Stomp

Balgureum (발구름) is the stomp of the front foot on the floor at the moment of the strike in kumdo. The Korean Kumdo Association's technique page describes it as part of mireogeotgi (밀어걷기, the push-off walking step). The left foot kicks off strongly and the right foot advances one step. At the moment of the strike (gyeokja, 격자) the sole of the right foot stamps the floor forcefully, and the left foot is drawn up immediately.

• Do not raise the right knee too high when jumping in. The sole stays level with the floor.
• After striking, draw the left foot up quickly to keep balance.
• The association's textbook warns against lifting the right foot high with the sole showing, because the foot is pulled inward and does not travel far.

A Korean Bar Association newspaper column says the basic principle is that the shout (gihap, 기합), the balgureum and the strike or thrust happen together. In a Korean translation of teacher Miyazaki Masahiro's advice, posted on a forum, the foot and the tip of the jukdo (죽도, bamboo sword) move as if joined by a string, so the foot lands as the strike lands. The same text warns against landing heel-first.

A Korean rehabilitation-medicine journal notes that poor posture or stamping too hard can lead to plantar fasciitis. It advises controlling the intensity of the balgureum and training on a shock-absorbing wooden floor.