The practitioners of Taekwon-Do have to learn and practice Patterns and Sparring of Taekwon-Do. A Pattern is an organic composition that is logically combined by various fundamental movements in order to learn the techniques of offense and defense. It has 24 different forms. To learn and practice these Patterns can improve flexibility of movement, build muscles and control one's breathing method, master the abilities to shift the center of gravity of the body and develop the techniques of Sparring. To learn and practice Sparring can improve the abilities of reading an opponent's tactics and maneuvers under various situations, enhance confidence and courage by practicing fundamental movement patterns in different situations.

Taekwon-Do not only needs the above techniques, but also needs the moral sense to promote a grade or degree. Patterns are a very important subject in promoting a grade or degree. The promotional level is divided into eighteen ranks. There are nine grades and nine degrees. A grade nine is the lowest grade, and a degree nine is the highest degree. A grade nine has to master the Chon-ji Pattern, and a grade one has to master Patterns from Chon-ji to Choong-moo, nine Patterns in all. The last Pattern, Tong-il, is for a degree six to master. A degree four can be an international instructor, but still needs to master more Patterns. The number nine is not only the highest number, but it is also the highest degree for the practitioners of Taekwon-Do.

The practitioners of Taekwon-Do should choose a good instructor, since it is really important to improve the techniques of Taekwon-Do. Instructions from a false or unqualified instructor would be worse than not being taught at all because unscientific movements not only reduce the power, but also require a tremendous amount of time to correct. On the other hand, under the proper guidance of a competent instructor, a practitioner who trains earnestly with dedication will learn the true techniques of Taekwon-Do in a comparatively short period of time with less effort.

It is also very important to maintain incessant training. In training, all the muscles of the human body will be used. From the use of one's muscles, it will be possible to harness all available power generated by every muscular contraction. It will then be necessary to deliver such power to the human target especially to where the most vulnerable points or vital spots of one's opponent are located, in particular when the opponent is in motion. At this point it is necessary to remind the practitioners of Taekwon-Do that this art of self-defense is specially designed for swift retaliation against the moving aggressor.

Most of the devastating maneuvers in Taekwon-Do are based specially on the initial impact of a blow plus the consequential additional force provided by the rebound of the opponent's moving part of the body. Similarly by using the attacker's force of momentum, the slightest push is all that is needed to upset his or her equilibrium and to topple him or her. In the case of the practitioners of Taekwon-Do who have been in constant practice or the experts themselves, they spend no time thinking as such an action comes automatically to them. Their actions, in short, have become conditioned reflexes.

There is no shortcut to improving the techniques of Taekwon-Do. A person's achievement lies in accumulating continual efforts through long years. The practitioners will notice that repeated emphasis is placed on regular training, in order to master the techniques of offense and defense.

Mr. Shuojing Song