Why must students learn forms? Many martial art styles have discontinued the use of the poom-sae or use them only for the purpose of testing or tournaments. This means they have taken the “do” (as in TaekwonDO), which means “the way”, out of their style. They have in essence taken the “art” out of “martial art.”

POOM-SAE/FORMS
The Korean word “poom-sae” means a “form” or “pattern of movements.” It is actually a planned series of movements that combines the physical skills (such as blocks, strikes, kicks, stances and more) with the mental skills (such as balance, coordination, discipline, strategy, focus and more). The target of these movements is an imaginary opponent of the practitioner’s own size.

The copyrighted Songahm forms have been arranged as a system to gradually increase the student’s skill, develop technical balance equally on the left and right side of the body, train muscles, and to develop students from the beginner level through the rank of Grand Master. This is why each Songahm form does not repeat most techniques more than twice and also why every technique which is done with a right arm/leg is also repeated with the left arm/leg.

These forms, designed by Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee, were the first that truly emphasized the tradition of the art of Taekwondo, unlike older forms (hyung) which were based on Japanese and Okinawan Karate forms. Not only do the Songahm forms train you in each rank, but they are also excellent for using as a warm-up prior to a work out.

The “system” that encompasses the 18 Songahm forms is based on traditional philosophy, as well as being designed for for easy memorization.
FORM PHILOSOPHY
All goals require a poom-sae or pattern. Even in life we have structured patterns. When you’re born, you learn communication and basic skills in the home. A few years later, you are enrolled into kindergarten or elementary school. Following this comes high school. During high school, we begin to decide the direction we will take in life. We choose a college and/or a career goal. This is the pattern of the first part of our life. If you choose a good pattern, you can be a success. If your pattern is poor, you may not be as successful in your life endeavors.

Similarly, your chances of success in Songahm Taekwondo are much greater by following the solid series of patterns (forms) we have developed for our students.

In Songahm Taekwondo, a student first learns a form of preparatory moves known as 1-step sparring. This exchange of techniques is under strict control, and by memorizing these moves the student needs only practice distance and timing without the fear of responding to spontaneous techniques from an opponent. In this way, the basics of sparring can be safely developed before the student’s reflexes are challenged. 1-steps also help a student acquire the confidence they need for sparring with a real opponent.

Later in their training, a Songahm Taekwondo practitioner begins applying the basics they have learned from 1-steps into true sparring, which can be thought of as reflexive responses against an unplanned attack. Essentially, they learn to move beyond the predetermined series of movements they have relied upon in favor of spontaneous movements designed for true self defense.

Although we learn sparring as a form of self defense, it is also very important in Songahm Taekwondo for other reasons. It helps display proficiency in techniques, and for this reason at the Camo Belt level and beyond sparring is evaluated for purposes of advancing to the next rank. It is also an important part of tournaments, where students can display their abilities in a safe, controlled competitive environment while still showing respect to their opponent.

The “Songahm Star” is the pattern that is formed on the ground if all 18 forms of the Songahm system are completed. In a perfect Songahm Star, the distance from the center point of the star to the top point is nine feet (“feet” being the student’s foot length). The total distance from the top point to the bottom point equals 18 feet, representing the number of forms in the Songahm system.

“Martial Art” is a broad term encompassing the many styles of physical discipline (fighting) arts that have been developed over the centuries. To say that the style of Songahm Taekwondo is just another “martial art” would be an oversimplified explanation of the world’s largest centrally administered martial art. This system of teaching and training is unequaled in the martial arts community.

During its early years, the ATA used the Chahng-hun style of forms (also used by the International Taekwondo Federation). But although this style was widely accepted in the Taekwondo community, Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee felt that its forms did not accurately reflect Taekwondo — particularly the strength and beauty of Taekwondo kicking techniques. As a result, he believed the forms contributed little to the Taekwondo curriculum. For example, white belts were expected to know front kicks and side kicks, but no front kick appeared until the third (yellow belt) form, and there was no side kick until the form after that!

From 1983 to 1990, Eternal Grand Master introduced the eighteen Songahm forms. These forms are part of a fully-integrated curriculum, in which everything a student learns reinforces everything else. The forms contain all or nearly all of the techniques that students are expected to know at each rank, the one-step sparring segments complement the forms, and all of these patterns lead logically to the movements required for each succeeding rank.

The Songahm curriculum facilitates a smooth progression from one rank to the next, so that students who begin Taekwondo feeling they’ll never be able to do a simple block (for example) suddenly find themselves a few years later doing 360-degree jumping kicks with ease.

Songahm Taekwondo also focuses on personal development of the mind and body. To say it is just self-defense would be to lose most of the valuable ideas and philosophy behind this ancient art.

The heightened capacity for self-defense resulting from our Taekwondo is really a fringe benefit that is gained by dedicating one’s self to the values, philosophy and training of Songahm Taekwondo. When learning, a student is in a true, traditional Taekwondo class, focusing not just on the physical but also on discipline, honor, self-control, respect, courtesy, perseverance and loyalty.

A beginner does not focus on being a skilled martial artist within a month or two, as a strong foundation in Taekwondo must be built first. Trying to advance beyond your level without proper guidance is like building a house on concrete that has not dried. Though the house may still stand, the foundation would not be as strong and the appearance of the house may not be as presentable.

The ATA and its affiliated organizations help build a strong foundation of Songahm Taekwondo in each of its members, a foundation from which advancement in both the martial art (mind and body) and in self defense can be built and added on to in perpetuity.

From this first meeting almost half a century ago, the stage was set for the founding of The American Taekwondo Association (ATA) in 1969 in Omaha, Nebraska by Eternal Grand Master Lee.

Eternal Grand Master Lee began his martial arts training in 1954 as a teenager. He taught martial arts to Republic of Korea military intelligence personnel from 1956 to 1959, opening his first commercial school in Osan, Korea after leaving the military. Eternal Grand Master then opened several “branches” to his commercial school, including one at a U.S. Air Force base. This is where Master Richard Reed began training with Eternal Grand Master, and the two forged a friendship that would ultimately result in the ATA.

When Reed returned to the United States in 1962, Eternal Grand Master joined him on a “visitor” visa, and began teaching in Omaha. Although he had to return to Korea in December, 1963 while awaiting a “resident” status visa, he returned to the U.S. in 1965 and began working toward a national Taekwondo organization that would be based on good martial arts and sound business practices. As it grew from a regional organization to one of national — and ultimately international — scope, the ATA began to establish standards that would ensure consistent instruction.

The ATA held “closed” tournaments — you had to be a member to compete. Instructors had to undergo a rigorous trainee period to become a certified instructor, and the only way to receive certification was to come to Little Rock for a week in August and participate in a Trainee Instructor Camp, complete with physical and written exams.

Every student uniform was white (no black, no blue, no stars & stripes), and all lettering, piping and patches (initially just a school patch and the ATA patch) on uniforms were to be consistent across the organization. The ATA also shared marketing acumen with its instructors, helping to build a stronger organization by presenting a consistent, professional program and message to the public.

From the beginning, Eternal Grand Master Lee was determined to establish the most professional martial arts organization possible. In 1973, he introduced the first instructor manual, which provided information and procedures to standardize the operation of all ATA schools. In 1976, he hosted the first Grand National tournament, which was the predecessor for the Songahm Taekwondo World Championships now held annually. A year later, he re-located the ATA headquarters from Omaha, Nebraska to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he soon had 200 black belts earning instructor certification each year.

In 1980, the ATA became the first martial arts organization to introduce a centralized computer record keeping system. This innovation enabled the ATA to maintain rank histories and other important information about the thousands of ATA members. The same year, the ATA began publishing a tabloid entitled “ATA News” which has evolved into the international magazine The Way of Taekwondo, now published quarterly to keep Songahm Taekwondo students informed about upcoming events, appraised of new programs, and knowledgeable about the physical and mental aspects of Songahm Taekwondo.

The history of the ATA was set on a new and unique course in 1983 when, at a Certified Instructor Camp in Little Rock, Eternal Grand Master introduced the Songahm system of Taekwondo. The Songahm system represented the culmination of years of study by Eternal Grand Master Lee. The ATA had used the Chang Hun Taekwondo forms since 1969 — and the “Pinan” forms prior to that — but he had noticed something missing in the forms.

With the assistance of senior instructors including Robert Allemier, Bill Clark, In Ho Lee and Jee Ho Lee, Eternal Grand Master developed a unified teaching system in which, for the first time, White Belts learned kicks in their Taekwondo forms and one-step sparring was closely integrated with the forms to aid in student development by establishing a more logical system for beginners. But even more than that the entire system of Songahm forms worked together with balance and harmony, reflecting the essence of the art.

In 1984, the Songahm Taekwondo Federation (STF) was founded by Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee and Master Cezar Ozuna to help spread Songahm Taekwondo outside of the United States. In the fall of 1990, the World Traditional Taekwondo Union (WTTU) was formed. While the ATA encompasses member schools in the United States and Canada, the STF includes member schools in South America and the WTTU covers the remaining portion of the world.

With the passing of Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee in October 2000, our current leadership has taken up the torch of his inspirational guidance and leadership and ensured the values the ATA were founded upon remain our focus for today and into the future.

Grand Master Soon Ho Lee, after many trials and tests for the Grand Master title, was elevated to be our leader in Taekwondo and guides and focuses the Songahm Taekwondo style. Mrs. Sun C. Lee, wife of the late Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee and the ATA’s Chairman of the Board, continues the legacy of her husband by helping the youth of Songahm Taekwondo through her philanthropic efforts and devotion. Our leadership ensures that the ATA will continue to be one of the most innovative, effective, and widespread organizations in martial arts worldwide.

From its humble beginnings, today the ATA and its affiliated organizations is beginning to register over 300,000 members worldwide, including 53,000 black belts and 3,000 certified instructors.

In many ways, this is still just the beginning. We know the ATA has many wonderful surprises in store for Taekwondo in the United States and across the world. We hope you will journey with us as the ATA, and Songahm Taekwondo, continues to evolve and improve to help our students and masters do the same.