Taegeuk 3 (Taegeuk Sam Jang): the third color belt form, every move step by step

Taegeuk Sam Jang (태극 3장) is the form where Taekwondo starts to feel fast. It introduces the back stance, the knife-hand, and the double punch that follows a front kick, and it asks students to string techniques together with real speed. It is the form for 6th geup, usually learned at yellow-green or green belt.

Meaning: Ri, fire

Sam Jang is linked to the trigram Ri (☲), a broken line between two solid lines, which stands for fire and the sun. Fire is warm and bright but also quick and lively, and the form should crackle the same way: sharp techniques, quick combinations, and a strong rhythm throughout.

Floor pattern

The first and third lines of this form use the same combination, which makes it easier to remember than it first appears.

Step by step

Line 1

1. Turn 90 degrees to the left into a left walking stance with a left low block (arae makgi).
2. Right front kick (ap chagi), land in a right front stance (apkubi), and punch right then left in quick succession (dubeon jireugi, double punch).
3. Turn 180 degrees to the right into a right walking stance with a right low block.
4. Left front kick, land in a left front stance, and double punch, left then right.

Up the center

5. Turn 90 degrees to the left to face forward in a left walking stance, and strike with the right knife-hand to the neck (sonnal mok chigi), the edge of the hand swinging in at neck height, palm up.
6. Step forward into a right walking stance with a left knife-hand neck strike.

Line 2

7. Turn 90 degrees to the left into a back stance (dwitkubi) with the left foot forward, and perform a left knife-hand middle block (sonnal bakkat makgi), the edge of the hand sweeping outward.
8. Without stepping the back foot, slide the left foot forward into a left front stance and punch with the right hand.
9. Turn 180 degrees to the right into a back stance with the right foot forward and a right knife-hand middle block.
10. Slide the right foot forward into a right front stance and punch with the left hand.

Up the center

11. Turn 90 degrees to the left to face forward in a left walking stance with a right middle block (momtong an makgi).
12. Step forward into a right walking stance with a left middle block.

Line 3 (a repeat of line 1)

13. Swing the left foot behind and turn 270 degrees to the left so you face right, in a left walking stance with a left low block.
14. Right front kick, land in a right front stance, double punch right then left.
15. Turn 180 degrees to the right into a right walking stance with a right low block.
16. Left front kick, land in a left front stance, double punch left then right.

Back down the center

17. Turn 90 degrees to the left to face the starting line in a left walking stance, with a left low block followed by a right middle punch.
18. Step forward into a right walking stance with a right low block and a left middle punch.
19. Left front kick, land in a left walking stance, left low block and right middle punch.
20. Right front kick, land in a right walking stance, right low block and left middle punch with a gihap.

On baro, turn to face forward and return to the ready stance.

The back stance

Back stance is the new stance in this form and the one examiners watch most closely. About two-thirds of your weight sits on the back leg, with both knees bent. The feet form an L shape: the back foot points out to the side and the front foot points forward, with about two foot-lengths between them. The front knee should be slightly bent and loose, ready to kick or slide forward, as it does in steps 8 and 10. A common mistake is to lean back with the upper body; keep it upright and turned slightly sideways.

Knife-hand technique

The knife-hand uses the edge of the open hand, with fingers together and the thumb tucked. For the neck strikes in steps 5 and 6, the striking hand starts back behind the head on the same side and swings in horizontally, palm up, ending at neck height in front of you. For the knife-hand block in steps 7 and 9, the hand starts palm-up by the opposite hip and arcs outward, finishing at shoulder height with the palm facing forward.

Common mistakes

The double punches are often too slow or uneven. They should sound like one quick “pa-pa,” with both fists reaching the same height. Many students also forget that the final four movements use walking stances, not front stances, which keeps the form compact as you return to the start. And on the 270-degree turn at the start of line 3, look over your right shoulder first and swing the left leg around a long way behind you, or you’ll end up facing the wrong direction.

Practice tips

Practice the kick and double punch combination on its own until it flows: kick, land, punch-punch. Then drill the back stance slide in steps 7 to 10, which teaches the useful skill of closing distance without stepping. When the form is solid, focus on rhythm: line 1 and line 3 should look fast and fiery, with brief, controlled pauses at the end of each combination. Next comes Taegeuk Sa Jang.