Zanshin
One of the questions I get asked the most about gekken is how does it relate to kata.
In kata, one of the big focal points is zanshin. It's like a state of readiness. Usually shown at the end of kata but even in our cuts and movement, zanshin must be shown. In our style of Toyama Ryu, downwards cuts must finish at knee high, gyaku kesa finishing close to no higher than parallel with the floor. Why? If we miss then we're in a position we can we counter or cut again quickly if needed.
One of the things I see in gekken, when a person swings, they put their all into it which I can understand, but if you practice these cuts all the time, shouldn't you be able to stop at knee high without thinking about it? Many times I see students swing and they finish way past that stopping point and they become an easy target to hit. This is why that idea of a stopping point is so stressed in kata.
2nd, if we do land a hit, many people "let up" thinking that it's won but the opponent usually takes an extra swing or two. Because you thought you won already and let up, they usually get hit. In kendo, you display zanshin by charging into your opponent in a way with your sword forward after you land a hit. This is to overwhelm your opponent as well as put his sword against them so they can't really use it. For gekken, if you land a hit, show zanshin by putting yourself in a position so that there will be not be a second hit or til your opponent gives up (which is the point of seigan as well). You guys see me do this often after I land a hit. It's funny because kendo zanshin and gekken zanshin is different. When I started up kendo again in NY, I would land hits but I would do gekken zanshin and not get the point (in kendo, proper kendo zanshin must be shown to secure the point). Eventually I got used to kendo zanshin again but I had to make it like a switch to turn the gekken zanshin on and off haha.
3rd, in kata, after we finish our cuts, we do seigan, chiburi, noto. During this time, our zanshin should be in full effect just in case something happens again. In gekken sometimes I see that people would think they already got the point even though the opponent hasn't raised their hand. So they let up and then they get hit by the opponent. Until you know the fight is over and safe for you, you should never let your guard up.
What you can bring over from gekken into your kata in terms of zanshin is that well, now you know what it feels like to be not aware and you got the bruise to prove it haha.
In kata, one of the big focal points is zanshin. It's like a state of readiness. Usually shown at the end of kata but even in our cuts and movement, zanshin must be shown. In our style of Toyama Ryu, downwards cuts must finish at knee high, gyaku kesa finishing close to no higher than parallel with the floor. Why? If we miss then we're in a position we can we counter or cut again quickly if needed.
One of the things I see in gekken, when a person swings, they put their all into it which I can understand, but if you practice these cuts all the time, shouldn't you be able to stop at knee high without thinking about it? Many times I see students swing and they finish way past that stopping point and they become an easy target to hit. This is why that idea of a stopping point is so stressed in kata.
2nd, if we do land a hit, many people "let up" thinking that it's won but the opponent usually takes an extra swing or two. Because you thought you won already and let up, they usually get hit. In kendo, you display zanshin by charging into your opponent in a way with your sword forward after you land a hit. This is to overwhelm your opponent as well as put his sword against them so they can't really use it. For gekken, if you land a hit, show zanshin by putting yourself in a position so that there will be not be a second hit or til your opponent gives up (which is the point of seigan as well). You guys see me do this often after I land a hit. It's funny because kendo zanshin and gekken zanshin is different. When I started up kendo again in NY, I would land hits but I would do gekken zanshin and not get the point (in kendo, proper kendo zanshin must be shown to secure the point). Eventually I got used to kendo zanshin again but I had to make it like a switch to turn the gekken zanshin on and off haha.
3rd, in kata, after we finish our cuts, we do seigan, chiburi, noto. During this time, our zanshin should be in full effect just in case something happens again. In gekken sometimes I see that people would think they already got the point even though the opponent hasn't raised their hand. So they let up and then they get hit by the opponent. Until you know the fight is over and safe for you, you should never let your guard up.
What you can bring over from gekken into your kata in terms of zanshin is that well, now you know what it feels like to be not aware and you got the bruise to prove it haha.
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