Posture

Posture: the bodily attitude of attack and defense that a practitioner takes toward the opponent. In kumdo the basis of all postures is the middle posture (중단세, jungdanse), suited to both attack and defense.

Posture (자세, jase) is the arrangement with which a kumdo practitioner faces the opponent. Japanese kendo literature describes it as the union of mental readiness and the physical form of the body, and in ordinary use it usually means the physical form.

In kumdo, the middle posture (중단세, jungdanse) is the first one learned. The Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) describes it as the most basic of all guard postures (겨눔세, gyeonumse). It allows flexible responses to attack, defense and changes in the opponent's skill, and it is the most commonly used posture in kumdo.

Middle posture (중단세, jungdanse): from the drawn-sword position, the tip of the bamboo sword (죽도, jukdo) is held at the height of one's own throat. The extension of the tip points between the opponent's eyes.
High posture (상단세, sangdanse): its basic forms are the left and right high postures. It is advantageous in time and distance when attacking, but recovery is slower if the attack fails.
Low posture (하단세, hadanse): the tip is lowered to protect oneself, and the practitioner turns to attack as the opponent changes.

Korean texts place the middle posture between the high one (the «heaven» posture) and the low one (the «earth» posture). The right foot is forward with the left heel slightly raised, and the gaze takes in the whole of the opponent and the sword rather than a single point.

English-language kumdo academy pages say the basic stance stresses a straight back, an open chest and stable balance between the right and left sides of the body. They call it the standard posture before moving on to any attack or defense.

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