Thrust (to the throat)

Jjireum (찌름), «thrust», is the kumdo technique of advancing and driving the tip of the jukdo (죽도) into the opponent's throat. The shoulders are relaxed, the waist is extended and the power comes from the waist.

Execution, according to the 대한검도회 (Daehan Geomdohoe):

• Push off with the left foot and leap forward with the right.
• Turn both fists inward as if wringing, extend both arms and thrust at the opponent's throat.
• Do not thrust with the arms alone; thrust with the waist.
• After the thrust, quickly draw the left foot up to return to a correct posture.

Variants: the thrust can be made from the left, right, above or below the opponent's jukdo. There are two forms: with both hands (yangson jjireum, 양손찌름) and with one hand (hanson jjireum, 한손찌름). In the one-hand form only the left hand is to be used, not the right.

In competition: a thrust to the throat is recognised as a point (hanpan, 한판). If the opponent is in a high stance (sangdan, 상단) or uses two swords (ido, 이도), a thrust to the chest also counts. It is one of the striking targets, along with the head (meori, 머리), the wrist (sonmok, 손목) and the waist (heori, 허리). The name of the target is shouted as the strike lands: «meori», «sonmok», «heori» or «jjireum». In contrast to the other targets, the throat is stabbed rather than struck.

Combinations and responses:

• Gongseeseoui jjireum (공세에서의 찌름): from the middle stance (jungdanse, 중단세) the tip pressures the opponent's centre. When the opponent lowers the tip or leaves the centre, the throat (inhubu, 인후부) is thrust at with one or both hands.
• Nulleo tteoreotteuryeo jjireum (눌러떨어뜨려 찌름): press the opponent's jukdo to one side and thrust at once.
• Gama tteoreotteuryeoseo jjireum (감아 떨어뜨려서 찌름): coil the opponent's jukdo to break the guard, then thrust.
• Matjjireum (맞찌름): thrusting back when the opponent attacks.
• Jjireum batgi (찌름받기): receiving the thrust by sweeping or flicking it upward with the jukdo, which turns the attack aside so another technique can follow.

Risk: because it targets the throat, it is very dangerous for the opponent, and the valid area (the throat guard of the mask) is small, so it is seldom seen in matches.