Iaido Yondan Exam

All US Kendo Federation Iaido
Koryu: Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu

Kata performed:
Koryu Mae
Koryu Tsuke Kage
Seitei Ukenagashi
Seitei Morote Tsuki
Seitei Sougiri

The shinken used is an early 1500's (su-mihara period) unsigned blade from the bingo province. It is an interesting blade because it has the shape/characteristics of a kamakura period blade. It's 1 bu short of 2.4 shaku, and quite light for a shinken, which works well with my bad wrist.

Totally welcome comments. Some of the things I don't like:
1. I'm leaning too far forward. It feels like I'm pushing with my hips, but my front leg has too much weight and my back needs to be straighter.
2. To torture myself (and keep my ego in check) I've been watching the closing reiho (bow). When I stand the shinken up, and grab with my left hand, I cringe to see my whole body jump with the effort.
3. Don't like my cuts much - they're nice and soft, but not enough cutting, I think. Though, that's always a tough balance, since actually cutting needs to be soft.
4. The reasonably nice tsuki in morote tsuki is followed up by a horribly off overhead cut that goes well below horizontal before bouncing back up!

Some things I like:
1. Ukenagashi is nice and smooth
2. My hair looks OK
3. I look stronger than the bits of other people I see in the video (one of whom passed, the other who didn't)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Iaido
• Kendo
• Bressler
• AUSKF
• Martial
• Arts

[djbressler]

Actually, I'm traveling every Wednesday until the week after Nationals. I'll be at the dojo on Saturdays. I can't believe it's been a year!

[djbressler]

@Naisho07 - no need to apologize, I appreciate the comments. I'm currently working heavily on drawing more power to my center and "grounding" it through my lower body (and trying not to let that affect my upper body smoothness!).

[Ijinyanen]

Hello. Could I ask what style is this?

From my point of view it looked a bit like Koryu/Seitei mix. Take the first kata the two gents in the foreground do. When they do the verticle cut, the footwork of both, and the blood flick of the furthest looks like my version of koryu. But his noto finish looks seitei(no blade seating). whereas, the closest one does a full seitei finish.

I do Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. My guess is Shinden Ryu. I would love to know if I am right, so please let me know.

[djbressler]

Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, All Japan Kendo Federation, Iadio division.

So, the first two kata were from my koryu, the last three were seitei. The other two guys (I'm the third guy) I believe are both muso shinden.

I'm glad you recognize my "blood flick" as jikiden. At least in the first two kata.

[DarumaLookalike]

@Ijinyanen You are correct, it was a bit strange to not see the proper noto for koryu, which has to be done not from the tsuba area, but from the middle section of the sword (at least in Shinden Ryu which I practice). At the end of the kata, one must touch the tsuka, a single point so different from the seitei, which I didn't notice. And for a Yondan, the guy in front is noticeably fumbling with the sword during the noto, it doesn't come natural as it should be.

[DarumaLookalike]

@Ijinyanen You are correct, it was a bit strange to not see the proper noto for koryu, which has to be done not from the tsuba area, but from the middle section of the sword (at least in Shinden Ryu which I practice). At the end of the kata, one must touch the tsuka, a single point so different from the seitei, which I didn't notice. And for a 3rd dan-to-be, the guy in front is noticeably fumbling with the sword during the noto, it doesn't come natural as it should be.

[Proton1]

So, um, what's your lineage?

[Mitzrael19]

gaijin is so funny

[Proton1]

By your execution your lineage looks familiar. Mind listing your lineage back to Japan?

[NeinWunOne]

I am a MSR student, so I am unfamiliar with "Tsuke Kage", but it looks very close to Seichuto in Omori-ryu. Are they the same / similar?

[kendoka0girl]

I hope the exam went well. :D

*humble MJER Shodan*

[djbressler]

Thank you.

Just about 10 years. It's quite fun.

[Erkynar]

@djbressler I heartily agree. Though I can see the point of competition as a means to focus on the training, and putting you on the spot, as it were, I don't feel I gain that much from it as I do just simply practicing. And that goes for grading and exams as well.