I was surfing a martial arts website, and I saw they sold tapes of Haidong Gumdo.

http://shop.mooto.com/english/shop_Item ... up_no=1989

What are these? Are they the Hankuk HDGDF tapes?

Yes, they are the Hanguk version videos.

How do they differ from our forms, besides the extra 4 drills for gyeokgum?

Charles -

From what I've seen, the Hankuk versions do not have as involved chakgum at the end of the forms. Other than that, I've not noticed anything except extremely minor difference in any of the ssang su forms. (I think in the final moves of SSGP #3, the Daehan group does three steps to the left before going backwards three steps, while the Hankuk folks only take two steps to the left). I haven't started to learn the yedo forms yet, so I don't know about those, but I think the two federations share enough history that I would expect those forms to be the same, also.

If the Daehan gyuk gums are the ones shown in the video on the Irish HDGD webpage, then I'm pretty sure that the Hankuk gyuk gums are completely different.

Is Daehan or Hanguk the one led by President Kim, Jeong-Ho?

Haidong,
Dean.

I'm pretty sure that Master Kim leads the Daehan group, and Master Na leads the Hankuk group. Someone more knowledgeable can correct me if I'm wrong.

In Ssang-Soo-Gum-Bup #3, we use two steps, not three, so that would mean we're the using the Hanguk forms (from what you described), but then I'd assume we're also using the Hanguk Kyuk-Gums too, not the Daehan ones...

Haidong,
Dean.

In SSGP #3, we use two steps also. Several people were discussing this form recently on this message board, and two of them mentioned taking three steps to the left. No one else commented, so I just assumed that this was the way the Daehan group practiced the form. It could be just one of the small differences between individual schools, though.

The Hankuk Gyuk Gums shown on the video series are all one-handed, with between 5 and 9 attacking strikes in each one. Students are required to know the attacking patterns, and the corresponding defensive patterns. In our school, we practice them in both a stationary position and in motion.

Does anyone know of any source online where I can view a clip of the Daehan Gyuk Gums, to see how/if they are different?

The gyuk gums for the U.S. are different than those for the European students. I say that because there is another video on the market showcasing HDGD, but it features Master Han and some of his students in Europe. In that video the gyuk gums actually involve two students - one giving and one receiving (noncontact). The name of the producer of that video escapes me at the moment. I'll post it a little later unless someone beats me to it.

Oh, I didn't actually know that. I thought all Kyuk-Gums were performed with two people, but now that I think about it, I did see a few U.S. videos with students performing them solo. Thanks for pointing that out! (We, in Ireland, obviously follow Master Han's approach here).

Haidong,
Dean.

This is a bigger topic than it perhaps first appears to be. Gyuk-gum are fighting drills. There are a variety of types of them. It is not one set of things like ssang-su gumbub is, for example. There are solo versions and partner versions. A general term for the partner versions is yaksook gyuk gum, meaning Choreographed [promise] Drill. It can be used with any drill you plan out in advance and execute with a partner or partners.

There are basic gyuk-gum. This series of drills originally had 16 short step drills, but was reduced to 12 by the Daehan sourced WHDGDF after the split on the grounds the final four were variations on earlier drills. These are performed solo, with moggum at first, and then can be done as non-contact partner drills. The techniques allow just enough variation to be envisioned as 1 on 1 drills or as versus multiple opponents. [in many cases]

There are waesu gyuk-gum. This series of step-drills is paired with the waesu gumbub like the basic gyuk-gum are paired with ssang-su. Waesu deals with one-handed use of the sword. Again, progression goes from solo versions [waesu kibun] to partner versions. In my experience these drills are done with juk-to when doing yaksook gyuk-gum. Perhaps because the juk-to are lighter....

There are also unique yaksook gyuk-gum. These are planned out and executed by partners for demonstrations etc.

Like everything else, there are variations [some subtle, some not] in the sets of gyuk-gum. This depends on the vintage and lineage of your instructor, their exposure to modifications from HQ, and of course the old bugbear of memory.

In things like variations of ssang-su... stepping left 3 times verus 2 times is really not indicative of much. To me it suggests there was a small dojang in your lineage's past. To me, a variation is more like this:

Area Y:
Draw over shoulder, half centre cut one-handed, follow with full centre cut two-handed.

versus

Area X:

Draw over shoulder, left strike to head, right strike to head, half centre cut, followed with full centre cut. All cuts two-handed.

Same overall thing, but then again different.

Yes, any HDGD activities requiring contact between students is avoided by design here in the U.S., or at least on the east coast here.

The video I mentioned above is produced by Budo International.

Can anyone tell me where I can find video of the WHdGDF kyok-gum? I was learning paired exercises (learned 10 before my instructor's injury which brought training to a halt) and would like to continue. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Other than what is featured in the Budo International video featuring Master Han and his students, I know of no other professionally produced and available footage of what you're looking for.

"Professionally-produced" ... doesn't matter to me, I just need a reference for the info. Anyone here have the drills recorded?