Korean Martial Arts Adventure Episode 2: .검도 Kumdo, Korean for 'pasty white yankee gets hit alot with a bamboo sword'

Kumdo is the Korean version of Japanese Kendo (剣道), allthough some nationalists will contend that there are distinct differences in origin, most non-biased experts will tell you that the only real variations are on strategy. In Japanese Kendo the theory is to wait. . .patiently for the perfect strike and execute that strike flawlessley. In Korean Kumdo, the idea is to send as many cuts, thrusts, and chops in an overwhelming manner, screaming at the top of your lungs in a high pitched rebel yell until your enemy has been vanquished. Although, I have seen pratitioners on both sides use both methods.
Kumdo is a sport. You're given a set of armor and a Jukdo (죽도), which is just a bamoo sword. Your goal is to bonk your opponent on the head, wrists, torso or neck. And in turn , not let your opponent hit you. It's a fun, exhilerating and most definatly exhausting way to pass the time. And it definatly ties in with my HapKiDo training. I train Kumdo the same time, with the same instructor as I do HapKiDo. He also teachs us Iaido (more to come later). But training in sword arts is very new to me. I once dabled in Western Fencing when I was in 5th grade, but I didn't reallt care for it so much. Too much ritzy finesse, where Kumdo is raw agression WITH finesse. But kumdo training also offers so much more, the level of focus and attention to detail sometimes can be discouraging, but it makes me more aware of my environment both in and outside the dojang 도정 (martial arts school) and the thrill of bringing a bamboo sword onto anything is hard to liken to anything else, aswell as the terror of having it done to you for the first few times. But I will keep training, and try to be the best that I can in the short time I'm here. Until we meet again. Thanks for reading.