iaido - sword art

[mrgees100peas]

Could someone explain to me why the long pauses between strikes? He sits there for an eternity then do a very quick accurate cut. Then he pauses again for what seem to me like an eternity. I'm sure that there is a good reason for this which escapes me because of my ignorance of the art. I'm just not patient. I'm more of a Filipino style sword play because of their constant moving (no I don't practice). Watching the Japanese styles is beautiful but drive me insane with all the waiting.

[FlashBander]

@mrgees100peas It's because those are different techniques, before and after every technique he puts his blade back in the Saya.

[mrgees100peas]

@FlashBander Well, yes, I can see that but what about after he finishes a technique? or in between techniques? It seems like a very long time to me. My guess is that he is concentrating. Getting in the zone if you will.

[1965anthony]

Very nice demonstration. I have done iaido in a setting like this so I understand how intimidating it is. He looks very relaxed and confident.

I am sorry to read some of the comments below. One of the greatest misunderstandings about iaido is that it is all about knowing the 'correct' way of doing something and then reproducing it perfectly. This confuses journey and destination.

I have studied it for many years and am still no nearer to "correctness". I have learned WHY things are done.

[Aikidostenudd]

@1965anthony Thank you for your sensible comment. I believe that learning the WHY is the way to correcting one's iaido.

[bodee69]

very nice and focused sword control, congrats

[Stumperx]

I love it, love it, love it. Awesome.

[ModernGamerHQ]

Only two people comment on this video with this huge arse rant?

Great vid! 5/5

[bentenren]

YAWN fuckin shit

[IEKUKATAKA]

Pervert! You have neither the character nor the intellect to realize the nature of what you saw here. Your mother needs to take your PC away and spank your butt for having that nasty account site.

[bentenren]

go fuck yourslef bitch! too bad shes not gonna do that. go practice with your sword and get killed since this is so "important" to you. asshole :P nature pshh

[IEKUKATAKA]

That's nice, I am sure your parents would be proud. BTW, your spell check apparently ins't working.

[bentenren]

ok ill fix it and my parents dont know anything about my fetish for feet. bitch :P

[IEKUKATAKA]

Nice, such a well spoken young man. I see jail in your future kid, and your parents will know all in time, don't fool yourself that they will not.

[bentenren]

there is something strange that you know im a kid

[IEKUKATAKA]

Behavior.

[bentenren]

so??! i know PLENTY of adults out there that are worse than me

[IEKUKATAKA]

Societies and cultures are not advanced by mediocrity. What you see in adults should either be a positive model or a reason to rise above. The choice is yours and always will be yours. So far, you aren't doing so well. Want to make a better choice?

[bentenren]

i cant im 15 i will improve though

[IEKUKATAKA]

Yes, you can and you can start right now. Start by watching your mouth and showing respect. Change your account site, it isn't funny. Try to communicate in complete sentences with correct spelling, that will be a fine start. Respect yourself, others will follow suit. America needs positive leaders, are you going to be one?

[bentenren]

yes sir. my account, by the way, was not meant to be funny. i will unfortunately always be like that. but i can watch my mouth

[IEKUKATAKA]

Your account reflects things you should not want reflected. However, you have already started a new facet and it is positive and respectful. I applaud that and hope you continue. Regards.

[bentenren]

thank you im going to start right now

[IEKUKATAKA]

Only you will know. However, you have spoken and the most important person you are accountable to for your word is............................­........ you. Take care and I wish you the best, the best for yourself.

[brianszuch]

The sword is out front as part of a bow in. Perfectly and necessary acceptable.

cockbreath

[skechmasters]

Mainly his hands are to close together and he put the sword out in front of him when its supposed to be put beside him RIGHT SIDE OR ITS DISHONORABLE

[skechmasters]

There are lots of screw up in his routine

[IEKUKATAKA]

10:1 says you can't name one of consequence.

[rockthedrums4life]

weird shit man.i wanna see him go off on the people,with where some spin kicks with head chops and shit

[maceioninjutsu]

lol

[xBboycHinK]

only reason for less than 5 stars would be because of lighting. even then only an idoit would care about lighting

[HellBENt85]

I'm not very knowledgeable in Iaido, but somehow I feel that was very beautifully done!

[malevolenceXXXensues]

did mitsuhide akechi knew this discipline?

[Aikidostenudd]

Certainly, Mitsuhide was well acquainted with the sword arts. But several exercises and techniques were surely quite different back then.

[malevolenceXXXensues]

i also heard he favored the spear and rifle over the sword

[Mitzrael19]

the worst thing of everything in this video is the lenght of his iaito, i mean, he might be using aleast an 2.55 iaito cause of his height, but, as i can see, that iaito barely passes as an 2.30 - 2.35, a butter knife.

[Blackhawkae69]

agreed... but as a broke Iaidoka myself I used a iaito that is way too short for me as I can't afford the perfect length... we'll never fight with swords anymore anyway :)

[Avgnftw]

Hej :) jag planerar att börga på Iaido och undrar mest om det är kul och om det är någon åldersgräns... :) tack för din tid...

[Aikidostenudd]

Det är kul för dem som gillar iaido ;)

Andra skulle kanske tycka att det är lite monotont...

Klubbarna bestämmer själva om det ska vara åldersgräns, men de flesta har ingen.

[hellmoth]

This is top quality. I've learnt a few sword forms as part of my jujitsu training. It's a really hard area to even be reasonable at. Loved the vid.

[Arayie]

tell that to Thomas please ^^

[Aikidostenudd]

I think I just wait for you to show him :)

[Arayie]

i myself train Iaido ZNKR and i gotta give an fellow Iaidoka some critic otherwise i would feel bad :)

i saw some misstakes like you are very fast slow down think about Hakuryoku and Johakyu.. show more felling more KI and you dip your sword in most of the katas. improve :)

[ob1kendobe]

This is some realy nice iaido.

[1x93cm]

very nice noto

[jbhooyah]

Do you go live blade when you demonstrate?

[JCShade]

Live blades are rarely - if ever - used in iaido. They use what's called an iaito, if memory serves. Don't remember off the top of my head what the difference is.

[TimmonsCello]

Iaito usually have blunted edges for safety, and the blades are usually a zinc alloy that is somewhat lighter than a regular steel blade.

[seishin48]

apart from tamishuri spelt wrong you use (shinkens live blade)

[seishin48]

not sure about him but most people dont

[jbhooyah]

Steady hands partner. :) Nicely done.

[Ross3]

When you join a dojo to practice this art, does the dojo have a means of procuring a blade for you? i.e. points you in the direction to buy the right blade? I know little about this, yet am eager to actually go out to practice it.

[Aikidostenudd]

I am sure that your dojo can give you advice about what sword to buy. I recently posted some information about buying a sword on my aikibatto website. See the link in "About this video" to the right of this video clip.

[Ross3]

Thanks, I looked it through. Talk about insane prices!

[8thsinner]

Ross, where are you looking, and at what blades? theres a lot of functional blades at extremely reasonable prices, have a look at what it takes to make a blade and think about the prices...

Paul chens, bugeis, last legends, musashi's etc.

But no dojo will recommend a shinken to a beginner, In my school my sensei didn't even own one, one part of the philosophy I don't aggree with really.

I wish you luck in finding a dojo without all the internal politics that can come with it sometimes.

[zordracc]

Heres an good example of mixing seitei with koryo. His every cut is made way below appropriate point, and so is his kaburi. Is´nit better to teach him koryo, than to make him guess and mix? Its not allowed to mix the two styles. Seitei is just practicing the motions. Koryo is the old style of iai. Its a must to separate those two. Everybody else have to, even the most prominent of practitioner.

[Aikidostenudd]

Zordracc, you have little hesitation...

I would not say that Tomas was guessing. And "allowed" by whom? And koryu is not one style. And Seitei is not just practicing the motions. And Tomas knows to separate between different schools of iai, of course. And so on.

[zordracc]

There is no way for me to explain all this to you here, but if you do not know this, or do not believe what im saying is true, then its best to leave it at that.

But i have to make an correction here. Not every cut was to low, but at least 60% was, and that say some things about the teacher to the iaidoka.

And one thing, if you do any koryo (as he did) you have to greet to sword in koryostyle.

Thank you for reading!

[Proton1]

"Tomas knows to separate between different schools.."

He was what, nidan at the time of this video? I hope his "teacher" beat those ZNKR checking points into him because a few years is quite long to be whipping cuts like he does and dropping them so low behind his back. One should have the ZNKR basics fairly solid by the time they're shodan.

There are points in the ZNKR that need to be strictly adhered to, but Tomas has broken virtually every cardinal rule..

[Proton1]

I hope by now at least one capable teacher has straightened him out, because if he's still performing iai in this manner, he'll never reach yondan if he hasn't already. Trust me on this.

[maceioninjutsu]

U sound like a hater

[Proton1]

I'm a hater that knows what he's talking about, so step.

[maceioninjutsu]

Sure u do...lol How about we see your amazing video on youtube. I bet not. I would love to step my tabi in your face.

[Proton1]

Easy, kohai.

[maceioninjutsu]

If that means pimp then yur talking about me. Easy... "Cocksmith"

[zordracc]

Heres an good example of mixing seitei with koryo. His every cut is made way below appropriate point, and so is his kaburi. Is´nit better to teach him koryo, than to make him guess and mix? Its not allowed to mix the two styles. Seitei is just practicing the motions. Koryo is the old style of iai. Its a must to separate those two. Everybody else have to, even the most prominent of practitioner.

[czumelzu]

I understand the point of the speed of the kata.

Thank you for explained Aikidostenudd, just a last comment... here, mr Tomas Ohlson is puting the kisaki under the horizontal line when the kirioroshi begins.

[sharkhead7854]

should the hand guard (tsuba?)

be the fulcrum point?

i mean should the blade feel heavier that the handle?

i know my sword is cheap but when i try to swing it, i cant swing fast because the blade is so heavy

i dont if this is because its cheap or if an actual sword should be like that

but this man swings his very fast!

cool video 5/5

[Aikidostenudd]

The balance of the sword is important. A smooth curve to it, and a good balance, makes a heavy sword easier to handle. There is much more to be said about the matter, of course, but no room for it here.

[czumelzu]

I think this iaidoka fellow use a very short sword (according his heigth) and for that reason it could be very easy to swing in that speed. anyway, is better doing right than doing fast, so never be worried to do slow, always considering the tempo in the kata of course. If you have the chance to see a Taikai (8th Dan tournament in Japan) you can see that the sensei do the kata no so fast but very perfect!!!

[Aikidostenudd]

The 8 dans are usually quite old...

There is no point in hurrying to be fast. On the other hand, there is no special point to being slow. The original idea of iai and batto, was to draw the sword and strike, before the attacker completed the attack. Speed is part of it.

About sword length, there seems to be a growing fondness for very long swords. I compare it to the slowness ideal...

[Erkynar]

A katana should have its centre of gravity a couple of inches above the tsuba, I seem to recall. This makes for a blade that is fairly easily handled but can still cut well. If yours have its balance too far out on the blade it will feel awkward. Most display swords tend to be too front-heavy.

Having said that, I understand that there is a fad for slightly lighter swords in modern iaido, so you might have a point anyway.

Oh, and I agree with what you've all said. :)