gumdo practice, stance, technique

[jjanke]

My name is Joseph and I'm a freshman in college. I am 8th gup in taekwondo (4 months) and just started a gumdo class under grandmaster soon pil hong in Niles, Michigan. The problem is, I am very bad, and the practices are only once per week (because right now I am the only person in the class). Does anyone have good advice on workouts I could do, techniques?
Also, I don't mean to question the master, but the gumdo stances he has been teaching me (horse stance and fighting stance) are really weird feeling!! Do other people who have taken gumdo have to stand severely pigeon-toed? If so what benefit does standing like than possibly have?!
Thanks. Joe

 

[shesulsa]

Gumdo does require that stance and I would like to know more on that theory also. We adopted that training stance for swordwork also.

Can any Gumdo people weigh in?

On your question about beginning training skills for TKD, I suggest you post in the TKD forum - there are several good TKD blackbelts on the board.

Good luck!

 

[jjanke]

I sorry that my writing was not clear. My question on training tips was for gumdo, I have resources here for taekwondo. All my queries are about gumdo. The taekwondo reference was just to identify myself.

 

[XxTKDPenguinxX]

jjanke,


On the 15th of next month... we are being offered gumdo. It is a great thrill to do so, and if there is any "tips and tricks" I pick up, I will surely pass them along to you as soon as I get them.
I have a little knowledge in the Japanese system. Mostly little traditions and a few basic stances with the weapon. I have, however, no knowledge of Korean here. I don't know if the sword is sheathed in the same manner, blade cleaning, position of the blade when pulling and returning it to the sheath, etc.

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Joseph:

What style of Kumdo are you practicing?

There are several personalities who have done some rather exotic things with sword including mixing it with Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Taekwondo. The HaeDongGumdo people have some interesting material which relates back to the MU YEI TOBO TONG JI and the form BON KUK GUM BUP. Problem is that though they are a relatively new take on Korean sword there are already a host of spin-offs that have corrupted their teaching. I don't know if I can be of any help. I practice in HwaRang Kum-Bup and teach it to a weekly group at the local junior college. Its a no-nonsense approach to using the sword as a weapon and relates to the Mu-Do approach posited by the Yon Mu Kwan style of Hapkido of which I am likewise a practiioner. If I can answer any questions feel free to respond, or--- if you have time, check out the sword material posted on my website.

www.midwesthapkido.com

FWIW,

Best Wishes,

Bruce