In Geom

1. Attention Stance.

Feet shoulder width apart and the sword in the right hand. Right thumb is pressed lightly against the

sword guard. The left hand is laid lightly, but firmly on the front of the left thigh.

2. Transfer sword to left side.

The sword is drawn its length and the tip presented to the left hand. The tip is inserted into a circle formed by the left thumb and forefinger and the sword is thrust into the “sheath” smoothly and firmly.

3. Bow.

Executed from the waist to about a thirty degree

angle. The eyes remain focused ahead.

4. Attention stance.

Sword is held in the left hand with the left thumb pressed lightly against the sword guard. The right hand is laid slightly to the outside of the right thigh in a relaxed manner.

First Strike: Drawing the Sword to Parry and Cut

1. Attention stance.

Sword is held in the left hand with the thumb

of the left hand pressed lightly against the

sword guard (k'o dung I), facing the 12 o’clock position.

2. Prepare to draw.

Having  turned the right foot in slightly at the toe, execute one forward  walking-step with the left foot.  Head and hips remain level and the step is smooth with the feet skimming the surface of the floor.

3. Execute a second walking step with the right foot and maintaining balanced, fluid motion.

4. Execute a third walking step with the left foot.

5. In executing the fourth walking step as the right foot the right hand passes across the torso and, locating the sword,  holds the grip firmly and rotates the sword edge 90 degrees away from the torso.

6. The sword is drawn executing a High Inverted Parry as the left foot completes it step. However, the step, which had begun as a Walking Step to the point at which both feet are parallel is completed as a deep, elongated step with the rear foot retracted closer to the heel of the forward foot after completion of the step.  Note that the knees are bent significantly and the posture is somewhat lower as the stance is elongated.

7. Initiate Counter Strike

Under cover of the parry, the left foot is moved forward and even with the right.  The sword, formerly sheltering the left side of the body is gripped by the left hand. The sword point begins a large arc around the head and across the shoulders.

8.  Counter Strike

From a position over and behind the right shoulder the blade is directed high and to the outside to execute a Shallow Descending cut. This cut is executed using only the action of the wrist and rather following through past the waist ----------

-------is completed at a point directly in front of the left should having past through the centerline of the body.

Second Strike: 90 Degree Turn and Shallow Ascending Cut

9. The head turns to the right as the sword is retracted. However, rather than drawing the sword in to the shoulder, following the head, and turning to the right, the shoulder meets the sword as it retracts.

10. From a left High Guard Position, the right foot steps out to a 3 o’clock position. From this point the sword begins a slight descent to a horizontal line level with the shoulders.

11. Completion of strike.

Weight is distributed approximately 60% (front leg) to 40% (rear leg) the executes a Shallow Ascending Cut.

12. Prepare to turn.

Though a Shallow Ascending Cut, the sword is allowed to travel somewhat higher in preparation for the turn as the sword will retract into a High Guard Position in preparation for the pivot.

Third Strike: 180 Degree Turn and Straight Descending Cut                                       with a step

13. Pivoting on the ball of the right foot,  and turning to a  9 o’clock position, 60% of the weight remains on the back foot rather than being equally distributed over both feet.

14. With 70% of the weight on the rear leg, the left foot is retracted and raised to Golden Rooster posture. The toes are angled down and to the right following the angle of the knee which is level and directed across the centerline at an oblique angle.

15. Initiate downward cut

Moving from a center of gravity just below the

waist, and and shifting to a Center High Guard position, step down and forward with the left foot towards the 9 o’clock position.

16. Second Walking Step

As the sword begins its Straight Descending Cut the right foot begins to move forward as a Walking step.

17. Completion of Cut.

The right foot completes the Walking step, and

the sword completes its’ cut a fraction of a second

after.

Fourth Strike:  270 Degree Turn and Shallow Descending Cut

18. Assume High Guard Position.

The left foot is drawn forward to, and even with, the right foot as the sword is raised to left High Guard Position.

19. Clockwise Turn

Stepping behind with the right foot the body begins to pivot on the ball of the left foot from a 9 o’clock through 12 o’clock to a 6 o’clock position for the completion of the cut.

20. Prepare to execute cut.

Continuing the clockwise pivot, as the body turns into the 3 o’clock position the sword moves out of the High Guard Position and begins a Shallow Descending Cut.

21. Completion of Cut

The right foot steps out on the completion of the pivot, and the sword completes its’ cut a fraction of a second after, with the edge of the sword just outside the right knee.

Fifth Strike:  Surveillant Turn, Check and Snap Cut

22. Recovery

Sword is recovered from the end of the previous cut to Middle Guard Position and continues to rise to Right High Guard Position.

23. Initiate 360 Degree Surveying Turn

As the sword is raised to the High Guard Position the right foot is retracted to and past the left foot.

24. 1st Quarter Turn

Pivoting on the ball of the right foot and pressing with the ball of the left foot the body weight is smoothly transitioned from one foot to the other as the body turns clockwise with the sword at High Guard Position.

 25. 2nd Quarter Turn

Facing the 9 o’clock position  and pivoting on the ball of the right foot the left foot steps across the front of the body with the sword still at High Guard Position.

26. 3rd Quarter Turn

Pivoting on the balls of both feet, the body continues to turn from the 12 o’clock position to the 3 o’clock position.

27. 4th. Quarter Turn

Facing the 3 o’clock position with weight evenly distributed on both feet, the weight is slowly shifted to the left foot as the body turns to face the 6 o’clock position and the right foot steps back to, and past the left foot.

28. Initiate Rear Guard Position

Facing the 6 o’clock position, the sword in High Guard Position now raises up and back over the shoulder, dropping to Rear Guard Position, and still facing the 6 o’clock position.

29. Initiate Haft Thrust

Pivoting on the ball of the left foot and stepping off with the right foot the sword tip rises from its depressed position in the Rear Guard Position such that the sword blade is parallel to the floor at the beltline.

30. Complete Haft Thrust

The sword tip rises to approximately a 30 degree angle as the grip of the sword is thrust up, and out from the belt to a point even with the center of the face.

31. Initiate Reverse Shallow Descending Snap-cut

The sword is immediately retracted to and through a Center Superior Guard position, circling the head.

32. Complete Reverse Shallow Descending Snap-cut from a position high and to the left of the head, the sword targets the opponents’ neck with quick strike powered only by the wrists.

The cut carries all the way through the centerline....

... to stop beyond the opposite shoulder.

Sixth Strike: 270 Degree turn; Horizontal Cut

33. Recovery

Retract the sword from the Reverse Snap-cut position to a left High Guard position as the left foot executes a single Walking Step.

34. Initiate Pivot

Drawing the right foot to the heel of the left and pressing with the ball of the left foot, begin to pivot on the ball of the right foot.

35.Continue to pivot from the 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock position.

36. From the 3 o’clock to 6 o’clock position the knees flex and the right foot steps out into an elongated stance. The left knee drops to within 6 inches of the floor but does not actually touch the floor as the cut is executed.

37. Initiate Horizontal Cut

From a High Guard position, the sword tip drops as the sword grip is brought across the  individuals’ centerline.

Seventh Strike: Inside Coiling; High Thrust

38. Initiate Inside Coil

Dropping the sword tip slightly, begin to rotate the sword blade in a manner as to trap a weapon at the juncture of the sword and the sword guard, and so guide it down and to the outside of the body using the inside surface of the blade.

39. As the sword drops to a point just outside of the right leg initiate a single walking step. From this point the sword tip will be by-passed by the body and begin to rise behind the right hip.

40. The sword tip should crest in its rotation as the left foot comes even with the right foot. From this point the right foot steps out as the sword tip drops down and forward into a single High Thrust.

41. Recovery

Execute a single, rearward push-step with the right foot while retracting the sword from its thrust. The Haft of the grip should stop at a mid-point between full extension and the beltline.

42. Execute a second rearward push-step with the right foot, extend the left foot back while maintaining the sword position in place. The result will be to establish once again an extended stance as though the sword had failed to retract with the first effort.

43. Repeat the first effort a second time by retracting the right foot to the left while executing a sharp retraction of the sword to a mid-point between full retraction and the beltline.

44. Initiate Pivot

Continue to retract the right foot until it is even with the left foot, and raising the sword to a right High Guard position.

45. Continue the pivot, rotating both hips and shoulders about their axis, from the 6 o’clock to 3 o’clock position, with the sword coming to High Guard position.

46. From 3 o’clock to 12 o’clock the sword is in a High Guard position and the left foot steps out toward the 12 o’clock position.

47. Facing the 12 o’clock position initiate a slow transition from High Guard to Middle Guard position. This movement is performed with a single slow, well-focused, smooth motion.

48. Re-sheathing the Sword

Retract the sword from Middle Guard position to a shallow angle extending across and just in front of the left hip.

49. The left thumb rests lightly on the belt at the hip, and the left thumb and fore-finger are joined at the tips to form an “O”. The back of the sword blade, just forward of the sword guard rests lightly at the juncture between the two fingertips.

50. In a steady single motion, draw the length of the sword blade over the juncture of the finger and thumb, allowing the blade to ride smoothly on its side over the first knuckle of the index finger.   

51. Insert the tip into the “O” and press the blade into the “sheath”. The side of the blade will ride on the inside of the index finger as it would be expected to slide on the side of the blade as it is slid into the sheath.

52. The final two or three inches should include a 90 degree rotation, orienting the blade, in its sheath , in an edge-up position.

53. The sword is  seated in its sheath with a brief pressure from the palm of the right hand.  

54. Attention Stance 

In a balanced stance, with feet about a shoulder width apart. Complete the form by executing a bow from the waist.