Armor is every student’s best friend. It is the last line of defense between the opponent’s weapon and the student’s body. Gumtoogi uses various pieces of armor when sparring in order to protect the student during practice and matches. Like Kumdo, each piece protects a different part of our body, with the exception that Gumtoogi also uses the unique piece, the Hache-Hogu, which protects the legs.
It is only through continued practice that a student can gain the proper skill, reflexes and stamina to become an efficient fighter. And only with the proper armor can the student continue his practice without injury or harm.
The different armor pieces are as follows:
Armor Used for Effective Sparring
- Hogu – Protective Body Armor
- Ho-an – Protective Gloves
- Hache Hogu – Protective Leg Armor (new and unique to Gotoogi)
- Hap – Protector for Chest
- Kap-Sang – Protector for Hips
- Myon – Protective Mask
- Myong-Pan – Name Tag
- Myon-Su-Gon – Towel for binding stand
Also, when sparring and wearing armor, the student must wear the proper uniform which consists of these parts:
- Sanguei/Keikogi – Top (Part of Uniform)
- Hauei/Hakama – Bottom (Part of Uniform)