Ok. But is kumdo dangerous?

If you were to watch kumdo, it can look extremely brutal and it's easy to think that kumdo practitioners suffer from many injuries. However, you may be surprised to find out that injuries are uncommon. The rarity of injuries is due to the armor (hogu) and the body mechanics involved. The armor (hogu) worn by practitioners is very effective at protecting individuals from strikes, while the simple body mechanics of kumdo actually result in fewer injuries than are commonly found with other martial arts (karate, taekwondo, or aikido).

There are of course the occasional strain or bruise that happens, but the most common injuries are those involving the foot. Blisters can occur if the foot is not accustomed to working on wood floors, but these can be easily fixed and heal quickly if dealt with properly. Other injuries that might occur would be of the Achilles tendon or plantar fasciitis (a strain of the tendons of the bottom of the foot). These types of injuries are rare and can typically be avoided by properly warming-up and using the correct footwork during movements. But generally speaking, kumdo is a very safe activity and can be practiced by people of a wide age range, from 5 to 65 (and even older).