Validity of Cuts Without Going Forwards or Backwards

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Validity of Cuts Without Going Forwards or Backwards

by Christopher
(Philippines)

Is a strike valid if I cut without stepping forward? Example, an opponent steps forward and attacks my men, but missed. Then I hit his men but did not step forward. Is it valid?

Answer: This is very hard to answer because a valid strike (yuko-datotsu) is not only achieved by hitting a target.

All Japan Kendo Federation defines yuko datotsu as the accurate striking or thrusting made to targets (datotsu-bu) with the monouchi of the shinai with a sufficient kiai, the right posture, and zanshin.

It does not say about stepping forwards or going backwards. So the strike you described above can be a valid strike. As a matter of fact, I have seen such strikes became valid.

The strike you described must be as strong as the ones with fumikomi. You have to have a good tenouchi to do so.

Long strong short. It is possible but it is hard to be valid.

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Validity of Cuts Without Going Forwards or Backwards

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Jul 17, 2009
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A video to Expalin...
by: Fabrizio (Milan-Italy)

I found a video on you tube that shows how to hit with valid cut without stepping forward or backward...but...downward.

Is not only a Do cut, but a Gyaku Do cut. Great Kendoka and great technique.

Enjoy the video:

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for your post. Gyaku do is performed by hiki-giri (cutting by pulling your sword towards you). This is a technique that we step in and step backwards to make it valid.

As you can see in the video, this is a ?men nuki gyaku do?. When a guy coming to strike your men and avoid the men and strike gyaku-do. Yes, it is an advanced technique.

In men nuki gyaku do, as same as in normal men nuki do, you have to make your opponent to commit his/her men strike. As a result, the striker of nuki-do ducks down a little bit.

When you practice men nuki gyaku do, you do not want to duck or go downwards too much. We can say the same thing in the normal men nuki do practice. Take a look at the video instructed by Furukawa sensei.

I am not saying that going downwards is wrong. I do not want you to think that you HAVE to go downwards.

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Jul 17, 2009
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Submitted by: Fabrizio (Milan-Italy)

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I found a video on you tube that shows how to hit with valid cut without stepping forward or backward...but...downward. Is not only a Do cut, but a Gyaku Do cut. Great Kendoka and great technique. Enjoy the video: <object width="4450" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bDptIEk03yw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bDptIEk03yw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="315"></embed></object> <strong>Kendo-Guide.Com:</strong> Thank you for your post. Gyaku do is performed by hiki-giri (cutting by pulling your sword towards you). This is a technique that we step in and step backwards to make it valid. As you can see in the video, this is a ?men nuki gyaku do?. When a guy coming to strike your men and avoid the men and strike gyaku-do. Yes, it is an advanced technique. In men nuki gyaku do, as same as in normal men nuki do, you have to make your opponent to commit his/her men strike. As a result, the striker of nuki-do ducks down a little bit. When you practice men nuki gyaku do, you do not want to duck or go downwards too much. We can say the same thing in the normal men nuki do practice. Take a look at the video instructed by Furukawa sensei. I am not saying that going downwards is wrong. I do not want you to think that you HAVE to go downwards. <object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ISCCpURPgc4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ISCCpURPgc4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>

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Jul 17, 2009
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One more Chance
by: Fabrizio (Milan-Italy)

I'd like to report what my sensei Always says:

If you had a real Katana instead of Shinai, to perform a "definitive" cut you should use the whole and maximum weight of your body, not only arms...

This means you should use your ankles doing a valid cut: stepping forward or backward but not only...you could step....downwards!

Almost all Iaido and Kenjutsu School have a hit like this...Starting standing still and ending on your knees, sometimes as a result of a vertical jump.

In Kendo you could perform something like this for a Do cut or Tsuki cut ( both performed by High Ranked Kendoka), for a Men cut maybe you should try to perform a Yoko Men cut but....It's hard your hit will be considered "definitive" and therefore valid.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for sharing what you learned. I think what your sensei explains is for the advanced. I mean, ?really advanced?.

In kendo we commonly say, ?Strike with koshi (the lower back) in?. What that means is ?Strike not with hands but with the whole body?.

Now I also have to mention that in iaido and koryu, they are showing the ?cutting through? movements, which we would do if we were cutting a human body and thus we should go downwards. Also by doing so, we can ?cut through with koshi in? as described above.

We cannot import the iai movements into kendo as they are but we surely should study and apply those to kendo when we become advanced enough to do so.

Thanks again for your report.

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Jul 17, 2009
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Submitted by: Fabrizio (Milan-Italy)

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I'd like to report what my sensei Always says: If you had a real Katana instead of Shinai, to perform a "definitive" cut you should use the whole and maximum weight of your body, not only arms... This means you should use your ankles doing a valid cut: stepping forward or backward but not only...you could step....downwards! Almost all Iaido and Kenjutsu School have a hit like this...Starting standing still and ending on your knees, sometimes as a result of a vertical jump. In Kendo you could perform something like this for a Do cut or Tsuki cut ( both performed by High Ranked Kendoka), for a Men cut maybe you should try to perform a Yoko Men cut but....It's hard your hit will be considered "definitive" and therefore valid. <strong>Kendo-Guide.Com:</strong> Thank you for sharing what you learned. I think what your sensei explains is for the advanced. I mean, ?really advanced?. In kendo we commonly say, ?Strike with koshi (the lower back) in?. What that means is ?Strike not with hands but with the whole body?. Now I also have to mention that in iaido and koryu, they are showing the ?cutting through? movements, which we would do if we were cutting a human body and thus we should go downwards. Also by doing so, we can ?cut through with koshi in? as described above. We cannot import the iai movements into kendo as they are but we surely should study and apply those to kendo when we become advanced enough to do so. Thanks again for your report.

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Validity of Cuts Without Going Forwards or Backwards

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