Left upper-level stance

Jwasangdan-se (좌상단세), the «left upper-level stance», is one of the two basic forms of the upper-level stance sangdan-se (상단세) in kumdo. The Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) describes the upper stance as having two basic forms. In jwasangdan-se the left foot and left hand are forward. In usangdan-se (우상단세) the jukdo (죽도) is simply raised from jungdan-se (중단세, the middle-level stance).

• How it is taken: from jungdan-se the left foot steps forward and the left fist sits about one fist above the front of the head. The angle between the jukdo and the body is about 45 degrees, and the tip points slightly to the left.
• Strengths and weaknesses: when attacking, it offers an advantage in time and distance over other gyeonumse (겨눔세, stances). It is weaker in close-range fighting, and it is harder to recover quickly if the attack fails.
• Characteristic technique: a Korean kumdo text says that, of all upper stances, practically only jwasangdan-se is used in real practice. It names jwapyeonsu meori-chigi (좌편수 머리치기), the one-handed left strike to the head, as its strongest attack.
• Variant: eokkaekal (어깨칼) is regarded as a variation of jwasangdan-se. It is taken by lowering the right fist from jwasangdan-se to about the height of the right shoulder.
• In the geomdo-ui bon (검도의 본) forms: in the first daedo (대도) form, seondo (선도) takes jwasangdan (좌상단) and hudo (후도) takes usangdan (우상단).

Left and right refer to which foot is forward. The left version is the most common in ordinary practice and competition.