximately 1 foot width

Poomsae: The shin of the rear leg is in contact with the calf muscle of the forward leg, the heel of the rear foot is raised with the heel of the front foot being planted. The torso and front foot may be angled at 30° inward or outward depending on the situation. Both legs support an equal amount of weight.

Practical Application: Can be used to quickly cover distance to an opponent before planting the anchor foot on the floor and delivering a powerful kicking technique such as the Side Kick / Yeop Chagi. Similar to the Fast Kick / Ppaleun Bal Chagi but is typically a little slower.

Left Side Stance
Oen Yeop Seogi
왼 옆 서기
“Wayn Yuhp Suh-Gee”

Right Side Stance
Oreun Yeop Seogi
오른 옆 서기
“Oh-Roon Yuhp Suh-Gee”

Height: Upper Stance
Length: 1 foot length
Width: Front heel overlaps the rear heel if the feet are drawn together

Poomsae: Also called Left Stance/Right Stance. The feet make a 90° angle and each leg supports an equal amount of weight.

Practical Application: Used to develop the ability to relay powerful arm strikes and defensive movements without relying entirely on the force one can generate from a wider and longer base such as an Angled Riding Stance or Forward Stance.

Crane Stance
Hakdari Seogi
학다리 서기
“Hahk-Dah-Lee Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance

Poomsae: A stance of lowering one knee, while lifting up the other foot to place its inside edge near the inside edge of the knee.

Practical Application: Defensively it uses the shin bone to block kicks to the leg while offensively it can be used to draw the front foot away from an opponent before delivering a Side Kick / Yeop Chagi.

Reverse Crane Stance
Ogeum Hakdari Seogi
오금 학다리 서기
“Oh-Goom Hahk-Dah-Lee Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance

Poomsae: The same as in Crane Stance except that the raised foot is placed behind the knee of the support leg.

Practical Application: Defensively it can pull the leg back to evade or block with the knee against kicks to the leg while offensively it can be used to draw the front foot away from an opponent before delivering a Side Kick / Yeop Chagi.

“Ogeum” refers to the back of the knee, where allegedly all blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic vessels distributed to the legs and feet pass through.

Angled Riding Stance
Mo Juchum Seogi
모 주춤 서기
“Moh Joo-Choom Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance
Width: Approximately 2.5 foot lengths

Poomsae: The feet are parallel and each leg supports an equal amount of weight, knees are slightly bent. Does not appear in any recognized poomsae.

Practical Application: Typically adopted in Kyeorumsae / Fighting Stance due to its balanced ability to move in all directions and relay all tools without any sort of preparatory movement first.

Angled Forward Stance
Mo Ap Gubi
모 앞 굽이
“Moh Ahp Goo-Bee”

Height: Lower Stance
Length: Approximately 2.5 - 3 foot lengths
Width: 0 (both feet occupy the same lane)

Poomsae: Both feet are pivoted out at approximately 30°, the rear leg supports two-thirds of the body’s weight while looking in the direction of the straight leg rather than the bent one. Appears in the poomsae Taegeuk Pal-Jang (8) and Hansu. Sometimes referred to as “Diamond Stance”.

Practical Application: Offensively: The front foot steps forward and to the side of the center line while delivering a strike. Defensively: An elongated version of the Backward Stance / Dwit Gubi which takes the head further from the opponent but results in slower counter attack possibilities due to the distance covered.

Forward Riding Stance
Ap Juchum Seogi
앞 주춤 서기
“Ahp Joo-Choom Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance
Length: Approximately 3 foot lengths
Width: Approximately 1 foot width

Poomsae: As in Walking Stance, the front foot points forward at 0°, the rear foot and torso are pivoted out at approximately 30°, each leg supports an equal amount of weight however the knees are bent similar to Riding Stance. The rear foot’s heel is raised. Does not appear in any recognized poomsae.

Practical Application: A stance typically moved in to and out of in Olympic style kyorugi to add to the dynamic nature of one’s footwork.

Assisting Stance
Gyeotdari Seogi
곁다리 서기
“Gyuht-Dah-Lee Suh-Gee”

Height: Lower Stance

Poomsae: A posture of bending the legs by moving the center of gravity on one foot and keeping the center of balance with the assistance of the other foot. The big toe of the assisting rear foot should be half way up the length of the forward foot. The assisting foot makes a Pulled Foot shape just like in Tiger Stance / Beom Seogi.

Practical application: Used to deliver a rear arm striking technique from out of range by taking a Trigger Step forward with the rear foot, thereby bringing the rear shoulder closer to the target.

“Gyeotdari” refers to the legs being side by side.