Koryo Gumdo

Daniel Sullivan

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On another forum, someone said that they were involved with Koryo Gumdo. This appears to be a sub organiztion of the US National Taekwondo Federation. http://www.usntf.com/affiliatedgroups/wkga.php

I looked at some videos and while some of the forms videos looked alright,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwDmIAyF2ao&feature=related

"the sparring was not my cup of tea and participants utilized those ActionFlex swords "


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrXVZnGpZjw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXcZNIzNE1g&feature=related

Anyone familiar with GM John Wood? He seems to be the man at the top of this art and is the man in the forms video.

Thank you,

Daniel
 
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Chris Parker

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Sorry, Daniel, just to clarify here.... you thought those "forms" were "alright"? Personally, I thought they were rather awful, frankly, and showed a great lack of understanding of the use of a sword, the realities of sword combat, there were a number of things that really can't be done with a sword (rather than the bokken [wooden sword - sorry, can't remember the Korean term.... begins with an "m", I think]), and I just kept seeing "dead.... dead..... dead..... dead and looking silly.... dead...."
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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Sorry, Daniel, just to clarify here.... you thought those "forms" were "alright"? Personally, I thought they were rather awful, frankly, and showed a great lack of understanding of the use of a sword, the realities of sword combat, there were a number of things that really can't be done with a sword (rather than the bokken [wooden sword - sorry, can't remember the Korean term.... begins with an "m", I think]), and I just kept seeing "dead.... dead..... dead..... dead and looking silly.... dead...."



I am trying to avoid flaming an art that I don't practice. I am also unsure of the context in which the video was shot, so I am witholding comment.

My main reason for posting is the hope that someone knows who he is and what his background is.

That and to generate some kind of discussion on the Korean sword forum.

Edit: The Korean word for a bokken is mokdo.

Daniel
 
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Namii

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That form would have looked better if he actually put some effort into it. He just was going through the motions/ "doing the dance" as what Sabumnim calls it.
And I think the sword toss at the end was completely unnecessary. What was that? A form of blood removal/chiburi?
Korean word for wood sword/bokken is "mokgum"
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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That form would have looked better if he actually put some effort into it. He just was going through the motions/ "doing the dance" as what Sabumnim calls it.
And I think the sword toss at the end was completely unnecessary. What was that? A form of blood removal/chiburi?
While I thoroughly agree with both you and Chris, my primary reason for posting was to find out if anyone is familiar with the art.

Korean word for wood sword/bokken is "mokgum"
That one too.
Mokgeom: 木剣
Mokdo: 木刀

Both are correct.

Daniel
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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Sorry, Daniel, just to clarify here.... you thought those "forms" were "alright"? Personally, I thought they were rather awful, frankly, and showed a great lack of understanding of the use of a sword, the realities of sword combat, there were a number of things that really can't be done with a sword (rather than the bokken [wooden sword - sorry, can't remember the Korean term.... begins with an "m", I think]), and I just kept seeing "dead.... dead..... dead..... dead and looking silly.... dead...."
Chris,

I have a specific reason for posting this. I will PM you and it will be crystal clear.

Daniel
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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Clearing it now, oh the curse of popularity....

EDIT: Cleared.
PM sent.

The gent in question indicates that this art came out of HDGD. I'm trying to trace its origin and any legitimacy, since it is probably less than a decade old.

I figure that someone has heard of this GM Wood.

Daniel
 

Chris Parker

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I will say that I have serious doubts about any sword system that was created in the last decade or so, as there will be no real way to have it tested or supported, so it needs to be highly based on something legit, and, uh, this ain't. At all. Whatsoever.

I feel completely confident saying this, by the way.
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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I will say that I have serious doubts about any sword system that was created in the last decade or so, as there will be no real way to have it tested or supported,

Agreed, though I am less concerned with an art's newness than I am with claims of antiquity or presenting the art in such a way as to make it look like it dates back to the hwarang.

so it needs to be highly based on something legit, and, uh, this ain't. At all. Whatsoever.

I feel completely confident saying this, by the way.
Seems to be HDGD based, given samurang references:
http://samurang.tripod.com/
http://koryogumdo.com/

This is a video from the second link: http://www.koryogumdo.com/videos/videos.html

This is the history of the art by GM Wood: http://www.atcgumdo.com/

So depending on what you think of HDGD's legitmiacy, given that it is less than thirty years old (founded in 1982) and has roots in Shimgumdo, itself less than fifty years old and whose founder's claimed training is one hundred day period of meditation in which the knowledge of the art came to him in a mystical fashion.

I won't dis the art of Koryo Gumdo or the GM on a public forum; you can certainly look and comment as you feel appropriate.

Mainly, I am interested in whether or not anyone can trace this gent's lineage regarding gumdo training. I figure that he must be known to someone. http://www.palatinemartialarts.com/JOHNWOOD2.html

Daniel
 
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jks9199

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OK... not impressed by anything I've seen so far. Very unimpressed by some of it, in fact. Nicely athletic, I guess. And THIS just has so many bad ideas in it that I'm lost...
 

Namii

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We do papercutting also but its not always held by your classmates. Usually hung up on a clothesline type setup.
Funny thing is how those combinations he was doing were very similar to combos from the Haidong Gumdo forms.
 

shima

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I did some koryo gumdo when I was at the tae kwon do school. Didn't really like it. So happy to be back into proper Iaido again, which is what I started in to begin with.
 

Chris Parker

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Contrast Koryo Gumdo with another recent (in the grand scheme of things) sword art, shinkendo, and its founder, Toshihiro Obata (you may recognize him as villainous henchmen from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Showdown in Little Tokyo). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmLTr9zFegQ&feature=fvsr

Daniel

Unfortunately that clip is not available here.... but I am familar with Obata's Shinkendo. And it highlights what I meant when I said it has be highly based on established methods and systems. Shinkendo was developed primarily out of Toyama Ryu, a system created from a range of older methods to give to the Japanese military after the Sino-Japanese War, as it was realised that the Japanese officers had no idea how to use the swords they were issued. As a result it is highly pragmatic, and has a high focus on tameshigiri (test cutting). But both Toyama Ryu and it's offshoot Shinkendo can trace themselves back to legit sword arts. I do have some issues with the way Shinkendo operates, but can see the core as valid. That is not the case with this Koryo Gumdo based on the clips provided.

Agreed, though I am less concerned with an art's newness than I am with claims of antiquity or presenting the art in such a way as to make it look like it dates back to the hwarang.


Seems to be HDGD based, given samurang references:
http://samurang.tripod.com/
http://koryogumdo.com/

This is a video from the second link: http://www.koryogumdo.com/videos/videos.html

This is the history of the art by GM Wood: http://www.atcgumdo.com/

So depending on what you think of HDGD's legitmiacy, given that it is less than thirty years old (founded in 1982) and has roots in Shimgumdo, itself less than fifty years old and whose founder's claimed training is one hundred day period of meditation in which the knowledge of the art came to him in a mystical fashion.

I won't dis the art of Koryo Gumdo or the GM on a public forum; you can certainly look and comment as you feel appropriate.

Mainly, I am interested in whether or not anyone can trace this gent's lineage regarding gumdo training. I figure that he must be known to someone. http://www.palatinemartialarts.com/JOHNWOOD2.html

Daniel

I will state once again that the "sword training" exhibited in these clips demonstrate no knowledge, understanding, or skill of bladed combat, and a large number of things shown go against the way a sword is used. Once again, I see "dead.... dead.... dead..... dead and looking silly.... dead...."

As to Mr Woods lineage, that I'll leave to those who can comment. What I know is what I see presented as the art.
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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I guess that what I'm trying to figure out is who made him a grandmaster since he didn't invent the art and thus is not claiming GM status as the organizational head. Somebody gave this man a grandmaster rank.

Daniel
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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I did some koryo gumdo when I was at the tae kwon do school. Didn't really like it. So happy to be back into proper Iaido again, which is what I started in to begin with.
If you don't mind my asking, what was it that you did not like?

Daniel
 

shima

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If you don't mind my asking, what was it that you did not like?

Daniel

The difference in stances... and mostly the forms just didn't appeal to me as much as the iaido forms appeal to me. I'd been doing iaido for a while by the time I tried it, so I guess I'm just an iaido purist from all my years practicing that, heh.
 
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Daniel Sullivan

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The difference in stances... and mostly the forms just didn't appeal to me as much as the iaido forms appeal to me.
Again, I hope you don't mind my asking two questions:

1. What kind of differences did you notice in stances

2. What was it about the forms that was offputting?

Sorry to pick your brain, but your the only participant on this thread that has actually done Koryo Gumdo.

Many thanks,

Daniel
 

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