kendou ha menippon! third chapter (2)

sword man who desire to master neat and orthodox kendo

This book explain the way of thinking that acquire orthodox kendo which fits the sword.

Sword man stand confronting each other spacing for nine steps while he is carrying sinai naturally on his left hand whose center string direct downward.

Sword man bow while he is watching opponent’s eyes. His upper body slant about fifty degrees as a result.

Sword man wear sinai lifting up it by his left hand on his left waist while he make his thumb hook tsuba.

Sword man advance with long stride and vigorously from right leg while he is wearing sinai and he hold on sinai near tsuba from below by his right hand while he put his right leg forward for three steps staying alert. After that he bring his left leg near right leg and do sonkyo while he is pulling and lifting up sinai.

Sword man prepare his foots in sonkyo to lift up both heels and put forward right leg and take a position which is called right natural body and open both legs about 90 degree each other. To do that sword man can take solid stance and fulfill ki into seikatanden. Moreover sword man put buttocks on both heels and keep balance and stabilize center of gravity and fulfill ki power.

Sword man do sonkyo from cyuudan stance and return sinai from top to down and put up sword on left side waist. Next sword man stand up and recede small five steps from
left leg staying alert and bow after he carried sinai naturally. In case practice match or match are interrupted, sword man put up sinai while he is standing and recede for five steps each other and bow. In case practice match or match are resumed, sword man stand spacing for nine steps each other and bow and advance three steps and do stance while he is standing.

Aim of foot movement can be organized next three patarns.

• body movement to adjust distance from opponent.
• body movement to strike opponent.
• body movement to dodge opponent’s strike and strike opponent.
  

Foot movement have four types such as step foot, send foot, add foot, open foot and every foot movement have to be done by slip foot movement.
Sword man should not make his heels touch floor board.

Step foot movement is used to move back and forth fast and far away. sword man advance and recede while he is moving right leg and left leg alternatively which is similar to regular walk. Sword man move stabilizing his posture without shaking upper body and sinai.

Send foot movement is used to move back and forth and right and left and all diagonal directions near there quickly and strike opponent from one step one strike distance.
Sword man step forward from leg which is near direction he want to move and draw following other leg to send it to original position.

Add foot movement is used to strike opponent from more far distance than one step one strike distance. That is type of foot movement which function as assisting attack.

Open foot movement is used to adjust distance from opponent’s strike and dodge that and strike opponent.

Step on foot movement is used to strike opponent from one step one strike distance and in case he step on right leg he move right leg at first, but there is a background that left leg sustain sword man’s body firmly to move right leg. While sword man make left leg sustain sword man’s body firmly, he take off sharply by left heel bone part and At same time he step on right leg greatly and strike opponent. After sword man step on right leg and strike opponent, he draw his left leg rapidly to send that to behind right leg.

• To step on right leg greatly determine effective strike and lead momentum of sword man’s body and sharpness of technique.
• Sword man should not break left half body to use left leg as support shaft.
• Sword man should not lift up right leg too much to step on.
• Sword man should draw left leg rapidly after he strike opponent.
• Sword man should fill stride staying alert after he strike opponent.