Korean Name: An Bandal Chagi (안 반달 차기) • An (안): Inward • Bandal (반달): Crescent (half-moon) • Chagi (차기): Kick An arcing inward kick used for attacking or defending, often targeting the head or shoulder area.
The Inward Crescent Kick travels in an arc from the outside toward the centerline of the body. It is primarily aimed at striking with a sweeping motion to displace or strike a guard, and in defensive applications, it can deflect an incoming attack.
• Low (Najunde): Rare; may be used to hook or deflect low attacks. • Middle (Kaunde): Shoulder, arm, ribs – for deflection or light impact. • High (Nopunde): Side of the head, neck, jaw – for decisive striking or to clear guard.
• Standing Inward Crescent Kick: Performed from a stationary stance. • Front Foot Inward Crescent Kick: Short-range and quick execution. • Rear Foot Inward Crescent Kick: Longer reach with more rotational momentum. • Jumping Inward Crescent Kick (Twimyo An Bandal Chagi): For breaking or high demonstration.
• Inner Footsword (An Balkal): Primary tool for precision and control. • Instep (Baldung): Used in sparring for speed and safety.
“The inner footsword is the standard striking surface for An Bandal Chagi, allowing for accuracy and controlled power.” — Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do
1. Preparation: From stance, pivot the supporting foot slightly to open the hips toward the arc path. 2. Chamber: Raise the kicking leg to the side, knee slightly bent. 3. Arc Motion: Swing the leg in an inward arc toward the centerline, striking with the inner footsword. 4. Retraction: Withdraw the leg along the same arc to maintain balance. 5. Recovery: Return to stance with guard maintained.
• The motion should be smooth and controlled, not forced. • Keep the body upright to maintain balance. • Ensure the pivot allows free hip movement without straining the knee. • Eyes must track the target throughout the motion.
Offensive: • Used to strike around or over an opponent’s guard. • Effective for setting up follow-up techniques by clearing the guard. Defensive: • Can intercept incoming attacks, particularly circular hand strikes. • Useful for redirecting attacks away from the centerline. In Patterns: • Appears in certain tuls to demonstrate control, flexibility, and defensive application.
• Over-swinging the leg, which reduces accuracy and recovery speed. • Striking with the wrong part of the foot, reducing effectiveness. • Dropping the guard during execution.