Sine Wave Motion and the Wave Principle

[Sanko]

There are a number of critiques against ITF Taekwon-Do’s “sine wave”.
Some of these critiques are based on a misunderstanding of the (sine)
wave principle. A common misunderstanding arises from people seeing
the sine wave motion as an end in itself and not realizing that it is
in fact merely an expression of a greater principle. When talking
about “sine wave” it is important to differential between the sine
wave motion and the wave principle it is based on.


If you are unfamiliar with what we usually mean by “sine wave” in ITF
Taekwon-Do, basically it is the way we move in a kind of bobbing
fashion, as if moving over a (sine) wave. The simplest expression of
this is known as the “sine wave motion” and contains an initial
downward phase, an upward phase and a final downward phase. It is thus
often explained as “down-up-down.” In truth, the purpose of the first
downward phase is not necessarily to go down -- it is merely a
deliberate act of relaxation in which the limbs (and the mind) is
consciously relaxed. From here the practitioner will then lift his/her
body to gain potential energy and finally drop the body into the
technique and in so doing converting the potential energy into kinetic
energy. Basically the aim is to have more of your body weight behind
your technique as this increases the force of the technique.


The basic sine wave motion ought not to be confused with another
related concept, namely the (sine) wave principle. I will henceforth
refer to it merely as the “wave principle.” The sine wave motion is an
icon, i.e. a simplification, of the wave principle. The sine wave
motion is almost always seen in its basic relax-up-down form; however,
the wave principle transcends this rigid confinement of three phases.
The wave principle could sometimes be seen as a reversal, for instance
up-down-up; or it could be expressed horizontally, for example as left-
right-left; or even cyclically. It need not have three parts, but
could only involve up-down, or may oscillate numerous times. It is
recognizable when boxers bob and weave, or when you naturally extend
or retract a limb to maintain balance. If you understand the wave
principle you will notice it in throws and joint locks. It forms part
of how we accelerate our techniques through kinetic chaining,
sometimes referred to as sequential motion. A “wave” occurs every time
you breathe in and out. You may depict it as the Taegeuk (the yin-yang
symbol) or as the Sam-Taegeuk, Korea’s three lobed yin-yang symbol.
The wave principle is not unique to ITF Taekwon-Do. It is found in
many martial arts, particularly soft style martial arts. I’ve
encountered it in books on Aikido and Hapkido and have seen it applied
in Chinese soft styles like Tai Chi Chuan and Russia’s Systema. The
wave principle is characterized by conscious relaxation and motions
that move along curves, rather than rigid linear movements.


The iconic relax-up-down sine wave motion was General Choi Hong-Hi’s
ingenious application of the soft style wave principle into the linear
hard style Karate-based movements from which Taekwon-Do was sourced.
Through the sine wave motion the soft style wave principle is infused
into the previously hard style movements. It would be incorrect to say
that ITF Taekwon-Do is a hard style martial art. Similarly it would be
unfitting to call it a true soft style martial art. It has become an
interesting hard style-soft style mix that uses hard style techniques,
but performed with soft style principles.


Differentiating between the sine wave motion and the wave principle on
which it is based is crucial when one tries to speak (and critique)
the sine wave motion in ITF Taekwon-Do’s basic movements.