Sword Combat

[Ronald R. Harbers]

Let's have a discussion about hand eye coordination, ma-ai (combative engagement distance) and suki (opportunity), as well as zanshin (a kind of physical and mental domination of your opponent).

 

[AnimEdge]

What about it?

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

Just your opinions. Maybe a little expose on your experience. I'm a new student for about 4 months now.

 

[Charles Mahan]

It's all important? I appreciate your enthusiasm and interest, but these are things that are very difficult to talk about online. Why? Lots of reasons. One of the most important is that the principles are unique for each style. It also takes a certain amount of training to even understand enough to discuss the concepts in a meaningful way. They're very difficult concepts to describe in words, and to a large degree not all that easy to demonstrate in person either.

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

Ok. I will try to find a concept in the Sword Arts that we can dicuss. I just trying to learn.

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

While reading and meditating on the "Book of Five Rings", I was struck by the statement Musashi makes about the Stance. Do you agree that the stance should be just as though you are walking normally, or do any of you use different stances?

 

[Eldritch Knight]

What he says about stance is definetely true in kendo, and I would assume that it would translate into the other koryu and kobudo, though I can't speak for them.

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

Thanks Knight. I am not a practioner of Kendo, but do you ever practice Kata!

 

[J. Lee]

Realize the historical and geographical significance of his writing including his role in LIFE .

I believe be prepared , be able to change .
With walking everyday we change to accomadate
daily for co-existance .

He was a Samurai who had authority over others of lesser status , so his gait was one of influence and ...

j lee

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

Lee: Are you speaking of a natural gait?

 

[Ronin Warrior]

Do any of you play RPGs? Cuz some of those moves found some games can be useful to learn. Like there's a game called "Legend of Dragoon" and it has a feature called additions and some of the sword moves are easy, realistic, and effective if used properly and quickly. I personally think it's cool, but do anybody else use game moves to practice with? I'm a nerd so bear with me not bash me please.


"There can be only one" :jedi1:

 

[Charles Mahan]

Umm... no. Most of us are studying at one dojo or another. We do not attempt to copy "moves" out of video games.

 

[Ronin Warrior]

FYI it is only for practice. I can't go to a dojo. Don't have a car or the money to do it. What am I supposed to do? Great, just great I already established my nerdism on a distinguished martial arts site. Sorry about that. Swords and stuff is my thing and for me practicing moves from stuff i saw is the only way i get some contrast into my self-training. I only pick the realistic combos, the ones that could actually be used. At least I'm not just slashing in the same direction right? I also incorperate Tai-Chi into my sword training. Is what I do bad or pathetic for a beginner?

 

[Cruentus]

Do any of you play RPGs? Cuz some of those moves found some games can be useful to learn. Like there's a game called "Legend of Dragoon" and it has a feature called additions and some of the sword moves are easy, realistic, and effective if used properly and quickly. I personally think it's cool, but do anybody else use game moves to practice with? I'm a nerd so bear with me not bash me please.


"There can be only one" :jedi1:

Ronin,

You seem really interested in Japanese swordsmanship, which is a good thing I think. I really think that you would have a good time training at a Dojo somewhere if you are truly as interested as you seem in Japanese swordsmanship. Have you looked into that yet?

Yours,

Paul

 

[ShadowKnight]

FYI it is only for practice. I can't go to a dojo. Don't have a car or the money to do it. What am I supposed to do? Great, just great I already established my nerdism on a distinguished martial arts site. Sorry about that. Swords and stuff is my thing and for me practicing moves from stuff i saw is the only way i get some contrast into my self-training. I only pick the realistic combos, the ones that could actually be used. At least I'm not just slashing in the same direction right? I also incorperate Tai-Chi into my sword training. Is what I do bad or pathetic for a beginner?

What you do isnt bad, just fairly impractical. Yes you may learn the moves from games like Legend of Dragoon, or anime like Rurouni Kenshin but there are things you can only learn in a dojo that dont pertain entirely to the actual sword style but to your character and self improvement.

I love to hold a sword and feel the cut through the air, but I study Gumdo at a dojo to better improve myself and learn a bit about culture different from my own. One of the advantages of being a proper student is learning the etiquette of that particular style.

Again, its not wrong to want to learn something on your own. Im self taught with the guitar, and I do like to cut my swords through the air, but I also like the things I learn or realize about myself and others around me from the dojo.

 

[splice42]

FYI it is only for practice. I can't go to a dojo. Don't have a car or the money to do it. What am I supposed to do? Great, just great I already established my nerdism on a distinguished martial arts site. Sorry about that. Swords and stuff is my thing and for me practicing moves from stuff i saw is the only way i get some contrast into my self-training. I only pick the realistic combos, the ones that could actually be used. At least I'm not just slashing in the same direction right? I also incorperate Tai-Chi into my sword training. Is what I do bad or pathetic for a beginner?

I want to be a neurosurgeon. I can't go to university, don't have the time or the money to do it. What am I supposed to do? Practicing stuff I saw on dramas on TV and read about on the internet is the only way. I only pick the realistic stuff. At least I'm not just cutting up people without any qualifications, right?

If you don't get that, maybe you'll get this: until you actually are studying under qualified instruction, you're not doing a sword art. It doesn't matter what you incorporate in it or where you get the inspiration from; in this regard, a comic book or a book written by a high ranking japanese sensei are the same. You can't just do the art by yourself based on what you understand from dead media, you need a teacher.

You're genuinely interested in japanese sword arts and practicing one? Read books related to the arts, inform yourself, keep your interest up. Don't try to "practice" anything, you don't have a teacher. One day you'll find a way to study an art.

Don't care about the japanese sword arts? By all means, keep swinging steel around, do be careful, and don't pretend (to yourself or others) that you're doing anything else than playing around. It can be fun, could be a workout, but it's not preserving the arts, so you shouldn't pretend that it is.

 

[Charles Mahan]

And most importantly when you chop your foot off or the blade breaks and flies across the yard and impales some poor kid, please don't tell the authorities that you were practicing kendo or iaido. We don't need the bad press.

 

[Ronin Warrior]

Wow aren't we all just so nice to each other. I do practice actual sword moves that I've read in books about. And, yes I know that by practicing realistic moves I saw in a game I know that that is stupid. YOu've all made your point and I get what you're all saying, and I apologize......yeah, right FU all.

 

[splice42]

Wow aren't we all just so nice to each other.

So far. We haven't flung insults or anything, have we?

I do practice actual sword moves that I've read in books about.

That's not practicing a Japanese Sword Art.

And, yes I know that by practicing realistic moves I saw in a game I know that that is stupid.

And it's not Japanese swordsmanship. In addition to that, without training with someone who knows what he's doing, how are you qualified to say a move is realistic? By thinking about it and reasoning it out? That won't work. They used to go out and fight to the death, now we don't do that anymore. We preserve the traditions, we don't evaluate what we think is realistic or not and pick and choose what we like. That's not what Japanese swordsmanship is.

YOu've all made your point and I get what you're all saying, and I apologize......yeah, right FU all.

I wonder if you really understand our point. The question is, do you really want to PRACTICE a Japanese sword art, or do you want to be able to SAY and SHOW other people that you can swing a sword around?

If you really want to practice a Japanese sword art, picking moves from books and video games and saying that's Japanese swordsmanship (see your "Art:" in your profile here, you certainly seem to believe that's what you're doing), well, that's just cheating yourself. Without being part of a tradition, without a school and a teacher to guide you, it just plain isn't Japanese swordsmanship.

If you're not concerned by that, that's fine too. Swing the sword around, cut stuff up (but be careful), pick out your moves from anywhere, even Japanese sources if you like. But whatever you do, it's not Japanese swordsmanship. Don't even pretend it is, it can't be.

Japanese swordsmanship isn't about you picking realistic moves from a variety of sources and doing what you want with them. It's about showing up for class and doing what Sensei says, and maybe later, if Sensei asks you, teach other people what he said.

And see, no insults? Isn't that easy?

 

[Angelusmortis]

I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt reference your self implied "nerd" status, ultimately it seems you have low self esteem. However, your final comment, made me seriously question your maturity to study a sword art. They aren't toys, with which to recreate a "video game move".
Although I don't profess to be an expert on any sword art, my interest is such that when I have the money and time to study a second MA, I will do it properly, not sit there and insult people from my computer. No need for the smart-arsed comments, just sort it out, and learn whatever art it is you want to do properly.