March 2024
The Step Sparring Syllabus has been amended slightly for 8th and 7th gup. The 2024 edition of the Kids handbook now includes these changes, while updates to other handbooks will be implemented as stocks are replenished.
9th & 8th gup – 3 step sparring – no.2
[A] W-stance flat fingertip thrust [D] W-stance knifehand high block
[C] S-stance reverse knifehand front strike
7th gup – 3 step sparring – no.2
[A] L-stance flat fingertip thrust [D] L-stance high side block
[C] Turning kick (rear foot)
A summary of the step sparring examples are here:
May 2022
We have some significant updates to the handbooks used by our members here in New Zealand. We have released the Yellow Belt handbook and a new version of the White Belt Handbook.
The end goal is to have a handbook for each belt level (white, yellow, green, blue and red). Now that we have the white and yellow handbooks, we can confidently start to use these instead of the current (blue cover) syllabus books. And as we complete the other books over the next two years, it will give us the full set. We are committed to producing the Green Belt Handbook later this year ready for distribution in early 2023.
As well as containing the syllabus, the new handbooks have interesting information in the early sections of the book. You will recall the White Belt Handbook has the training secrets, lines of the body, sinewave etc. In the yellow belt book we have included sections on exercise preparation & recovery, motions in Taekwon-Do and more. By the completion of the full set, we will cover a wealth of material.
Version 2 of the white belt handbook now includes photos of Chon-Ji and a new feature spread on General Choi Hong Hi. We have also made some minor changes to the rules of conduct to reflect compliance with our child protection policy.
Yellow Belt Handbook This handbook contains all the techniques and theory (and more) an 8th or 7th gup will need to know.
Note that he rules of the do jang have been put in a more logical order in both the white and yellow belt handbooks. Both handbooks have sections such as:
Also in the theory section, we have finally adjusted An Chang Ho's (Do-San) year of birth to 1878 (instead of 1876). We have known for many years that the year published in the TKD Encyclopedia was incorrect, but had been hesitant to change it. Time to correct that now.
Techniques HandbooksThe blue techniques handbooks (adult and kids) are now to be used as a stop-gap measure, before we complete handbooks for all belt levels. So this means green belts and above can purchase or download these handbooks to provide them with their grading syllabus.
We have made some minor changes to the 2022 versions to keep them aligned with the White & Yellow Belt Handbooks, such as the do jang rules, Taekwon-Do history and Do-San's year of birth.
These syllabus books will still be available to purchase or download.
October 2017
The 2017 editions of the adults and kids handbooks received just some minor syllabus adjustments - click here to see changes in green.
Here is a summary of the changes:
The 2014 editions of the Gup Techniques Handbook will be available from your instructor or at the National Tournament, 26-27 July 2014 from Fuji Mae NZ.
Advance copies are available now from Fuji Mae NZ or Paul M TKD.
The 2014 adults and kids versions contain the following updates from the 2010 edition:
Click here to see changes in green.
The 2010 edition of the Techniques Handbook is now available, and contains the following updates from the 2009 edition:
The 2009 edition of the Techniques handbook had the following amendments
