What are Patterns?

A pattern or Tul is a series of fundamental movements, most of which represent either attack or defence techniques against an imaginary opponent, set to a fixed and logical sequence.

The ancient law in the Orient was similar to the law of Hamurabi, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", and was rigorously enforced even if death was caused accidentally. In this type of environment, and since the present system of free sparring had not yet been developed, it was impossible for a student of the martial arts to practice or test his individual skill of attack and defence against actual moving opponents. Individual advancement was certainly hindered until an imaginative practitioner created the first patterns.

The student systematically deals with several imaginary opponents under various assumptions, using every available attacking and blocking tool from different directions. Thus pattern practice enables the student to go through many fundamental movements in series, to develop sparring techniques, improve flexibility of movements, master body shifting, build muscles and breath control, develop fluid and smooth movement and gain rhythmical movements.

The Reason for 24 Patterns

The life of a human being, perhaps 100 years, can be considered as a day when compared with eternity. Therefore, we mortals are no more than simple travelers who pass by the eternal years of an eon in a day. It is evident that no one can live more than a limited amount of time. Nevertheless, most people foolishly enslave themselves to materialism as if they could live for thousands of years. And some people strive to bequeath a good spiritual legacy for coming generations, in this way, gaining immortality. Obviously, the spirit is perpetual while material is not; therefore, what we can do to leave behind something for the welfare of mankind is, perhaps, the most important thing in our lives.

The Diagram of a Pattern

The diagram of a pattern is the directional plan of the pattern. It should be followed closely as all patterns should start and finish at the same spot. In the individual pattern text, the position "X" is the starting point of the pattern.