Tachi Uchi no Kata

La premiere serie de kata dans le programme (1) du KNBK

Tachi uchi no kata (2) est une serie de 7 kata concue par Oe Masamichi, 18eme Soke (grand-maitre) du Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.

Apres la restauration Meiji en 1868, la classe des Samourai fut abolie au Japon. Il devint important d'enseigner a l'ensemble de la population les techniques martiales des differents clans, afin que celles-ci ne soient pas perdues. Les modes d'enseignements changerent. Des formes simplifiees - non traditionelles - furent crees pour enseigner a de jeunes gens provenant de familles sans tradition militaire.

Les katas de Tachi Uchi no kata etaient a l'origine destines a etre enseignes a des eleves du niveau college. Ils sont bases sur la serie traditionelle Tachi Uchi no Kurai, enseignee plus tard dans la progression de notre ecole. 

Le but de cette serie est l'acquisition de la comprehension et le controle de la DISTANCE entre deux adversaires. Pour cette raison, il n'est pas necessaire d'y demontrer une attitude aggressive. (3)

Les mouvements individuels se nomment : 

Deai

Kobushitori

Zetsumyoken

Dokumyoken

Tsukadome

Ukenagashi

Mappo

Tachi Uchi no kata est ici demontre par Kono Hyakuren Hanshi (1898-1974)

 

 

 

 Notes : 

(1) Pour etre admis a passer le test de Shodan, un eleve doit demontrer une bonne comprehension des deux series Tachi Uchi no Kata et Tachi Uchi no Kurai (programme KNBK 2022)

(2) un autre nom pour la serie Tachi Uchi no kata est "Oe no mono", en reference a Oe Masamichi Hanshi

(3) La deuxieme serie de kata , nommee Tachi Uchi no Kurai, reprends certains des techniques de Tachi Uchi no kata, en leur donnant parfois des noms differents. Dans cette seconde serie, on cherche a developper en plus du sens de la distance, celui du TIMING, et une attitude plus agressive est utilisee.

 

I completed yesterday (December 21st) one of my goals for this year. I practiced each one of the MJER Shoden waza and Batto Ho waza 150 times - that is home practice and dos not include class practice. I also practiced Yoshukai Iai - the whole set - 120 times. The long term goal is to practice each waza 1000 times.

Katachi cannot be practiced solo, so far we are up to 350 times Ukenagashi Sono Ni, both parts. I certainly cannot say our execution is perfect, but it has improved a lot. When we first started, we would, maybe, get one acceptable waza each 20 or 30 repetition. Now there are times when I can perform properly 3 or 4 times in a row. 

How do I know they are good ? That's a good question. It feels good, it seems that the timing is good, the distance is good, the opponent's boken slides effortlessly on mine. Notice that I did not say it was perfect ! I am sure there will be things to improve, which I am not able to figure out by myself, and this is what seminars are about.

One thing I know is that our practice has improved, and that this is the only way to progress.

I practice 4 or 5 mornings per week - MJER Iai, Yoshukai Iai, then Zen, the whole thing takes about 1 1/2 hours. Some days I have to shorten it. 

We practice Katachi in class, usually Tuesday night for we have a 3 hours class. We only account for sets of 10. If you practice 3 times a waza, you don't really have the opportunity to improve it, so it does not count. We do 2 to 5 sets, each opponent does both Uchidachi and Shidachi part. It takes a while, but it is worth it. 

Practicing each waza 1000 times will take years, but we have time ! In 2014 I want to complete 150 of each Chuden and Okuden waza; for katachi: 1000 Ukenagashi Sono Ni - then we will switch to an other one, possibly Shinmyoken. 

What are your goals ? 

Japanese fencing has no ‘blocking’ or ‘defending’ techniques

A very interesting idea...

"Japanese fencing has no ‘blocking’ or ‘defending’ techniques... It is useless simply to just stop or block the enemies attack. In deflecting or receiving a blade you must instantly turn it into an attack." (see the whole text below)

I never was very strong, and it is not going to get better with age. Whether in Karate or Kendo, I am reluctant to blocking a strong technique from my opponent, for I know that if that technique is very strong, it might well go through my block (I have a few of my Yoshukai friends in mind here : Travis Page, Paul Turner, James Ronnie...)
So I like the idea: no block, but deflect and counter in a same move.

The practice of Eishin Ryu Iai jutsu and Itto Ryu Kenjutsu, have helped me use that concept in Kendo shiai. The result is: less fatigue, I can last longer. Lasting longer is good, it helps you outlast your opponent until he is tired, then win. 

So, how do I apply this to Karate? I am not sure.  I am looking into this, and I'm not too successful so far. I have to find new techniques, and forget about the old ones, too strong, too straight. Little by little...

Takano Sasaburo (1863 - 1950) of the Ono Ha Itto Ryu, was an instructor at the Tokyo Shihan Gakko (Tokyo Teacher's College). The pPesident of the college was Kano Jigoro (1860 - 1938), founder of Modern Judo. (We are in good company...) The College housed the first department of Physical Education in Japan and was the first school to train martial art instructors for public schools.

Takano Sasaburo took the 68 shinai techniques of Chiba Shusaku Narimasa and reduced their number down to 50 techniques. He then revised  them so they could be practiced by school children using relatively short (but still longer than most steel swords) shinai.

Takano Sasaburo explained this teaching curriculum in a series of books still studied today.

Japanese fencing has no ‘blocking’ or ‘defending’ techniques. Against an enemy's attack, we evade, cut through their blade (kiriotoshi), or deflect and strike (ukenagashi). These cannot be categorized as blocking as these actions are done with the objective of cutting or thrusting the enemy. All these techniques are used to place yourself in an advantageous position. For example, when you are doing kiriotoshi the goal should be to cut the enemies body, and the instant you perform ukenagashi you must turn your blade and strike him. While doing this you must not even allow the tiniest opportunity for the enemy to attack you.

Its useless simply to just stop or block the enemies attack. In deflecting or receiving a blade you must instantly turn it into an attack. Simply blocking/stopping the enemies attack is not beneficial (in defeating your enemy).

Therefore, the merit of kendo is using “sen sen no sen” to take the lead and attack with strong resolution and overwhelming power, all the time without leaving any opening for the enemy to attack you. This will lead to a superb victory.

If you stop to think for a while, this method is not simply about flying blindly into an attack; rather it's about spending a long time working out when the right time is to attack, learning about what works when and what doesn’t (the principles)… only after you do this can you gain (true) victory.

(This is an excerpt from the excellent blog KENSHI247)

We can practice our arts in this way. Karate may be a little trickier, I will keep trying and let you know how I'm doing with it... There are a good supply of strong young stallions at the Dojo, always eager to see what they can do against the old man... There are even a few fighters I would rather have on my side than against me in a bar fight. I am thankful for them.  

"A vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire". 

There is no glory in winning if you take no risk.

And then, how about applying this to Zen ?