Held sword
Kumdo posture in which the bamboo sword (jukdo) is held softly in the left hand and lowered naturally, with the back cord (deungjul) facing down. It is also called chareyeot-kal (차렷칼).
How to say it
- Korean
- 든칼deunkal
- Spanish
- Espada sostenida en la mano
- English
- Held sword
- Japanese
- 提刀ていとうteitō
Deun-kal (든칼) is one of the ways of carrying the bamboo sword (jukdo, 죽도) in kumdo. A Korean dojo's beginner glossary lists it as «deun-kal (chareyeot-kal)». The second name means roughly «attention sword».
Description: from the natural stance (jayeonche, 자연체), the jukdo is held softly with the thumb and index finger of the left hand. The back cord (deungjul, 등줄) faces down, and the sword hangs down naturally.
- Contrast: in the sword-at-the-waist posture (chan-kal, 찬칼, also called heorie-kal, 허리에칼), the thumb rests on the guard (kodeungi, 코등이) and the sword is drawn to the waist. The end of the grip lines up with the navel.
- Etiquette: the Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) states that while holding the jukdo, one should be in deun-kal or chan-kal. It must not be planted on the floor like a cane.
- Standing bow: Japanese sources say this posture is taken when making the standing bow. They also say that at the end of a bout one steps back and bows standing in this posture.
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