Aikido - sword against sword - AIKIKEN

Aikiken, sword against sword in an aikido manner. Exercise by aikido instructor Stefan Stenudd, 6 dan Aikikai. In my dojo, we often practice small sword manoevers from the chudan kamae guard - a bit in line with what is done in kendo. The chudan kamae needs to be explored, for a proper understanding of the Japanese sword arts. Musashi called it the field-marshal of guards. Here, I do a harai (barai), a warding off of Martin Frankovic's sword, followed up by the kote cut, to the wrist. Notice that here I am the attacker, initiating the movement, which is significantly more difficult than responding to an attack. Some speed is needed - it's all in the wrist ;) Filmed by Larry Kwolek on an aikido seminar in the Czech Republic.
More on aikiken, the sword in aikido, and aikibatto, at my website:
http://www.stenudd.com/aikibatto
Here is my aikibatto book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1419658786/
My aikido books:
http://www.amazon.com/Aikido-Principles-Concepts-Peaceful-Martial/dp/9178940176/
http://www.amazon.com/Attacks-Aikido-Kogeki-Attack-Techniques/dp/9178940257/

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• aikido
• aikiken
• harai
• barai
• kote
• ken
• sword
• budo
• martial
• art

[Felixmachinima]

Tränar ni med Katana i Aikido? :' O

[Aikidostenudd]

No, katana is not used in partner sword exercises - but in my dojo we also do iaido, solo sword training, and there it is possible to use katana or iaito.

[truexgunnerxchronica]

I think that was crap. I have been practicing Aikido for 3 years and you never start with the swords crossing each other. Its Unrealistic.

[eliotudino]

bonjour jaime bien :-)

[thebloddyzorrow]

what the fuck was that?

[FinalKenny2]

Depends on what style of Aikido you practice and of course your shihan. In some styles they don't do ANY weapons, and in Kobayashi-Aikido for instance, we do allot of Aikiken/-jo.

And from personal experience (a friend of mine ia an Iaidoka) it can be considered real swordsmanship.

[storyacoustic]

All this talk about what "works" is really beside the point. Aikiken is not intended to be a realistic or effective style of swordfighting. The purpose of practicing aikiken is to improve one's aikido, not to become a swordsman.

[Javasurfer88]

It sounds like your dojo is showing the realistic side of combat not just techniques.

Haha every single time i look at the video the more flaws I find. Look at the head of the instructor it actually shows the intention of you want to strike kote and nothing else. As you said you have to be relaxed. Having a predetermined target in your head hinders adaptivity. Also having your head advertising your target doesn't help you at all because obviously you can see your opponent's intentions.

[ketsan]

To be honest that wouldn't work in our dojo either. We're trained to relax and not to allow our bokken to be knocked out of the way. If one of our students was uke, the demonstrator would have walked straight onto a bokken.

[ketsan]

I would suggest that a decent cut with a shinken delievered against the wrist is going to go to the bone, in which case, something will be cut and the hand will be rendered useless and armour only protected the top of the wrist, not the sides or underneath. Even if it hits armour you've placed him in an awkward position, which gives you time to attack.

Also samurai weren't always on the battlefield. In an encounter in the street attacking the wrists or hands would be a very effective strategy.

[Javasurfer88]

Of course people would be like what about when their is no armor. Look how the demonstrator moves in. When someone moves in like that in kendo the first response is to take Jodan or maybe Gedan (to avoid the hand strike and the transition from chudan to gedan would land a sword tip in the attacker's stomach or upper torso. Most people would take Jodan to avoid the strike and counter with a hiki men or kote.

[Javasurfer88]

Of course that is totally right but a shallow cut is an "if" you nick and artery they'll bleed out or if you cut a tendon. The slightest cut "could" be lethal but chances that are that it's not. I have personally never seen two people with shinkens going at it but I've seen some nasty knife fighting wounds and the people with the wounds keep going like a bull i'm telling you it's totally scary and amazing at the same time. Remember on the battlefield samurai wear armor on their hands.