# 31 jo kumitachi



## Spinedoc (Mar 19, 2015)

One of the things we have been working on in our weapons class is the 31 jo kumitachi. We are hoping to eventually smooth it out, maai, and speed wise to do a video for our schools site.

This is a really fast version.....






Of course we are aiming more for this...






Or this..


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## hoshin1600 (Mar 19, 2015)

Not trying to nit pic but you used the term "jo kumi tachi"
It should be called kumi jo.  Kumi means a "string" of movements. Thus kumi jo, kumi tachi, and kumi te.  I'm sure you knew this but thought I would mention it.
Two things I always liked in videos are different camera angles and a slower speed so I can see details.
Good luck with the project and i look forward to seeing it.


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## Jenna (Mar 20, 2015)

Agree.. fast is good.. faster is better lol  I wonder what you do after your 31 jo kata? Have you ever tried using jo against kali stick fighter (one stick for fairness)? he is faster though jo can break his stick  Good luck with your project Jx


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## Blindside (Mar 20, 2015)

Jenna said:


> Agree.. fast is good.. faster is better lol  I wonder what you do after your 31 jo kata? Have you ever tried using jo against kali stick fighter (one stick for fairness)? he is faster though jo can break his stick  Good luck with your project Jx



Jo or long stick is a tough match up for a typical single kali/escrima stick on a purely striking basis, my typical strategy is to grab their stick and beat them with my shorter stick, people usually get too stuck trying to recover their weapon to deal with the incoming shots.  Alternately they crash to grappling range.


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## Ken Morgan (Mar 21, 2015)

I like, but it has always baffled me why anyone would shorten up a weapon....


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## Blindside (Mar 21, 2015)

Ken Morgan said:


> I like, but it has always baffled me why anyone would shorten up a weapon....



Do you mean why they don't always hold it to maximize the length of the weapon?


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## Ken Morgan (Mar 22, 2015)

Blindside said:


> Do you mean why they don't always hold it to maximize the length of the weapon?


Yep.
At times they are shortening the weapon up too much.


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## Blindside (Mar 22, 2015)

Ken Morgan said:


> Yep.
> At times they are shortening the weapon up too much.



I don't do aikido and am unfamiliar with the kata outside of my knowledge how I use a big stick in Kali, when are you seeing them shortening up too much?


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## Chris Li (Mar 23, 2015)

hoshin1600 said:


> Not trying to nit pic but you used the term "jo kumi tachi"
> It should be called kumi jo.  Kumi means a "string" of movements. Thus kumi jo, kumi tachi, and kumi te.  I'm sure you knew this but thought I would mention it.
> Two things I always liked in videos are different camera angles and a slower speed so I can see details.
> Good luck with the project and i look forward to seeing it.



"Kumi" ("kumu" / 組) actually means "associate" or "do together" (which is more relevant in this case). Generally speaking, here it refers to two people doing something together - jo or tachi (sword) or te (hand), or whatever. It doesn't necessarily have to be a string of movements, it could refer to one movement - if two people are training it together.

Best,

Chris


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## hoshin1600 (Mar 23, 2015)

Maybe we need a fluent speaker to give some input here. I am not arguing but for some reason I have been thinking it means "string". I would like to know if I am wrong so I don't keep giving out incorrect info. Maybe I'll look it up in my dictionary. Or Mr. Parker can chime in.


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## Chris Li (Mar 23, 2015)

I have a fair degree of fluency  - here's the kanji, FWIW...

Best,

Chris


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## Jenna (Mar 24, 2015)

Chris Li said:


> "Kumi" ("kumu" / 組) actually means "associate" or "do together" (which is more relevant in this case). Generally speaking, here it refers to two people doing something together - jo or tachi (sword) or te (hand), or whatever. It doesn't necessarily have to be a string of movements, it could refer to one movement - if two people are training it together.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Chris


Chris this make sense to me as it was always taught to me that the whole exercise was about BOTH partners.. there was less focus for us on kata-type prescriptive movement and much more on dynamic blending which for me any way fits nicely with your definition.. thank you Jx


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## Chris Parker (Mar 26, 2015)

For what it's worth, not that he needs the back up, but Chris is right… there are other inferences, of course, and the common translation I go with is "coming together", which makes "kumi-jo" "coming together (with a jo)", and so forth.


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## hussaf (Mar 28, 2015)

Slow is smooth - smooth is fast.  An old adage implying working at a smooth, less frantic pace will make movements more efficient and precise, resulting in less wasted movement.  You should be "spot checking" throughout paired exercise to ensure your maai and form are correct.  

An increase in overall pace should thought of as "proper speed" rather than "fast".  At least it helps me to think of it that way.

Seems like all techniques, from both practitioners, are done at the same pace and rhythm.  I bet if you consider the bunkai that will go away.  Unless
that's what you're supposed to do, then by all means thats the correct pattern.

The others are right about the language being used.  Kumi generally means "bring together," tachi is sword (or standing, but different kanji and not really relevant here).  For paired weapons we usually use "kumi"
followed by the weapon/s being used: kumi iai, kumi tachi jo, kumi jo, Ju no kumi tanto, etc


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## Spinedoc (Mar 28, 2015)

Yeah, I was distracted and typing too fast when I wrote this initially, should have said kumi jo. LOL.


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## hussaf (Mar 28, 2015)

my phone now autocorrects stuff to romanji, lol.


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