10/1/07

Who - Dan, Henry

Worked on Shoden kata 1-5
a) trying to focus on cutting from the top of the head rather than from the forehead. This makes a swing and arc of the cut more natural as it is a more natural pendulum motion
b) raise arms straight up in jodan, as you swing downwards, try to keep the arms straight throughtout the whole swing

As you can see, when you swing from your forehead, the force of the cut is forward, although it will still cut, you will be cutting with force and not from your center. Because you are swinging from your arms, it will limit your chances of being able to follow though into another cut smoothly. To maximize how deep the cut initially enters, tip weight must be generated and then being brought down much like that of a hammer.
c) let the swing "drop" from the top of your head and manipulate the weight of the tip by your hips. If done properly you will feel it
d) Sei tei kata noto - you don't get up from iai goshi until the tsuba and saya meet unlike toyama ryu

Worked on Chuden kata 1-8
a) draw straight with the tsuka pointing straight rather than towards the middle. If you point it towards the center, the apex of the cut will be pointed away from the center

b) look at where you're gonna cut before you cut
c) try to do katas 5-6-7-8 at a speed where the sword never stops but is moved along by the body and not the arms
d) nihonmae - instead of stopping completely on gyaku kesa kesa, a brief pause in between cuts - this is so that the gyaku kesa is not being turned because you're to worried about the kesa
e) Yonhon mae - nukitsuke - chudan - gedan
f) ropponmae - look before you cut, and the transition between gyaku kesa, and kesa, a brief pause
g) the two kesas in happonmae should be flowing
h) push the foot back as you push the sword forward before chiburi

Did nukitsuke back and forth and tried combinations from nukitsuke
a) first cut first
b) less saya noise is better
c) if you get tired fast, then you're doing it wrong....

Comments

Unknown said…
beautiful drawings....just beautiful =P
Unknown said…
don't be puttin down sensei~!! anyway, the illustrations serve their purpose, to intensify understanding of kata and battodo. nice pics btw.

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