Aiming stance

겨눔세 (gyeonumse), "aiming stance", is the kumdo term for guard postures. A Korean dojo text states that in kumdo the 겨눔세 is the foundation of technique. It describes the basic guard as the natural placement of the body on stopping for a moment after walking with the sword in hand. It also says the center of gravity should always sit directly under the head.

A model answer for promotion exams defines the 겨눔세 as a posture in which body and mind are one and there is not the smallest opening. The same source also speaks of a "겨눔세 of the mind", which is intangible.

According to the Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회, Daehan Geomdohoe), the guards include:

• 중단세 (jungdanse, middle stance): the most basic of all guards and the one most used in kumdo. It copes flexibly with attack, defense or a change in the opponent's skill. In the basic form, the sword tip is at throat height and its extension points between the opponent's eyebrows.
• 상단세 (sangdanse, upper stance): its basic forms are the 좌상단세 (jwasangdanse), with the left foot and hand forward, and the 우상단세 (usangdanse).
• 하단세 (hadanse, lower stance): the tip is lowered to protect the body, then turned into an attack according to the opponent's change. The tip drops slightly below the opponent's knee.
• 어깨칼 (eokkaekal): a guard in which one does not start the technique but watches the opponent and attacks once he commits.
• 허리칼 (heorikal): a guard that hides one's weapon so the opponent cannot read it, used in response to his movement.

Other Korean sources name the fourth and fifth guards differently, as 팔상세 (palsangse) and 협세 (hyeopse). In jukdo (죽도, bamboo sword) kumdo the 중단세 predominates, followed by the 상단세. The Association page says that when the opponent's 겨눔세 breaks, one strikes at once.