Koryo
고려
“Koh-L’yuh”
Yeon-Mu Line: 士
Meaning: Wise
1st Dan Poomsae

士

Koryo (sometimes spelled Koryeo or Goryeo) means 선비 사 Seonbi Sa, which represents strong martialism and upright scholarly spirit. The spirit of 선배 Seonbae, inherited from 고구려-발해-고려 Goguryeo-Balhae-Goryeo, is woven into the Koryo Poosmae. The Poomsae line follows the character of 士 which is how to write the word “scholar” in Chinese.

Koryo is a compound word comprising 고 “Ko”, which means “high” and 려 “Ryeo”, which means “elegance, union and passage”. Ryeo, sometimes written as Ryo, can also interpreted as “shining’“ and is commonly used to represent “dignified” and “splendid”.

After understanding the eight basic forces through Taegeuk Poomsae practice, Koryo Poomsae trains you on how to wield power of a whole new dimension by combining 정 Jeong (body), 기 Ki (energy), and 신 Shin (consciousness) — the fundamentals of the human body.

“As the first Poomsae for Yudanja, Koryo Poomsae involves practicing successive moves in the same direction; 손날 내려 막기 Sonnal Naeryeo Makgi (Knife Hand Downward Block), 아금손 앞 치기 Ageumson Ap Chigi (Arc Hand Forward Strike), 손날 바깥 치기 Sonnal Bakkat Chigi (Knife Hand Outward Strike) and 손날 안 치기 Sonnal An Chigi (Knife Hand Inward Strike.

Further, it involves connecting inward or outward moves then opposite moves such as Sonnal An Chigi and Sonnal Naeryeo Makgi. You will also practice the technique of turning toward the opposite direction and attaking such as 옆 차기 Yeop Chagi (Side Kick) and 아래 편손끝 젖혀 찌르기 Arae Pyeonsonkkeut Jeojhyeo Jjireugi (Low Spear Hand Turn Over Thrust).

Additionally, you will learn difficult techniques such as 거듭 옆 차기 Geodeup Yeop Chagi (Repeating Side Kick), which attacks with the same foot twice (low then high), which requires the muscles to recover with a relaxing elasticity after the first kick to kick higher the second time.

Therefore, in this stage, you will learn techniques that require a swift change of body moves, as difficult as expected in Yudanja Poomsae.”