Ieo geotgi

Ieo geotgi (이어걷기) is one of the footwork methods (bal unyongbeop, 발 운용법) of kumdo.

How it is done. The Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) describes it as drawing the left foot up to the position of the right foot and, as soon as it is there, stepping into the strike with a large stride of the right foot. Because the right foot tends to stall while the left is being brought up, the association stresses stepping with the right foot at once, so the opponent gets no opening to attack. Its textbook adds that the left foot must not pass the right.

When it is used.

• To strike (gyeokja, 격자) from a long distance.
• According to the association's textbook, to move in deeply on an opponent whose balance has broken and who is backing away.
• Also to draw out the opponent's attack by pulling the left foot in.

Among the four footwork methods. Korean sources list it with botong geotgi (보통걷기, ordinary walking), mireo geotgi (밀어걷기, pushing step) and beollyeo geotgi (벌려걷기, opening step, used when turning the body to strike or defend). Mireo geotgi is described as the one used most in kumdo.

Common principle. The textbook says walking in kumdo skims the floor without lifting the toes, with the heel kept slightly raised. This applies to ieo geotgi too.

Japanese counterpart. A Korean kumdo source gives the Japanese kendo footwork 續ぎ足 (tsugi-ashi) as the equivalent of this term.