Korean Sword Art (Haidong Gumdo) - New Tallaght Club

Dean Wilson

New Dynamic Korean Sword Martial Art, Haidong Gumdo - club opening in Tallaght this Sunday. For more details, see the attached poster:



We will be having sword demonstrations and a free class. Our special guest is Master Dorim Kim, President of the Irish Haidong Gumdo Association.

I hope to see some of you there.

Dean.

Mola.mola

Hey Dean,

Best of luck with your new club. Hope it works out well. Could you tell us a bit about what you do? How dissimlar to Kendo is it?

Thanks.

Dean Wilson

Thank you, Mola.

Kendo (or Kumdo, the Korean equivalent) tends to be more about sparring, and 1-on-1 combat (the Japanese approach), whereas Haidong Gumdo has a lot of indepth Forms (Gumbup), and is more concerned with battlefield combat (1 against many - the Korean approach). Thus, HDGD is a very dynamic art, a pleasure to watch and also to learn.

For more information about it (and a video or two to get an idea of what it's like), check the Irish Haidong Gumdo Association's website at:

www.haidong-gumdo.ie

Haidong,
Dean.

TwoKingMick

Dean Wilson wrote:

Thank you, Mola.
battlefield combat (1 against many - the Korean approach)

Actually, the Korean approach to battlefield combat is "let someone else do it".
Thats why they got whipped by the chinese, then the japanese, then the commies, and now they let the US fight their battles.

Ger Healy

That's a bit harsh

I recived a cd of this style a few years ago. Wasn't my thing

Michael O Leary

Hi Dean,

Welcome to this forum.

Master Dorim Kim teaches in the Coolmine Sports and Leisure Centre where I teach Wing Tsun and Escrima and his classes end just as I begin on Saturdays and I have seen you guys train. I have communicated with your teacher by email and talked to him in person and he seems to be a lovely fella, always very friendly in a quiet but warm and sincere manner. All the students seem to be friendly and I briefly was introduced to the person who will take over the Blanchardstown class. Was that you?

Anyway just ignore other people when they make sweeping and stupid statements and save your time and sanity for intelligent posts.

What Kendo and Hai-Gumbo would seem to have in common is that they are both practised for training the character rather than defence, sport, etc. I have come to this impression by reading your website. Would I be right in saying that while their origins are different (single combat vs battlefield combat) their ultimate "raison d'etre" or aim is the same?

Regards,

Michael O'Leary
www.wingtsun-escrima.ie

Dean Wilson

I used to train in the Coolmine Sports Complex with Master Kim, but haven't been there for a week or two due to a busy schedule. I'm not the guy who took over, however, but he's nice too (and some people mistake us for each other for some reason, lol :eek::D).

Yes, Kendo and Haidong Gumdo won't neccessarilly help you if you got attacked, given you won't be carrying a sword (I hope), though HDGD does teach some empty-hand techniques in its higher grades (because, let's face it, a swordsman could easilly lose their sword in the heat of battle, and what good are they then?). The training of character is, as you said, the main reason I find for training - afterall, a certain ammount of discipline is required to train with a sword (not that discipline isn't needed for other martial arts). There is a difference in technique, in that Kendo seems to favour (from what I've seen) a lot of short, quick, tapping motions, whereas HDGD makes larger arcing cuts and thrusts, which can be better to look at (and do), but may take longer to enact, and therefore have less effect on the battlefield. So, to sum up that very long-winded paragraph - yes, both arts pretty much do the same thing in a different way, and the choice is personal preference.

Haidong,
Dean.

P.S. Thanks for the advice on idiotic posts.

Mola.mola

hehehe i noticed.

Millionaire

TwoKingMick wrote:

Actually, the Korean approach to battlefield combat is "let someone else do it".
Thats why they got whipped by the chinese, then the japanese, then the commies, and now they let the US fight their battles.

whats this boneheaded comment got to do with Korean Sword MA?

Its does not contribute to the forum.

Yellow Card! :mad:

Da Bounca

Good luck.
The picture would look better without the runners.

pma-ire

Good luck with the club Dean!

From what I've seen of the art on the website it looks quite interesting!

I also see that their are classes in Won Hwa Do?

Do you also practice this??

Roper

Ger Healy wrote:

That's a bit harsh

I recived a cd of this style a few years ago. Wasn't my thing

Hey Ger,
I got something similar. No idea how the guy got my postal address but it was someone trying to promote the art in Ireland. Offering a training group type arrangement. ie. you start a group and travel to train with the head honcho, he comes over here the odd time and such. I suppose a very similar thing to training groups in BJJ or the FMA's. In other words how a lot of minority arts start out over here. Like you said it wasn't my cupppa tea, but just thought I'd share!

Dean,
Is that similar to how you got into it? Its a fairly obscure art by all accounts. How did you start training?

Cheers,
Barry

Black Swan

TwoKingMick wrote:

Actually, the Korean approach to battlefield combat is "let someone else do it".
Thats why they got whipped by the chinese, then the japanese, then the commies, and now they let the US fight their battles.

Historically, that has not always been the case. Ever heard of the Turtle and how the Japanese fleet was defeated by it? There are other historical examples.

Dean Wilson

Da Bounca,

You're not the only one to mention that, lol. I'll have to do some extra photoshopping...

pma_ire,

Thanks. I used to practice WonHwaDo, but had to quit in January due to a back injury (which still gives me trouble). That was originally how I got into Haidong Gumdo, since I had the same master for both. Master Dorim Kim, the head of the Irish Haidong Gumdo Association was also, until recently, the President of the European WonHwaDo Association.

Roper,

As mentioned above, I got into HDGD from WHD. Also, HDGD isn't that obscure. It has at least 1 million practitioners worldwide, and at least 500 dojangs, so it's well on its way. It isn't, of course, on the same level as Tae Kwon Do or other unarmed approaches, but then what sword art is?

Haidong,
Dean.

pma-ire

Dean Wilson wrote:

pma_ire,

Thanks. I used to practice WonHwaDo, but had to quit in January due to a back injury (which still gives me trouble). That was originally how I got into Haidong Gumdo, since I had the same master for both. Master Dorim Kim, the head of the Irish Haidong Gumdo Association was also, until recently, the President of the European WonHwaDo Association.

So is it a bit like Hap Ki Do or more like Kuk Sul Won? If you get what I mean??

Dean Wilson

I'm not that familiar with KukSoolWon, so can't really comment on that, but I always liken WonHwaDo to a blend of Aikido (circular motions), Hapkido (joint locks), and TaeKwonDo (kicks, etc.).

Haidong,
Dean.

Musashi

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, could think of no place else to post this!

I did a little more test cutting this weekend, and these are the results!

Ready to rock! I have lots of milk cartons as my wee man chugs lots of milk, good protein for him.



Now the video of the cut happening, dont blink!



And the end result of the chop? The extreme right hand carton was lobbed back on the table by me, it and the first carton were only partially bisected, feckin' arcs! The middle six were well and truly cut, love the way they just tipped over rather than going flying! If any sword guys would like to rate my technique I'd welcome any cutting pointers!




Happy Days lads! Try this out, something so satisfying and fun in cutting up the recycling into handier bits for bagging up!