Striking when the opponent comes out

Naol ttae chigi (나올 때 치기, literally "striking when it comes out") is a kumdo technique that takes advantage of the exact instant at which the opponent is about to begin the movement with which they intend to strike. According to the Korea Kumdo Association, the technique catches that instant and enters to strike. Watching the opponent's movement closely is important; the first things to show an attack are the movements of the sword tip (kalkkeut, 칼끝) and the right fist (oreunjumeok, 오른주먹).

There are two basic applications, both from the middle stance (jungdanse, 중단세), with both practitioners applying pressure (gongse, 공세):

• Naol ttae meori chigi (나올 때 머리치기, head strike): when the sword tip leaves the centre, attacking the head is effective. One described case is an opponent who lowers or opens the sword tip in order to step forward and strike; that opening is used to push off and strike the head.
• Naol ttae sonmok chigi (나올 때 손목치기, wrist strike): when the opponent raises the right fist to lift the sword, the wrist is struck immediately. A Korean dictionary defines it as a technique in which you see through the moment the opponent moves to attack and strike the wrist when their right fist rises; the strike is made with a small, fast movement.

Points to keep in mind, according to the Korean sources:

• The opportunity to strike is not when the opponent is already coming out, but when they are about to.
• You must go in boldly, ready to strike at any moment; if you retreat under the opponent's pressure, you cannot expect the technique to succeed.
• Because the distance is short and both sides are moving, the striking motion must be simple and small.

English-language kendo pages describe the same idea as striking at the moment you sense the opponent's intention to attack, when they are about to initiate their move, so that you strike first.