These books trace the movements and series of movements in the forms of Taekwondo from their roots in the classical forms, developed hundreds of years ago, through the years and up to those we practice today. Grandmaster Nicholls studied the classics with the world's foremost instructors, and has been analyzing and comparing some one hundred forms for over fifty years. This is the lifetime work of a ninth dan black belt, inducted member of the U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame and former National Champion and World Championships competitor. This is the ultimate guide to the history of the forms.

If you practice the forms of taekwondo, this is not a book telling you how to perform them correctly: that is something far better suited to an actual instructor and/or the wonderful video series available now that cover the different groups. This is for the student that finds the history and relationships of the forms throughout time to be an interesting study in it's right. Grandmaster Nicholls studied the original forms that most of our modern series are based upon, Shobayoshi Shorin-Ryu and Soobahkdo, from masters who are world famous for their knowledge. Shihan Jerry Gould, Chief instructor for the United States as granted by Eizo Shimabuku, has been his teacher for over fifty years. He has also studied the forms of the ITF since starting with Master Kheriaty in 1970, and continues to this day. He learned the Palgwe forms while living in Asia within a few years of their being written, along with the Yudanja forms that were introduced with them, and the Taegeuk set right as they were written. Travelling to national and international seminars to study with the world's foremost authorities, including visits to the Kukkiwon and the Taekwondowon every few years for the last decade, this set is completely authentic. The opening moves from the most modern of forms:Taegeuk Sa Jang and traced back to their original configuration in the 400 year old form Kushanku Dai (from the original Shorin Ryu), then the changes are shown that the Soobahkdo masters installed two hundred years ago, the different versions used by General Choi for the ITF series, and, finally, they way they are included in both the Palgwe and Taegeuk forms.

Grandmaster Nicholls is the person who brings the whole story of the taekwondo forms to life through the history of their practice. Volume one tells the story of the practice of forms. The oldest forms are introduced in volume two, both Korean and Okinawan versions of the classics. Book three is the ITF forms and this, the final in the series, covers the modern Kukkiwon forms and shows how they are a product of those that came first. Nicholls has studied these forms for over fifty years with the worlds most authoritive teachers and brings them all together in this series.