[Vodonaeva]

Kendo and Kumdo are the same in just about every way. For example, Kendo has the Kendo no Kata; Kumdo has the exact same thing called Bbon. Kendo has free sparring; so does Kumdo. Kendo does kirakaeshi-Kumdo does Sam dan Jak, Ie dan Jak, Il dan Jak, Parranmuri. Kumdo also does some, what we call one step techniques, with bokken that I have not seen in a Kendo dojo. We also do some Iaido type techniques called Baldo Napto.

The Kendo method of sparring does seem more aimed at a "one cut- one point" whereas the Kumdo method is much more focused on multiple strikes. One could say it is very "hack and slash." Just like most Korean martial arts, there is not much focus on making things pretty or feel philosophically satisfying, like good zanshin, but rather the emphasis in on effectiveness. We don't even talk about zanshin. We are taught to leap in, strike the target, and leap back, clearing the hands out of range of a possible counter as opposed to the Kendo way of leaping in, cutting "men" for example and then following through with zanshin.