Sword at the waist

Sword at the waist (허리에칼, heorie-kal) is one of the basic ways of carrying the jukdo (죽도) in kumdo, according to the Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회). It also appears as heori-kal (허리 칼, 허리칼) and, in one dojo glossary, as chankal (찬칼, "worn sword").

How it is done

• The thumb of the left hand rests on the kodeungi (코등이). If the howan (호완) hand guard is worn, the thumb need not be placed there.
• The jukdo is drawn to the waist. The association's manual specifies the area of the pelvic bone.
• The end of the hilt must line up with the navel.

Place among the ways of carrying the jukdo

• Charyeot-kal (차렷칼): the jukdo hangs naturally from the left hand.
• Heorie-kal: the jukdo is at the waist, ready to be drawn.
• Ppopa-kal (뽑아칼): from heorie-kal, the right hand grips below the kodeungi, and as the right foot steps forward the jukdo is raised diagonally into the jungdan-se (중단세) guard. The left hand then takes the end of the hilt.
• Kkoja-kal (꽂아칼): the reverse movement, returning to heorie-kal.

The same position appears in the bowing routine of the association's manual, where one rises into it and steps back five paces. It is also used in the geomdobon (검도본), where the sword is placed at the left side of the waist with the thumb on the kodeungi.