Receiving shomenuchi - The Three Ways

Firstly, the truth of why you are seeing less and less of my postings here is that I'm taking more time to digest my lessons. Learning now takes longer and while at times I feel I understand certain things better, I also realise that I still don't understand enough.

Anyway, in today's training I was thinking of the three ways we meet shomenuchi.

1. The wave
2. Opening the door
3. The irimi cut

Before this, I've taken all three as seperate methods or techniques. But as I explored it today, I feel I understand that the three are levels of the same thing. With the wave, the no 2 won't work as well. Without no 2, no 3 wouldn't work either.

In the wave, the attackers power is diminished upwards upon contact. And we follow this with a cut through his center using our center as impetus. The sword doesn't cleave, it shears and so should our center movement.

In opening the door, for it to work we cannot wait for contact. The wave must be implemented well before contact and this as his power dimishes, we can safely contact his attacking hand and at that point in time, use chushin to move his center away.

In 3, we cannot irimi and cut without diminishing uke's power and then changing his line of attack using no 2, and only then irimi and cut. If you try to avoid uke's cut by sidestepping, inevitably, the uke will change direction to follow suit,

Well practice this more. For now, its bed time to reflect.

Kenjutsu seminar March 2013

This is going to be a real quick post for the current seminar I'm having, a sort of forget me notes come sharing. There's a lot of nuggets of information he is sharing and its great to experience koryu based kenjutsu training. For those of you still practicing aiki ken only, it'll be a good step up from there.

I'll probably do a rewrite soon after this. But don't expect any photos or videos. Too busy training to get any of that....

Practise without opening the mind is wasted energy. With goals and laced with principles the practise is a step by step method of approaching mastery. Winning is reward of concentration. Concentration is like a tight beam of light. As you shine it to various spots in the darkness, you will eventually be aware of the entire surrounding. As practitioners of budo we must pay attention to that.

Iaijutsu
Tennonichi
Gripping the sword at the hon line or natural line. The sword is held by sticky hands. Awase.
The little finger holds it in place and has a small hollow.
kesa is the angle temple to nose.
Neck to armpit.
Elbow to hip. Etc.
Sword to draw is held at kesa.

Thumb is removed from tsunami maintaining oblique position and is now releasing the ken from the saya.
Butt of sword faces opponent.
This is maintained when transferring from right to left.
Tsuba is always guarded by thumb.
The peak of a draw has the sword above the head.
Employ ki ken tai. Body never moves before the sword.
Cutting is stopped using the wing muscle of the draw hand. Body is now oblique.

At kamae the situation is reversed. Left hand is strong. Right is soft and guiding.
The cut is soft hard soft but always leading through the little finger. Ki extends outwards.

Drawing also uses the chest, not the hands. Sinking is employed. Curve of the sword is maintained at all times. The sword feels like its been thrown and then held back.

12 tanjo techniques.
1. Right leg back. Lock elbow. Hon te. Overhand swing with step in. Follow strike.
2. Right leg forward. Retreat suriashi. Hand comes around and strikes. Follow up.
3. Left leg fwd. Drop with right knee fwds. Right hand holds up tanjo midsection. Strikes elbows as in wave. Strike body with left hand. Rise up to the right controlling the elbow.
4. Right leg fwds. Strike upwards follow up with high barai with left leg step in. Left hand at temple guard. Strike. Drop hands to control sword. Trap ankle with left feet. Strike armpit.
5. Uchi. Three steps end left feet fwd. Hold tanjo lower. Kaiten. Irimi with strike. Left hand comes upward and replaces right hand. Ikkyo.
6. Left leg fwd. Switch feet drop to knee strike solar.
7. Right leg fwd. Suriashi back. Strike solar.
8. Upwards strike to displace ken.
9. Upwards strike but off line. Hit ken and hit right temple.
10. Uke is drawing and kesa giri. Step back with kesa guard. Hit twice.
11. Left leg kneeling with strike to shin. Stand up strike elbow ans body.
12. Tanjo behind neck. Maai. Nage feints cut and tsuki. Parry left and enter body strike.

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Some Gifs of Sensei's latest Aiki Intensives

December 2012

The techniques shown are a variation. They are more circular as opposed to sharp/straight cuts we are more used to.