[Kthzltje]

that's why I said, "I heard" because it was all hearsay. Like i said before, both are the same in my opinion.

[jaydicassdhy]

Originally posted by Karaken
Write Kendo and Kumdo in Chinese - Oh Boy, they look exactly same, you know why? Because they are.. Just had a funny though......based on Kareken's formula, every Latino man named Jesus (pro; hayzeus), would be the son of God.

[pBiRXp8u]

Write Kendo and Kumdo in Chinese - Oh Boy, they look exactly same, you know why? Because they are..

Center - only

[en-druzhba]

Oh BTW, most of dojang (dojo) in Korea is run as business not by volunteer sensei. So getting a lot of student is very important.

What do you think?

Center..

This is the same in North America, no? Other than university clubs, every kumdo dojang I see has its own place and offers classes multiple times a day on multiple days, whereas a kendo dojo rents some place for 1 or 2 nights a week. As such, a kumdo student might train 1 hour a day but 3 or 4 days a week, whereas a kendo student trains once a week in a 3-hr session. The Korean approach seems to benefit a beginner more, from what I see in tournaments...

Also I notice that even on internet, Koreans seem to put a lot more effort into "digitizing" kendo. You see these Korean kumdo sites that offer an amazing amount of footages for downloading, and you hardly ever see any Japanese kendo sites doing the same thing. Not only that, Korean kumdo footages often have accompanying dramatic soundtracks, whereas Japanese kendo clips usualy have nothing but a shinai swinging around...

All in all, being a non-Korean, I find this unbounded enthusiasm very interesting. At the very least, they have the dramatic progress in tournament success to show for it. How close they came to winning the team championship this year!

[krasniyluch]

Karaken,
Very well said.

[Agitoligflise]

The difference between kendo and kumdo may not be substantial to those of us of non-korean descent...but if Korea claims to have a sword history all of its own, then to those who train in kumdo the differences between the two are very important....i think we need to respect this.

I studied Hapkido for quite some time under a korean master, and i am well aware of the Hwa Rang warriors, and their use of the sword, now wether or not kumdo has truly evolved from this tradition, i have no idea, but those who train in kumdo believe it has developed from this root.

Imagine telling the Scots that the kilt was an invention from England??
(sorry for the cruel example guys, i have celtic heritage aswell)

[bestgenpower]

Joining the forces isn't necessary. Having a valid form of ID to enter the base and a military ID card holder to sponsor you is. That is how I get sensei into the base every time. Its like entering a bloody foriegn country. lol

[Blolover11]

Like i said Karaken, "I have no idea", my post was more to say that if those of Korean descent felt that they where practicing kumdo as part of a korean sword tradition, who am i to say they arnt? There was never any doubt that kumdo borrows the shinai and bogu etc from Japanese kendo, its their philosophy and techniques they are claiming have a different root than that of kendo.

I believe the Hwa rand Do have 108 classical weapons in their system.

Lastly, (I'm not disputing with Nishi but just making a point). If Koreans who practice kendo/kumdo (I really don't like differentiating the two as they're really the same) think "Well, we've sort of borrowed the equipment but our philosophy and root are different because we had swords first." Does that make sense? What if the Brits who practice kendo all of a sudden say "well, we're using Japanese bogu, but we would like to put our own spin as we had knighthood and advanced armor, etc. Let's change the hakama to knickers (what Americans call the puffy pants with knee-high socks. don't know what they're actually called in the U.K.) and change the men-gane to a all-steel helmet with just a little slat to look out of", what does that become? Is that an acceptable way of practicing kendo? To put "your own" spin on it and changing tens if not hundreds of years of tradition and claim ownership?

Just a thought.

[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.

[HcMkOKiz]

Thanx for the link Sminki....

Have a look at this history of kumdo
http://www.kumdo.com/2003/kumdo/history.html

[trorseIrripsy]

sorry i have to put this in the spotlight but wat are the advantages/disadvantages between kendo and kumdo ? my korean fellow kendoka, who sometimes go to a kumdo dojo says kumdo is much better than kendo, physical strength and stamina...you can pick up much faster in kumdo. i guess this can be reflected with guys practising kumdo who came 1st in kyu level and 2nd in dan level in the aust kendo championships. With this in mind, could you really say that they are the same ? Like a red apple and green apple, taste different but gives you same vitamins in the end

Heya Pokie...
Well.. no offence... but from the sound of this... you are interested in kumdo then kendo.. Why dont you think of that kendo and kumdo is the same.. but just different style and have different ideas on what Kendo/kendo is about. If you prefer full on shiai style.. why not kumdo then.
Even though the people who came first in the kyu grade.. and the other person 2nd in the dan level are from kumdo... who didnt you think that in the kyu grade... 2nd, 3rd are all from kendo.. and 1st and 3rd are from Kendo in the dan grades...
I was there at the National Comp.. and was fighting agaisnt the guy who came first in the kyu grades in the semi finals... I do admit that he was quick.. but that is only on kotes... Also... if you think in a kendo rules.. on one is not allowed to give pointer from any one, like "look for his kote" and "take notice of his men" which his sensei/master was doing (heard from a korean friend who was there watching) so it all comes from different style you prefer....

[MauroDarudo]

Thats right Max, i must admit thats the first time ive heard the term "JINDO"...mabye the Chinese will get a new uniform as well(kidding).

But as i said, its obviously very real and very serious to some kumdo players, im not a historian. I have studied some japanese history due to my interest in the katana, so claims that Ken Do is japanese, i can prove.

The positive is this, all kendo/kumdo/jindo can be practiced world wide, and they are all compatible with all people across the globe.

I only wish i could find out what the name for the traditional english sword was called so i could start a new thread, "kendo came from England"

[F1grandprix]

At our dojang you can practice 6 days a week if you want, sometimes even all 7 days ^^

[ebonytipchik]

Check these interesting uniforms, i think all kendo/kumdo outfits are nice but im struggling with this one...

http://my.netian.com/~tamseong/vod/sbskumdo.wmv

[2puO4Rhf]

I think when it comes down to it, the style, quality, and everything else comes from the dojang and the sensei/master, and also from the individual. Kendo or Kumdo has nothing to do with it.. I practice Kumdo and I like to go for single strikes rather than combination attacks..

[BigMovies]

Lastly, (I'm not disputing with Nishi but just making a point). If Koreans who practice kendo/kumdo (I really don't like differentiating the two as they're really the same) think "Well, we've sort of borrowed the equipment but our philosophy and root are different because we had swords first." Does that make sense? What if the Brits who practice kendo all of a sudden say "well, we're using Japanese bogu, but we would like to put our own spin as we had knighthood and advanced armor, etc. Let's change the hakama to knickers (what Americans call the puffy pants with knee-high socks. don't know what they're actually called in the U.K.) and change the men-gane to a all-steel helmet with just a little slat to look out of", what does that become? Is that an acceptable way of practicing kendo? To put "your own" spin on it and changing tens if not hundreds of years of tradition and claim ownership?

Just a thought.

On the other hand, it might have been an attempt to popularize Kendo in Korea. As you know, for a long period ( till late 80s or more ) Koreans did not like anything Japanese. So, for Kendo to survive an flourish in Korea, it may have been necessary to dress it up as authentic Korean.
Oh BTW, most of dojang (dojo) in Korea is run as business not by volunteer sensei. So getting a lot of student is very important.

What do you think?

Center..