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Ken no Sui no Kata

From Shiro Kuma's Weblog by kumablog

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The Ken is heavy and needs a lot of circular momentum to cut into the opponent.

To apply an “omote shutô-like” cut to the side of the neck and to be sure to slide the blade in between the helmet and the yoroi (shoulder level) you must use your taijutsu and the kosshi of the Gyokko ryû.

3 Key points:

  • the sword is in line with the body above the head.
  • the wrist is reverse and broken
  • the blade is as flat as possible

 

Start from an Ichimonji like kamae with the blade lying flat on the arm. From the kamae lift the sword above the head and support it with your extended fingers. Then “lasso” the blade still as flat as as possible above the head with a full body movement using the tenchi (body axis) as a pivoting point. The pivoting action to throw the body is done at the left toe (forward leg). The body weight is transferred gradually from the back leg to the front one (hips still leveled), this slides the body axis forward inducing an acceleration of the blade.

The speed of rotation of the blade added to the body movements creates a devastating power to cut/crush the opponent.


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SANSHIN NO KATA with MATS HJELM (Riga 2011)

From Budoshop by BUDOSHOP.SE

Sanshin no kata and Kihon-happo is the most fundamental and important techniques in the Bujinkan Dojo. Five blocking techniques and five counter strikes was taught; the basic form and also jissen feeling.
 
This video is from a seminar in Riga, Latvia in February 26th 2011. This is day one of two. The first day the theme was Sanshin no kata and the second day Juttejutsu.
 

45 minutes, 572 Mb for $10.99

This video is not available as DVD!


On this video Mats was teaching the Sanshin no kata. He taught the basics, and more self defence and real responses. Without weapons and with weapons. There is five different ways of receiving an attack, and five different ways of counter attacking.

三心の型 SANSHIN NO KATA

地 CHI (earth)
水 SUI (water)
火 KA (fire)
風 FŪ (wind)
空 KŪ (void)
The techniques is called…

The video is 45 minutes, and 640 x 360 pixels, h.264 and AAC.

Recorded in Riga, Latvia February 2011

Sample clip from the video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN4XcGbDsm8

For a longer article about this seminar, see Mats blog.

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Photon & Stardust: the Spirit of Movement

From Shiro Kuma's Weblog by kumablog

the essence of movement

Once again I would like to review  a metaphore used by sensei not long ago. He spoke about “photon & stardust” to me, it is the best way to explain how things should happen in the dôjô.

From our perspective, a photon is invisible. Stardust in space is also invisiable to us. A photon is moving at the speed of light in space and stardust is moving also at a permanent speed. Now until they meet there is o way for you to see them. When they collide a spark of light is created. This spark is the movement/technique. Both the photon and the stardust become visible when the spark of light appears. Before the collision they “are non existent” (to our senses), after they are not existent any more. When you fight your opponent what happens is identical.

In  ”l‘esprit du geste“* this is what I tried to explain. There is no thinking process, no intention, only a spark of light. In a fight, there is no technique there is only an opportunity of possibility. It is only a probability of occurrence. Adapt!

Chi does not think

Sui does not think

Ka does not think

Fû does not think

Kû does not think

So why do you think? the sixth element shiki (consciousness) appears, it is not the product of the analytical brain. It is given as everything in Nature, natural movement is only that.

*the book is now translated into English and  soon available.

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