One-step, one-sword distance

Il-jok il-do (일족일도의 거리, iljogildoui geori) is the basic distance in kumdo. According to the Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회), it is the distance from which one step forward lets you strike (gyeokja, 격자) the opponent. It is also the distance from which one step back takes you out of the opponent's attack.

The association states that the usual distance is reached when the tips of both players' jukdo (죽도), held in the middle guard jungdan-se (중단세), cross by about 10 centimetres.

It sits between other distances:

• Far distance (won-geori, 원거리): farther than il-jok il-do. An attack by the opponent does not reach you, and yours does not reach the opponent.
• Close distance (geun-geori, 근거리): closer than il-jok il-do. Your own strike reaches easily, but it is a dangerous distance because the opponent can strike too.

Some Korean texts say that the il-jok il-do range can be split into two parts, chokdo (촉도) and gyodo (교도).

In practice, the footwork mireo-geotgi (밀어걷기) is the usual way of moving to strike from this distance. Continuous-strike exercises (yeongyeok, 연격) are performed at this distance. The association's textbook says teaching should centre on striking correctly with a single movement from it.

Japanese sources point out that "one step" varies with build and physical ability. So the distance is not exactly the same for every person, and it does not always match the opponent's.