PANDE DOLYEU TCHAGUI
The origin of the circular return kick, technically referred to as the Pande Dolyeu Tchagui, is generally credited to Master LEE Moon-Ho. It’s a spectacular technique, which is as dangerous one to one self as for an opponent.
The slightest mistake in timing, the smallest flaw in the position can put the fighter in a very vulnerable position. This technique implies a big risk, which requires confidence in one’s own abilities.
« When I did this kick, little bit by chance, for the first time, at the beginning of the sixties, I called it Pande Dolyeu Tchagui because the name Dolyeu Tchagui existed already and in my opinion it was the same kick but returned.
For years, even in the Korean national team, it had been called like that Recently, I’ve heard that it was given other names. It’s sad…
At the time, I was very young; and during training, when the youngster had to fight against one of the former pupil, you shouldn’t really block his kicks if you didn’t wanted to be destroyed during the next fight. It wasn’t an easy task and fights ofien ended with K0s because fights were very martial.
One day, I fought against one of my professor, he was a very tall and fearsome fighter.
His kicks were powerful and I had to be agile and inventive in order no to receive too many kicks. I had to dodge few kicks on a row and at the end I dodged by turning towards the inside. At this point and in spite of me, I instinctively did a Pande Dolyeu Tchagui butI didn‘t dare touching my opponent.
Everybody was surprised, including me ! My opponent congratulated me by giving me a small slap on the shoulder…
The same day, just afier the training, I tried to do it again but I couldn’t And I had to try many times afterwards (and had many falls) before I could do it again.
Aflerwards, I worked a lot and oflen by myselfbecause nobody could help me to improve this technique. When, at least I used it on purpose for the first time, I was able to do it from any kind of position even in a hand to hand one or in a jump, which made it a an extremely effective attack I voluntarily used it for the first time during a fight, which was part of a demonstration on a American military base.
There were matches between the Chung Do Kwan school (the instructor of the base was from this school) and the Sung Kyun Kwan university team. I was from the last one. I was in fiont of an experimented fighter, 4th Dan and I decided to try the Pande Dolyeu Tchagui I managed better than I had expected: The team captain of the other side went to see my own captain to remind him that it was suppose to be a fiiendly competition…
My captain was as amazed as he was, because, for those matches he hadn’t chosen his best fighters and I was brought
along only because I was the youngest.
Afier, I started to use this technique quite often during competitions. It became a feared technique for my opponents, to such a point that their coaches used to make a circular gesture with their fmger to talk about me.
And one day, soon afier my arrival in France in 1977, my students brought me to a movie featuring Bruce Lee. I was both amazed and amused to see all the spectators so enthusiastic with his kicks and especially his Pande Dolyeu Tchagui…
I hadn’t imagined at the time that this kick would become so famous.
It was and still is my favourite technique. »
Master LEE MOON H0