Ul-Ji Pattern – Instructor Preview & Insights
TKDCoaching’s TKD Patterns Hub provides instructors with clear teaching insights, coaching cues, and step-by-step guidance for every ITF pattern. This page offers an instructor-focused preview of Ul-Ji, highlighting key technical details, common errors to watch for, and practical coaching ideas you can apply immediately in class.
Ul-Ji Pattern
Ul-Ji is named after General Ul-Ji Moon Dok who successfully defended Korea against a Tang’s invasion force of nearly one million soldiers led by Yang Je in 612 AD. Ul-Ji employing hit and run guerilla tactics, was able to decimate a large percentage of the force. The diagram represents his surname. The 42 movements represents the author’s age when he designed the pattern.
Sample Video
In the sample video above, Mark Trotter and GM McPhail perform Ul-Ji together in a short excerpt from the end of the full coaching session.
Key Technical Insights from GM Paul McPhail
Drawing from my ongoing study and technical work within ITF Taekwon-Do, each pattern in this Hub includes a short set of key technical points – practical reminders practitioners often overlook. These notes are personal insights based on decades of experience and are not official ITF Technical Committee statements.
Key Technical Points
- Ready stance: Fingers at philtrum level.
- Backfist side back technique: Cross the arm from underneath.
- Movement 15: No downward sine wave when standing up.
- Ready stance (movement 19): Perform at normal speed, not slow motion.
- Wedging block to side front snap kick: Keep the body half-facing and look towards the kick.
- Pushing block (movement 32): Hand comes to chest line, normal breathing, knuckles at shoulder height.
About Ul-Ji
I first saw this pattern at a seminar in Brisbane in 1984, performed by Master Park Jung Tae. It made a lasting impression on me, and I have loved the pattern ever since.
The pattern starts with a flurry of movements, turning and spinning backwards from the ready stance with the arms crossed in front of the chest. It then shoots off in another direction with a series of interesting movements, including the only single fast-motion movement in all of the patterns.
The pattern finishes with sliding and leaping backwards in a series of attack-and-retreat movements, symbolic of the hit-and-run tactics of General Ul-Ji himself.
In the full Premium session, Master McPhail coaches World Champion Mark Trotter through Ul-Ji and gives practical tips for one of the most common problems – drifting away from the starting spot. The video finishes with Mr Trotter and Master McPhail performing the pattern together.
Key Teaching Points
- Teach the history alongside the pattern itself. Explaining Ul-Ji’s hit-and-run guerrilla tactics helps inspire and contextualise the pattern for new 4th degrees.
- Emphasise power by teaching the pattern in sections, following the structure implied by the pattern diagram.
- Encourage consistency of rhythm. Ul-Ji should appear composed and deliberate, never rushed or uneven.
Training Suggestions
- The diversity of movements in Ul-Ji creates natural interest, so very little extra motivation is needed to inspire practitioners to give a strong performance.
- Place a small marker on the floor at the starting point. Practise the pattern, then check how far you finish from the marker. Repeat the process and aim to reduce the distance each time.
If you solve the drift problem, Ul-Ji becomes far more enjoyable to perform, and your overall pattern accuracy improves across the board because the same discipline carries into every other tul.
Full Ul-Ji Premium Breakdown
The full, in-depth breakdown of Ul-Ji is available for TKDCoaching Premium Members. In this session I cover detailed coaching points, corrections, common mistakes, and teaching progressions you can use in your own classes, including practical tips to help you arrive back on the starting spot with accuracy.
👉 Watch the full Ul-Ji breakdown video (Premium)
Background & Interesting Details
- Ul-Ji Moon Dok was remembered not only as a general, but also as a skilled strategist who deliberately used psychological warfare, sending poems and messages to demoralise the invading army before decisive engagements.
- His most famous victory, the Battle of Salsu (612 AD), is considered one of the greatest military defeats in East Asian history, with records claiming only a fraction of the invading force survived the retreat.
- Some historical texts credit Ul-Ji with deliberately allowing the enemy to advance deep into Korea, stretching supply lines before launching counterattacks rather than engaging in direct confrontation early.
- The Ul-Ji pattern was included to honour intelligence, patience, and strategic restraint, qualities that contrast with the more overt heroism represented in other patterns.
FAQ
- What grade is Ul-Ji for?
Ul-Ji is a 4th dan ITF pattern with 42 movements. - What are the most common mistakes in Ul-Ji?
Not finishing back on the starting spot. This usually takes some investigation to identify where small directional or stance errors are causing drift. - How should I introduce Ul-Ji to new 4th degrees?
Break the pattern into short directional sections and introduce the overall flow gradually, keeping the pace controlled and the emphasis on accuracy and composure.
More TKD Patterns and Resources
TKD Patterns Hub – patterns and instructor-focused insights
Explore more pattern previews and coaching notes for all 24 ITF tuls.
Related pages:
Insights on All 24 Patterns by GM McPhail
Favourite Pattern Survey – we’d love to know what you think
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