12 Road Tan Tui, or Dham Doi Ship E Ro in Korean, is a set of basic
Chang Quan (long fist/boxing) combinations with a unique emphasis on
kicks. Hwang Kee, founder of Hwa Soo Do, Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, and
Soo Bahk Do, learned these exercises while he was in China training
under his instructor Yang, Yuk Jin (Yang Chu Chin in Chinese). The History of Moo Duk Kwan,
an autobiography of Hwang Kee, notes his training in China included Seh
Bop (Postures), Bo Bup (Steps), Ryun Bup (Conditioning) and two sets of
forms: Dham Doi Ship E Ro and Tae Kuk Kwon (Tai Chi Chuan). A future
article will be written on these other disciplines.
Since the 12 Set Tan Tui (彈腿)–as they are more commonly known in the
martial arts community–were foundational to Hwang Kee’s martial arts
career, it’s safe to assume that Tan Tui greatly influenced the Moo Duk
Kwan system in a large way, particularly in his study of Soo Bahk found
in the Kwon Bup (拳法) section of the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji (武藝圖譜通志).
You can quickly identify pieces and even entire sets of Tan Tui
exercises in standard Moo Duk Kwan combinations, such as the Sam Kwan
Kong Kyuk (Triple Fist Attack).
Any student of Hwang Kee’s famous Yuk Ro forms, will find many
correlations with Tan Tui. Yuk Ro, meaning 6 roads, came from the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji and
is one line of text each. Some techniques are further explained in the
notes section but overall, little guidance is given to the true nature
of Yuk Ro. It seems clear, however, that each “road” is a single
technique rather than an entire form. Hwang Kee then extrapolated the
information and created a signature technique in each Yuk Ro form that
shaped the character of the form. It’s safe to say that Hwang Kee then
gleaned other techniques to compose the form from his previous training,
including 12 Road Tan Tui. Individual movements and combinations can be
found in both 12 Road Tan Tui and Yuk Ro forms.
Tan Tui Explained
Tan Tui (彈腿) is commonly translated to “spring legs” or “springing
legs” because of the double meaning of spring. The correct meaning for
“spring” in this case refers to water. A better translation is likely
“pond”. Tan Tui is a foundational exercise in almost all Chang Quan
(long fist/boxing) systems in Northern China and came from the Hui
Muslim community. Though many variations exist, two main branches are
practiced today: 10 Road Tan Tui and 12 Road Tan Tui. 12 Road Tan Tui is
what Hwang Kee practiced.
The signature technique of Tan Tui is the “yoke punch”, which Soo
Bahk Do practitioners call “Hwa Kuk Jang Kap Kwon”–translated Seize and
Smash Long Back Fist. A yoke was a wooden bar that would “yoke” a team
of oxen to pull a wagon. The yoked oxen moved as a single unit because
of the yoke. In like manner, both arms work and move together in a yoke
punch.
The yoke punch differs from a Hwa Kuk Jang Kap Kwon in that the front
hand strikes with the front of the fist, rather than the back of the
fist. A yoke punch is a straight punch with the chest turned sideways
for maximum expansion and reach. The back hand acts as a back fist to
the rear, though the back hand is only practiced in the forms as you
learn Chang Quan (long fist/boxing) theory. In application, it’s a
single handed strike with your body turned. It is quite effective and
has defensive characteristics while moving offensively.
A Moo Duk Kwan practitioner will benefit greatly from the study of
Tan Tui as it will give him/her a greater understanding of the Moo Duk
Kwan system by learning the foundation on which it was built. Some of
the more classical movements in Soo Bahk Do begin to be demystified as
you study both the motions and applications of Tan Tui. Below is an
example of some of the Tan Tui roads, modified to better complement the
Moo Duk Kwan’s interpretation of Yuk Ro while still staying true to the
spirit of Tan Tui.
Video Training
Below are what I consider the best YouTube versions of Tan Tui out
there. The first video is the solo practice whereas the second is the
two-person version. In the future, I will be posting my interpretation
of Tan Tui based on the unique technique found within the Moo Duk Kwan.
To help educate and maybe entertain you we have decided to post more of our own training in a video log with what we do each week to advance our training and keep up our skills
