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SWORD FIGHTING fundamental postures with MATS HJELM

From Budoshop.se by BUDOSHOP.SE

SWORD FIGHTING fundamental postures with MATS HJELM. These “Kamae” is not simply a static posture you can learn from looking at a picture. Each Kamae is studied by practicing the whole movement. All Kamae have a complete technique from start to finish connected to it. The whole technique becomes the Kamae and help us understand the posture better. Hatsumi Sōke taught us these Kamae very often without telling us what it was. He often started the Sunday morning class by taking a sword and teach one of these Kamae without explaining the origins of the technique. I as most others (I think) thought he just did something random without deeper thought behind it. I soon found out that I was wrong, it was these Kamae he was showing us. It was Ninja Happo-biken from Togakure-ryu. This video covers Kamae no Kata, the postures and movements of traditional sword fighting techniques of Togakure-ryu.
Happō-biken, eight directional secret sword means: generating an infinite secret sword from the posture of divine mind – divine eyes (心身心眼 SHIN SHIN SHIN GAN). Masaaki Hatsumi

Download SWORD FIGHTING fundamental postures with MATS HJELM

On this video Mats show all 8 Sword postures and techniques from the Togakure-ryū in the Bujinkan system. These are the eight postures.

忍者八方秘剣構 NINJA HAPPO BIKEN KAMAE

NINJA SWORD FIGHTING And the essential postures and movements with MATS HJELM. Each technique is demonstrated and explained from different camera angles. The instructions are in English.
  1. 一之構　ICHI NO KAMAE
  2. 正眼之構 SEIGAN NO KAMAE
  3. 中段之構 CHŪDAN NO KAMAE
  4. 下段之構 GEDAN NO KAMAE
  5. 棟水之構 TŌSUI NO KAMAE
  6. 八相之構 HASSŌ NO KAMAE
  7. 霞之構　KASUMI NO KAMAE
  8. 刀匿礮姿 TŌTOKU HYŌSHI
SWORD FIGHTING fundamental postures with MATS HJELM
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This video is from a Seminar in 2021. Recorded in Sundbyberg, Stockholm in October 30’th 2021. The seminar was organised by Bujinkan Kaigozan Dojo.

About the instructor

Mats Hjelm started training in Bujinkan for the first time around 1983. It wasn’t until 1986 when he had the opportunity to start training more seriously under a Shidōshi. He has taught at numerous seminars all around the world, gone to Japan 3-5 times every year. After he started training he never had a training break. He takes his budo training very seriously! If you want to sponsor a seminar or course, please don’t hesitate to contact him. For more information see his web site kesshi.com or come and train with him at Kaigozan Dojo.…

Keiko#26 KUKAN NO NAWA with LAURI, MARIETTE, & MATS

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keiko26
120 minutes, 778 Mb for $19.99
(H.264, 400p)
Available as download or DVD

Lauri, Mariette and Mats are all known and respected Bujinkan teachers in their own country and also internationally. Here they taught individually and together at the end of they day.

Title: Keiko26 – Kukan no Nawa (Taijutsu / Nawa / Kenjutsu /Bojutsu)
Instructors: Lauri Jokinen, Mariette v.d. Vliet, Mats Hjelm
Theme: Kukan no Nawa (Taijutsu / Nawa / Kenjutsu /Bojutsu)
Recorded: Recorded in Stockholm May 1-3th 2009 The instruction is in English
Approximately 120 Minutes playing time.

Lauri from Finland taught Taijutsu with the feeling of rope, both with and without the actual rope.

Mariette from the Netherlands taught Bojutsu against sword, Taijutsu and Self defence against knife attacks.

Mats from Sweden taught Iainuki (drawing the sword), Kenjutsu, Bofuri (spinning with the long staff) and Taijutsu.

Who is Mats Hjelm

Mats Hjelm started training in Bujinkan for the first time around 1983, but it wasn’t until 1986 he had the opportunity to start training more seriously under a Shidôshi. He met Hatsumi Sôke for the first time in 1988. He attends around 20 seminars, go to Japan 2-3 times every year. Since he started training he never had a training break. He takes his budo training very seriously!

Lauri – http:/www.shinden.fi
Mariette – http://www.bujinkanbudokai.nl
Mats – http://www.kesshi.com

If you want to sponsor a seminar or course, please don’t hesitate to contact him. For more information see his web site http://www.kesshi.com…

Keiko#24 KIMENBUSSHIN (Taijutsu, Kenjutsu, Nawajutsu) with MATS HJELM & KENT T

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keiko24
100 minutes, 1 Gb for $19.99
(H.264, 400p)
Available as download or DVD

In this video Mats and Kent taught many basic and advanced techniques they did in Japan during January 2009. Taihenjutsu-ukemi unarmed and with a rokushaku-bo (long staff). Taijutsu techniques, and also taijutsu techniques using a rope. And some kenjutsu, sword training.

Title: Keiko24 – Mats Hjelm & Kent T – Taijutsu-Kenjutsu-Nawajutsu (Kimenbusshin)
Instructors: Mats Hjelm & Kent T
Theme: Taijutsu, Kenjutsu, Nawajutsu
Recorded: Recorded in Stockholm February 7-8th 2009 The instruction is in English!
105 Minutes playing time.

Shortly after their Japan trip this year training with Soke and the Shihan, they held this seminar. In this video many basic and advanced techniques is shown.
* Taihenjutsu-ukemi, rolling with or without weapon
* Kenjutsu, sword techniques
* Nawajutsu, using the rope to entangle the opponent

Who is Mats Hjelm

Mats Hjelm started training in Bujinkan for the first time around 1983, but it wasn’t until 1986 he had the opportunity to start training more seriously under a Shidôshi. He met Hatsumi Sôke for the first time in 1988. He attends around 20 seminars, go to Japan 2-3 times every year. Since he started training he never had a training break. He takes his budo training very seriously!

Kent T has been practing Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu for 20 years and is one of the main instructors at Kaigozan Dojo in Stockholm.

If you want to sponsor a seminar or course, please don’t hesitate to contact him. For more information see his web site http://www.kesshi.com…

biken#04 KUKISHIN-RYU BIKENJUTSU with HOLGER KUNZMANN

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biken04
80 minutes, 637 Mb for $19.99
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This DVD contains all the nine basic sword techniques from Kukishin-ryu Bikenjutsu Kata plus the Sayugyaku techniques. They are taught and explained thoroughly as a basic foundation, and then with many applications and variations.

Shortly after returning from training in Japan again with Soke and the Shihan, Holger held this seminar in Kaigozan Dojo, Stockholm, Sweden. This DVD contains all the nine basic sword techniques from Kukishin-ryu Bikenjutsu Kata plus the Sayugyaku techniques. They are taught and explained thoroughly as a basic foundation, and then with many applications and variations.

The techniques covered on this DVD is the following.

附込 TSUKI KOMI
突掛 TSUKI KAKE
斬上 KIRI AGE
斬下 KIRI SAGE
銯止 KASUGAI DOME
小蝶返 KOCHOU GAESHI
四方斬 SHIHOU GIRI
八方斬 HAPPOU GIRI
月之輪 TSUKI NO WA

All these techniques are explained and taught in detail.

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden March 2009

Who is Holger Kunzmann?

Holger’s main interest in Bujinkan is the basics. And he has become quite famous for his excellent taijutsu and very good knowledge and skill of the basics in Bujinkan.
Holger’s web site… http://www.bkd-reutlingen.de/…

Keiko#23 BIKENJUTSU with MATS HJELM

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90 minutes, 883 Mb for $19.99
(h.264 M4V/MP4 400p format)
And 4 page transcript (in English)

Available as download or full DVD!

This movie deals with Batto (quick drawing the sword), Ukemi (breakfalling with a sword), Sword Kamae, and Sword techniques. There is many basics and more advanced techniques, training drills and more.

- Happo-giri, basic cutting techniques
- Taihenjutsu ukemi, rolling with the sword
- Batto/Iainuki, drawing the sword quickly
- Kamae, body positioning and angling
- Bikenjutsu, sword techniques from Togakure-ryu

Recorded in Stockholm June 2008

The instructions is in Swedish, but the instructions is very visible and clear. But we included a 4 page transcript, comments and descriptions in English.

About the instructor

Mats Hjelm started training in Bujinkan for the first time around 1983, but it wasn’t until 1986 he had the opportunity to start training more seriously under a Shidôshi. He attends around 20 seminars, go to Japan 2-3 times every year. Since he started training he never had a training break. He takes his budo training very seriously! If you want to sponsor a seminar or course, please don’t hesitate to contact him. For more information see his web site www.kesshi.com Note!

About the download

Click here for more information about our download files and how it works!…

Keiko#09 ROPPOKUJI NO BIKEN with TIM BATHURST

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keiko09
135 minutes, 654 Mb for $19.99
(H.264, 480p)
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This years theme was Roppô Kuji + Bûdô no Kiso – (Bujinkan sword basics & advanced).

In August 2004 he came to visit us in Stockholm, Sweden to give a seminar on this year’s Bujinkan theme, Roppô Kuji no Biken. He taught sword, unarmed defence, and the rokushakubô. Tim explained what would work and what probably would not work in a real situation. The theme of this seminar was very much Shinken-gata, true or real combat methods.

He taught ukemi with sword, basic kamae, basic drawing and cutting, and many sword techniques… Engetsu Sappô, Nito-ryû, Hiryû-ken, Tsuki-komi, Tsuki-iri, Datô no ken, Kochô-gaeshi and many more.

He also taught Mutô-dori, stopping someone to use his sword, how to use the sword if stopped and much more. Also the six foot staff technique Gohô was covered in detail.

The first hours of Sunday morning is not on this video, it is a separate video titled “Kihon Happo Video” wich also includes the x-tra training class he did right before this seminar in Kaigozan Dojo.

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden August 2004

Who is Tim Bathurst?

Good question… Tim is a senior student of Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi, living and training in Tokyo Japan. After a few visits starting in 1990, Tim moved to Japan in 1997 and is one of the few foreigners to have earned the title of Shihan while living in Japan. Presently graded at Judan-ka (10th Dan-Fire level…13th Dan to some.)

Tim has never been in the Military, never served as a police officer, never done personal security, never been to war… Actually, the only thing he has really done is train with the best of the Bujinkan for the last dozen years or so.

If you\’ve been to Japan in the last 5 years or so you would have seen Tim at Hatsumi sensei\’s or Nagato sensei\’s dojos. If you\’re unlucky you will also have to put up with him translating from Japanese into his own Australian version of English… and occasionally into rather poor Spanish.

One of the huge benefits of training for so long in Japan is that Tim has learnt his weapons technique as well as his Taijutsu directly from the Grandmaster and the top Master students of the Art.

From his own web site… http://www.timbathurst.net

About the download

Click here for more information about our download files and how it works!…

Keiko#07 ROPPOKUJI NO BIKEN with MATS HJELM

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keiko07
80 minutes, 645 Mb for $19.99
(H.264, 400p)
Available as download or DVD

This years theme was Roppô Kuji + Bûdô no Kiso – (Bujinkan sword basics & advanced).

This was a seminar after a three week training trip to Japan (March-April 2004). Mats is teaching Roppô Kuji no Biken (advanced sword techniques), mainly techniques and feelings from what Hatsumi Sensei taught during this trip.

Also sword basics, how to hold the sword properly, and techniques how to learn the basic cutting, handling the sword and more.

Note: The instructions was in Swedish, but the video have English subtitles.

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden April 2004

Sample clip

About the download

Click here for more information about our download files and how it works!…

Shiken no Ken

From Shiro Kuma's Weblog by kumablog

ImageThe 四賢の劒 shiken no ken (four virtues of Ken) are the 4 basic rules that I found so far in my research and training with the Chinese Ken.

After giving two seminars on the Chinese Ken I have made a 私見 shiken (personal opinion), about the way to train and to enrich our budô practice with the help of this fantastic new weapon. 

Through thorough 試験 shiken (study and experiment), and exchange with my fellow jûgodan, I came up with the “shiken no ken”, or 4 rules/virtues of the Chinese Ken:

This is G.A.M.A.N:*

1. GRAVITY: Like for the Tachi, I think that a metallic sword is necessary to really understand the major differences in the balance of the blade. The momentum is what creates the 重力 jû ryoku (gravity) feeling. Throw the body by the blade. If you only have a wooden Ken, put some weight at the tip to get this drowning feeling of the head of the blade when moving.

2. AWARENESS: Be careful, train slowly as the momentum of the blade is different from the Japanese sword. This is very true when doing the large (and necessary) horizontal cuts are taking a lot of space. Please check the space around you and avoid hitting the walls or your dôjô friends before doing them. Also, for those training with a wooden sword, be aware that these wooden “taichi” ken on the market are very fragile, they don’t block an attack like a real bokken would; they can break easily and become dangerous for yourself, your partner and your neighbours. 

3. MOVEMENT & ARUKI: a straight blade can only create a cutting motion when the movement is circular. Therefore move in a circular manner with your legs and body when doing a technique. Body movement has to recreate the missing curve (反り, sori) of the Chinese blade. Chinese Ken jutsu seems to be at the origin of our particular Aruki of the Bujinkan Taijutsu. Use your legs and get lower even more. Footwork, footwork, footwork!

4. NATURE: Train your regular Taijutsu techniques with the Ken: Ken is in scabbard (held in left hand), Ken is of the scabbard in the right hand: a) scabbard is in left hand and is used as a shield; b) without scabbard, the left hand is free and you can change hand easily.

Be patient, train properly, persevere and if you apply them, I am confident that you will reach the high level of 知見 Chiken: expertise and experience.*

Enjoy!

 

*我慢 GAMAN means: patience, perseverance, self-control, endurance

**please note this is “Chiken” and NOT “Chicken”… :-)

 

 


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The Bujinkan theme for 2012 is SWORD…

From Budoshop by BUDOSHOP.SE

The Bujinkan Theme for 2012 training is “futsu” and there will be a lot of trainings with the sword. When I’m writing this the trainings haven’t started yet, and no one really knows what the trainings will be like. I’ve already seen some good articles explaining some concepts, but I’m not sure if they will help you or plant something different in your mind that will distract you from what Hatsumi Soke will teach us this year.

At Budoshop.se we got many Bujinkan sword DVD’s from the past years that might be good for studying the base sword work that is taught in the Bujinkan. We also have Swedish Tai Kai DVD’s with Hatsumi Soke, he always taught a lot of sword techniques in the past to. If you haven’t been around that long or just want to recap from the old days we got some good DVD’s for you. Check them out!…

News update, June 29′th

From Sweden Taikai 2011 by Sweden Taikai 2011

Hatsumi Soke with Shindenfudo-ryu Sword in STHLM 1998

Hatsumi Soke with the Shindenfudo-ryu Sword in STHLM 1998

We updated the web site with a new video of Steve Olsen who will be one of the four Shihan teaching at the Sweden Tai Kai in September.

We have the venue booked now. We wanted the bigger venue, but it was fully booked. But we booked another gym hall we used many times before (same place where most of the Kaigousuru Taikai in the past was). The address is…
Lilla Alby Skola, Humblegatan 19-21, Sundbyberg, Stockholm, Sweden.

Apparently Hatsumi Soke started teaching Shindenfudo-ryu Iai, as a second theme for this year in May. In 1998 Hatsumi Soke taught Shindenfudo-ryu taijutsu and sword, you might want to check out the videos from 1998 to see how Soke used this big sword. However, he might teach with a different sword now (I don’t know). However there is still three more months for the guys in Japan to figure it out. I’m sure the Taikai will be interesting for everyone attending, I hope you can make it.

The sign-up form will be available later in July.

On the Facebook event page we can see that there is 51 attending, 118 maybes, and 776 people who hasn’t made up their minds yet. This is interesting for us to see, but from experience we can’t trust this system. People have confirmed before and never showed up, it is to easy to just say yes without meaning it. The only way to confirm your place is through our sign-up form that will be up later in July.

We also updated the Information page, please read it before sending us questions!

Edit: I also added a new video with Duncan Stewart.

Pictures of Sundbyberg and Stockholm

STHLM, Värtahamnen o Kaknästornet SBB, Albygatan close to the station SBB, Albygatan, KGZ dojo down there SBB, entrance to KGZ dojo SBB, Lötsjön SBB, Train-, Metro-, Bus- station SBB, Vintergatan SBB, Tornparken SBB, Tornparken2 SBB, Vattentornet SBB, Storkyrkan Hatsumi Soke with Shindenfudo-ryu Sword in STHLM 1998

Happy training!

/Mats

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