This page is for sword fighting. No, you can't duel or clash blades in here--but I'll post some useful info and tips that I find around the Internet. I'll post fighting style literature, videos and tutorials as I find them.
I will not be held responsible for what you do with it!
This page is for presenting, what I think, looks like good information. I am no expert, but will share the most credible finds. I'm not going to bog this page down with "Darwin Awards" or some drunk idiots in the backyard hacking at each other. While I like to keep my blog fun and on the lighter side with a little humor thrown in--I will not promote acts of stupidity or dangerous activities just to help someone on YouTube reach one million video hits...lol.
If you're going to practice swordsmanship or engage in controlled swordplay--I highly recommend using practice weapons made of wood, foam or another non-dangerous material.
Here is some very useful info I found over at :
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/japanese-sword-training.html
Please feel free to click the link and have a look.
Japanese Sword Training Basics
Japanese sword training is something of a lifelong journey. Even the masters consider themselves to be humble students, constantly striving for perfection and always feeling that they can execute a cut cleaner, faster and with more precision...
As such, even the basics are subject to continual refinement, and it is most definitely a journey best started with proper instruction under the watchful eye of a qualified teacher.
Yet for those who are curious as to what to expect in a JSA (Japanese Sword Art) dojo, or others with a purely academic interest, this article is at the very least, a tentative introduction to the mindsets and training methodologies of the arts as a whole...
RITUALISM AND DOJO ETTIQUETE
One thing you will notice about traditional Japanese swordsmanship is the emphasis on ritual and Etiquette.
Partially this is done for safety reasons (after all, its stands to reason that a dojo full of sword wielding students can be a dangerous place to be!) and partially it is done to cultivate the right spirit of respect and reverence for the art and the sword itself.
While each school and each style does it a little differently, almost all start out with the class lined up (with the most senior students at the front, to the most junior at the back) facing the Sensei. Before the class begins in earnest, they transfer the sword from the left hand to the right (symbolizing their intention in the dojo is one of peace and learning, as they cannot attack while holding the sword in the right hand) before bowing and attaching the sword to their belt as shown in the video below:
In a similar way, once a Japanese sword training session is completed (with most modern dojos running from around 1 to 2 hours per class) the ritual is more or less reversed.
Each school will have many additional rules that apply before, during and after training. While these rituals may chafe to the Western student at first, everything – not matter how obscure it may seem is done for a reason in the Japanese sword arts.
Some of these rules are designed to show that your intent in the training hall is to learn and to avoid behaviour which is threatening or dangerous. Others are aimed at cultivating the correct mindset to build a solid foundation of humility and openness (once you think ‘I’m so good at this!’ you’ve instantly stopped learning and are in fact doing yourself a disservice).
To discard any elements is to miss out on cultivating the martial spirit of swordsmanship that is central to attaining true mastery.
Here is some very useful info I found over at :
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/japanese-sword-training.html
Please feel free to click the link and have a look.
Japanese Sword Training Basics
Japanese sword training is something of a lifelong journey. Even the masters consider themselves to be humble students, constantly striving for perfection and always feeling that they can execute a cut cleaner, faster and with more precision...
As such, even the basics are subject to continual refinement, and it is most definitely a journey best started with proper instruction under the watchful eye of a qualified teacher.
Yet for those who are curious as to what to expect in a JSA (Japanese Sword Art) dojo, or others with a purely academic interest, this article is at the very least, a tentative introduction to the mindsets and training methodologies of the arts as a whole...
RITUALISM AND DOJO ETTIQUETE
One thing you will notice about traditional Japanese swordsmanship is the emphasis on ritual and Etiquette.
Partially this is done for safety reasons (after all, its stands to reason that a dojo full of sword wielding students can be a dangerous place to be!) and partially it is done to cultivate the right spirit of respect and reverence for the art and the sword itself.
While each school and each style does it a little differently, almost all start out with the class lined up (with the most senior students at the front, to the most junior at the back) facing the Sensei. Before the class begins in earnest, they transfer the sword from the left hand to the right (symbolizing their intention in the dojo is one of peace and learning, as they cannot attack while holding the sword in the right hand) before bowing and attaching the sword to their belt as shown in the video below:
In a similar way, once a Japanese sword training session is completed (with most modern dojos running from around 1 to 2 hours per class) the ritual is more or less reversed.
Each school will have many additional rules that apply before, during and after training. While these rituals may chafe to the Western student at first, everything – not matter how obscure it may seem is done for a reason in the Japanese sword arts.
Some of these rules are designed to show that your intent in the training hall is to learn and to avoid behaviour which is threatening or dangerous. Others are aimed at cultivating the correct mindset to build a solid foundation of humility and openness (once you think ‘I’m so good at this!’ you’ve instantly stopped learning and are in fact doing yourself a disservice).
To discard any elements is to miss out on cultivating the martial spirit of swordsmanship that is central to attaining true mastery.
BASIC TECHNIQUES
What follows are some of the basic cuts that form the building blocks of Japanese sword training.
Again, each style is different. Some start with the sword further back than others, some finish with it closer to the ground. None are wrong – just different approaches to achieving the same result...
In traditional Japanese sword training, these techniques are often practiced many thousands of times before any degree of proficiency is obtained, which is why it is important to get proper instruction as practicing them solo without a sensei to instruct you can ingrain some seriously bad habits that will take years to untrain.
However, with that in mind, from an academic point of view, here are three of ‘generic’ cutting techniques.
BASIC OVERHEAD CUT
This is the most basic, yet fundamental Japanese sword training cut. From (1) an overhead position, with the sword perfectly horizontal (check in the mirror to make sure) it is (2) cast out, much like casting a fishing rod by pulling with the left hand at the bottom, much like a lever until (3) it makes contact with the head or shoulder of the opponent and then (4) simply drops down to stop horizontally again. The action should be done without ‘power’, allowing the blade to drop down.
A common mistake is to use too much force in the right hand, which is really only just guiding the blade. One way to minimize this is to practice the casting movement holding the sword in the left hand only.
YOKO GIRI – SIDE CUT
Much like the basic swing the blade begins (1) facing out horizontally behind you and is (2) ‘levered’ by the left hand, arcing out with the (3) cut making contact with the target and (4) cutting through the other side.
KESA GIRI
A vertical cut to the right side of the shoulder (and out through the left armpit) it (1) begins in the same position as the basic overhead cut and (2) then tilts slightly on a diagonal path as it is levered by the left hand.
With the feeling of casting a fishing line it (3) makes contact with the target as the arms are extended and the momentum (4) carries through the target, finishing in a position slightly slower than horizontal, breaking with the elbows touching the body.
Again, be sure not to power it with the right hand but let speed and the weight of the blade do all the work.
This is a very important point to remember whenever you do Japanese sword training - and you will notice the difference from an overly strong technique and a correct one by the sound it makes as it cuts through the air...
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The core of Japanese sword training is undoubtedly the ritualistic patterns known as Kata (forms). These vary from school to school, but all the major categories of Japanese sword training arts – Iaido, Kenjutsu and Kendo have them to some degree or another.
Contained within these seemingly archaic movements are many lethal techniques that, ideally at least, are based on tried and tested combat techniques. (It has been argued that some schools are more ‘pure’ than others, with some supposedly being diluted during Japans long period of domestic peace – though the frequency of duels between Samurai would suggest that truly ineffectual arts would not have been passed down through the generations, natural attrition would take care of that!).
Most sword schools start the beginning student off with very simple Kata.
In the case of iaido – the first few kata are often no more than drawing the sword, delivering a single strike – and then re-sheathing it. While on the one hand, thes
e sword training methods were designed to be practical, training the swordsman by building the fluid and economical movements deep into muscle memory with continual repetition – they also served a greater purpose – to develop Mushin – or single minded, unwavering focus so that the warriors mind would be clear, even in the face of death...
Below is a video showing one such beginning Kata:
The beauty of Kata like these is that this is one form of Japanese sword training you can practice by yourself, anywhere and anytime. But that said, it is extremely important at all times when performing a single person Kata to strongly visualize your opponent and where they are in relation to your techniques, otherwise your Kata will take on the characteristics (and spirit) of a mere dance...
Kenjutsu schools tend take a different approach. Most of their Kata are partnered exercises, starting very simple and predictably and eventually, becoming something like this.
While there is some crossover between the Iaido and Kenjutsu schools, it is reasonable to say that Iaido has an emphasis on solo kata while Kenjutsu has a stronger emphasis on partnered exercises.
Again, learning the Kata is really something that should be left to the dojo, however there are some high quality instructional DVDs and Books on the market that while they cannot surpass the kind of Japanese sword training available in the dojo – are a valid alternative for those who are casually interested, or where geography makes practical instruction an impossibility. Here are some of my favourites:
$24.99
FREE SPARRING
It should come as no big surprise that free sparring with live blades is not a part of Japanese sword training, though at the highest levels, Masters perform partnered exercises with razor sharp Shinken.
In Kenjutsu, once the basic Kata have been ‘mastered’ to a high level, high level students may begin introducing additional techniques into their partnered Japanese sword training Kata which can become so fluid it is, for all intents and purposes, free sparring.
And within some schools – free sparring is developed with heavily padded bokken known as fukuro shinai. However, the style of Japanese sword training that truly specializes in free sparring is Kendo.
While beginning Kendo students focus a lot of their energies on developing basic techniques, footwork, and partnered Kata with the Shinai (bamboo sword) – the aim of their training is to develop the skills required for free sparring and serious competition.
On the downside, Kendo is much more of a sport than a martial art per se, and the wrist flicking strikes employed can create bad habits for Japanese sword training with a shinken (live blade) or iaito – though one the other side, it does indeed cultivate a strong warrior spirit and is most certainly a test of skill (for more information on Kendo, visit KendoKorner.com). As such, I have heard it said that to be a well balanced swordsman, cross training between the various styles is strongly encouraged.
Indeed, one style that seeks to re-integrate the various somewhat fragmented Japanese sword schools together is Toshishiro Obata’s Shinkendo School.
With a syllabus of Japanese sword training methods more akin to those practiced by the Samurai – it emphasises:
Suburi (cutting exercises)
Battoho (drawing techniques)
Kata (Forms)
Tachiuchi (Sparring)
And Tameshigiri (test cutting)
As such, it could be argued that this modern day swordmaster (who is a personal hero of mine since boyhood) is contributing to the evolution and reconstruction of the ancient Japanese sword training techniques.
Toshishiro Obata
Here's a great article I found over at
ReplyDeletesword-buyers-guide.com
JAPANESE SWORD ARTS
The Japanese Sword Arts (JSA) can be broadly categorized into Iaido, Kenjutsu and Kendo - though there is some overlap between these styles, and some modern schools, such as Shinkendo that seek to bring them all back into one system...
Unlike Western Martial Arts, the Japanese Sword Arts are a living tradition that have been preserved more or less intact from generation to generation and date back to when their mastery was a matter of life and death.
However, it is not just their practical aspects that make Japanese sword training so interesting, but it is also the deeper aspects of the arts, designed to develop the swordman's spiritual and personal qualities that have long fascinated the West.
While it is possible to learn some of the basic techniques without a teacher, it is not at all recommended - not only for obvious safety concerns, but also because the Japanese sword arts are so deep, with many layers and levels, and self training can too easily result in an inflated sense of confidence and retard your ultimate development.
That said, we do cover some basic techniques and training methods in the further resources section of this category, but it truly is barely scratching the surface...
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Each style and each dojo is quite different in their approach to the tools of the trade as it were - and the best advice I can give is that if you are serious about Japanese sword training, you ask your Sensei! That way you won't be going out and spending money on things you donÂ’t need, or won't be allowed to use...
That said, the following is a basic idea of what you will probably need - and a few recommendations...
Like with the Western Martial Arts, many (though certainly not all) schools start their students off with bokken or bokuto - in other words, a wooden sword.
These come in many different levels of qualit: from lignum vitae super bokken to US$85 Japanese white and red oak, but generally speaking - it isn't necessary to spend anywhere near as much as this (the lignum vitae bokken are seriously overpriced really - if it is an almost indestructible, yet better balanced Bokken you are after, Cold Steel offer a very innovative and modern polypropylene version called the Cold Steel Highest Quality Bokken, a $29 training tool that compares well in terms of handling to much higher quality ones, and is extremely impact resistant - though not without its weaknesses).
Anyway, for most beginners - even a simple $10.00 hardwood bokken such as these ones are good enough to do the job.
After some time with a bokken, the student typically graduates to practicing with an iaito - or non sharpened Katana (though some schools skip the bokken entirely and go straight to the iaito).
Iaito come in many different types and price ranges. Those from Japan are made from an extremely light (but rather fragile) aluminium alloy, primarily because Japanese law prohibits the mass production of steel swords...
The main problem with these blades is that they are much lighter than a real Katana, so there are also iaito manufactured and used outside of Japan that are made of real steel.
For the budget minded student, Cheness Cutlery offer some extremely popular non-sharpened iaito that have been accepted into many dojos across the world as a very good value for money piece such as the $199 Deluxe Non Sharpened Iaito.
A very few schools only train with live blades, with most using them only when they have a specialized cutting session - which varies in frequency from school to school. Live Katana are reviewed elsewhere on SBG (if you haven't seen these reviews, click here).
The only other bit of equipment usually 'used' when Japanese sword training is the Dogi and Hakama uniform. These, and Kendo Bogu Armour, are readily available at several online sword sellers.