Basic movements

Basic movements (기본 동작, gibon dongjak) are the foundation movements of kumdo, practised with the bamboo sword (죽도, jukdo).

The table of contents of a manual on the Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) site separates two blocks:

• Movements that form the base (기본이 되는 동작): footwork (발놀림, balnollim), with four kinds of step (walking, moving, linking and opening steps), and sword swinging (휘두르기, hwidureugi).
• Basic movements against a partner (대인 동작): for example the frontal strike (정면 치기, jeongmyeon chigi) with advance and retreat.

The same association lists the basic strikes: head strike (머리치기, meorichigi), frontal (정면) and lateral (좌우); wrist strike (손목치기, sonmokchigi); waist strike (허리치기, heorichigi); and thrust (찌름, jjireum). In the frontal head strike the bamboo sword is raised overhead, the player pushes off the left foot and jumps in with the right. Both fists must stay on the body's centre line (정중선, jeongjungseon).

Ways of practising these movements include:

• The three-count strike (3동작치기): raise, strike and return to the middle guard (중단세, jungdanse), to check posture.
• The one-count head strike (1동작 머리치기): continuous strikes, one for every step.
• Continuous attack practice (연격, yeongyeok): combines the frontal head strike with consecutive lateral head strikes. It is described as an overall exercise in the basic movements of kumdo.