Kendo Kata in Japan

A very nice demonstration of Kendo Kata. Prior to 2009.

Pay attention to the way partners separate in Kendo Kata, if I am not mistaken, this is the way one should separate in the Batto-Ho katachi paired exercises described in 

Samurai Swordsmanship: The Batto, Kenjutsu, and Tameshigiri of Eishin-Ryu - the last book by Carl Long Sensei and Masayaki Shimabukuro Hanshi.

 

Pay also attention to the way they walk, the ball of the foot lands first, the toes slightly lifted, and the heel never really supports much weight. 

 

This is important. It is the fastest way to move or change direction. 

When your weight is on your heel, you cannot jump, push with that leg, or change direction as fast as when it is on the ball of your foot.

Always slightly bend your knees to bring your weight to the ball of the foot. Never support your weight with your heels.

Basically, this is when your opponent's weight is on their heels that you want to attack them, specially when they are retreating. For then they are off-balance, and their strikes or cuts cannot be really powerful or accurate. This is true in Kendo, this is true in Karate. 

 

The Devil is in the details...

 

 

Yoshukai Karate 30th Anniversary Tournament

The tournament went very well. Great competition, forms, weapons, sparring. It was attended by International visitors from Japan, Germany and Canada.

Our Grand Master Kaicho Yamamoto had brought with him a group young Japanese who did very well at the competition, and impressed everyone with their excellent manners and politeness.
Kaicho was presented with a Cowboy hat by the Texas Yoshukai group of Mr Byron Taylor. He seemed to enjoy it thoroughly...

A group of Canadians from British Columbia was lead by their Sensei Greg Turnbull who won the Grand Champion competition with a very impressive kata. His demonstration was an example for us all. Not only was he fast, he was also very stable and his stances very strong.


It is unusual to find someone who can display speed and stability. It is a very difficult thing to master. A lot of it is about trying to place the weight on the front of the foot (K1 point) and grabbing the ground with the toes. Easier said than done, years of attention are needed to develop this.


Cody Ray and I performed Kendo Kata in its entirety - Odachi and Kodachi part. You could have heard a pin drop in the civic center. Later that evening during the party that followed this event, I had comments about the relief people felt when we completed it : "Nobody was hurt..."

Kendo Kata Sanbonme

On Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at about 8:30 p.m., after an approximate 22 years of practice, I finally figured out Kendo Kata Odachi : Sanbonme.

Sanbonme is the third in a series of 7 kata performed with a wooden sword (boken) between 2 partners : Shidachi, the good guy, attacked by Uchidachi, the bad guy - usually the teacher. Normally only the first 3 kata are studied before testing for Black Belt.

Sanbonme is a very difficult one to master because of the footwork. When in all other kata one always step to the front or back beginning with the front or back foot, in Sanbonme when Shidachi counter attacks him, Uchidachi steps back with his front foot first.

Until last night, it had never made sense, the natural way to step back seemed to be back foot first.

Because Shidachi's control of Uchidachi's attack was too forceful...

Instead of wacking Uchidachi's attack to the side, if Shidachi only slightly deviates Uchidachi's initial attack and takes control of the center, he is in good and very natural position to attack back, and Uchidachi then only can step back very quickly with his front foot - least he be poked between the ribs by Shidachi's sword that is now dangerously close...

The whole kata becomes effortless, and Shidachi totally controls Uchidachi at the tip of his sword.

We were able to figure this out because of the emphasis my students and I have put on our practice of Kenjutsu lately : Kendo Kata, Eishin Ryu Tachiuchi no Kurai, and mainly Ono Ha Itto Ryu Kenjutsu. The whole point are to not create any opening and occupy the center.

The details of the move I cannot explain in writing. They have to be practiced. The main points are that when practiced in this way, the waza is extremely efficient in terms of RESULT achieved : Uchidachi REALLY feels so much pressure that he has to step back, quickly, with his front foot. It is also extremely efficient in terms of ENERGY used. Shidachi effortlessly takes control of the game EFFORTLESSLY.

Beyond technical knowledge, this is what we should strive for : Efficiency : Achieve maximum result with minimum effort.

Kendo Kata Video - bis

OK, I am getting better at this game of uploading stuff on the net ! Here, you can watch the video directly from this screen without having to follow a link up.

This was taken at the Yoshukai Karate Wintercamp, last february 7, 2009.

Kendo Kata Video

Finally, after days of a fierce battle against the mighty Internet Dragons, I was able to upload the video of our winning Demonstration of Kendo Kata Odachi on Feb 7 at the Yoshukai Karate Wintercamp.

It turned out to be much easier to upload to Google Video than it is to YouTube or Facebook - actually, I gave up on both of these...

I hope you enjoy it.