The Yudanja Poomsae series

Table showing information to the Yudanja series of Taekwondo patterns, including name, meaning, floor pattern, Chinese meaning and symbol.

The Dan grade patterns are most often taught after someone has achieved 1st Dan, although the first one (Koryo) may be taught as a grading pattern to those taking their black belt. Unlike the Taegeuk patterns, these forms have longer meanings and are not represented by trigrams. In contrast to the Taegeuk patterns which all follow the same floor pattern, each of these patterns has a different shape. This becomes more noticeable as you learn them, particularly in Pyongwon which is a single line.

The Dan grade patterns used in WT style Taekwondo are referred to as the Yudanja forms. Each of these forms has a floor pattern that traces out a Chinese character. The Chinese character is said to represent a characteristic that Taekwondo Masters should exhibit. The floor patterns, symbols and meanings can be seen in the table. 

Gradings & competition

Progression through Dan Grade Poomsae is not as linear as Kup Grade Poomsae, and it is not uncommon for Dan Grades to learn patterns in advance of their grade. Often this is for competition purposes, but can be because of the long waiting period between Dan Grade exams. 

The techniques required to perform Yudanja Forms are more advanced than Taegeuk Poomsae but the biggest challenge is the variety of floor patterns used. The range of techniques used and uniqueness of each form makes the Yudanja series popular in Poomsae competitions, at both club level and high level competitions.

Poomsae is designed to simulate combat attack and defence without a partner. At Dan Grade, students should spend time understanding how each movement can be applied in a self-defence situation, as well as considering the deeper symbolism of each form. 

Chart showing the standard Yudanja Poomsae required for each Taekwondo Dan grade and the number of moves in each form