Relationships

Lately I've been seeing videos of practices through here and there. When I see such bad practice, I tend to bust out my personal sword DVD collection (No not that...) that I've gathered through the years and just watch them to help remind me what is REAL practice. When you practice, cutting or kata, you must practice enough to that it can be "real" at all times. I know that sounds weird but what I mean is that when we practice, many times we practice as if it's just ourselves. This is not a solo practice. It is a relationship with you and your sword or you can go for a menage a trois and add a target (real, imaginary). But it is with these relationships that you cultivate your technique, not just mindless swinging. Couple of insights....

On sword handling - treat it with respect. If it's bokken or iaito, treat it as if it has an edge. Many times, when people transition from iaito to shinken, there is always that doubt in your mind that you can't handle it or that it will suddenly change your technique. If you've practiced with the mindset that iaito was shinken, then there is no difference. All you have to do is TRUST your technique and practice. If you've practiced the proper fundamentals, then it should be ingrained into your muscle memory. All that's left is for the confidence in the effort you put it.

Kata - practice kata in relation as if an enemy is in front of you. I feel like this one gets lost most often. I'll see it in empty sword placement, weak zanshin, or weak seme. Kata we tend to practice to the point it just becomes a repeated cycle. Step here, cut here, step there, cut there. This is up to a certain level. This is empty. When I see kata that has been learnt from video or books, I'm reminded of this. Although kata is a solo practice, all movements in a kata are made because of the opponent. Why do I take 3 steps instead of 2? Because you should be able to draw 2 or 3 steps depending on range! Why do I cut this way? Because you've cleared center! Why do look first and then cut? If you have to ask this then I will not be responsible for you cutting down an old lady! Building a relationship in your head will help ease the transition when you will have to build one in front of you.

Cutting - cut like your sword is dull (don't rely on them too much but don't try to do all the work either!) Sometimes people put in too much umph, not trusting their techinique nor their sword, and sometimes people put in hardly any effort trusting in the sword too much. Now, when you go up to cut and you know you sword is sharp, a lot of times, people just drop their swords. The swing, or the tenouchi etc, is not in sync. The idea of ki ken tai ichi is not there. When people put too much umph, to me it means that either

a) Their sword is dull. I always give the benefit of the doubt hahaha = If your sword is dull fine. Get it sharpened. Trying to baseball swing it won't change anything though. You can probably still cut but it won't be clean. *time for plastic surgery*

b) They don't trust their technique = obviously we can't practice cutting all the time. However just like practicing handling or practicing kata, if you practice those proper suburi with the proper intent, then why shouldn't your technique work. You don't practice suburi to cut, you cut to help calibrate your suburi and kihon. *time to work out insecurities*

c) Theyr'e stuck in their head (this could be associated with b) = This happens a lot. The suburi looks fine, but when they go up to cut they can't translate it. This is a mental block which I associate with being afraid to not get through the target therefore adding more power or just an addition of a new variable throws everything off. If you get stuck then no worries. You tweak what you're doing to help make it work (while staying within the form of course), then you take that back to tweak your suburi. *this is like being afraid of making mistakes in a relationship*

Gekken - practice like you're in danger! Suicidal charges! Risky cuts! Ai uchi! Yes the media looks amusing (foam swords...although they do hurt) but the intent must be there or the practice is just relegated to foam sword swinging. This should be a nice balance of kata and cutting and sword handling. The idea of how to balance all these aspects is just important as concentrating too much on one.

So what do I look for in a "real" practice? When I watch a great kata or great cutting, it is always a great relationship of things. Sword, body, mind as one. Ki ken ta ichi. Not one dominating the other. This is a "real" practice. So when people say that Iai or batto is a solo practice I have to disagree. In the end we cultivate ourselves through relationships with the environment around us and I believe this is no different.