The Strange History Of Kumdo

From its origins in Japanese Kendo, the Korean martial arts style known as Kumdo has a long, strange history. This is a style of martial arts that is noted for its modern approach to the martial arts concept as a whole, but that is far from the only thing that defines this particular discipline.

Although Kumdo can be romanized in a variety of ways, such as Komdo or Geomdo, the translation pretty much remains the same. It is meant to refer to “the way of the sword.” From that translation alone, you should be able to develop a pretty clear idea of what one can gain from a serious study of Kumdo.

Although it is Japanese in its origin story, Kumdo is regarded and accepted in Korean culture as a Korean approach to martial arts. This is yet another unique component to Kumdo, but it is by no means the only thing that allows Kumdo to continue to be so highly regarded.

History And Background

Kumdo has become something of a generalized way of describing Korean martial arts styles that emphasize swordplay. For this reason, it is important to note the difference between approaches that focuses on the martial, compared to a practice that puts its focus on sport/competitive achievement.

Kumdo development can be traced back to the dawn of the 20th century. It was in 1895 that the All-Japan Martial Virtue Society was established. This group desired to promote an assortment of Japanese arts. From this point, Kumdo began a developmental process that continues to this day. It was also during 1895 that several Japanese advisors made their way into Korea.

The training, the ranking levels available to ambitious students, and the clothing are all elements to Kumdo that are worth studying. For example, you’ll find that the clothing worn by Kumdo students is fairly similar to what is worn by Kendo students. With levels and ranks, students will be expected to first move across a series of geup levels. After the highest geup level has been achieved, the student will have the opportunity to move up a series of dan levels. To achieve a certain geup or dan level, a student will be required to complete things such as examinations and competitions.

It is also important to note that different schools train their students in different ways. Nonetheless, the equipment remains largely the same.

The Bottom Line

Kumdo has a wealth of martial arts material to impart upon students.

Standing United We Pack A Punch.