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Systematic, step-by-step guidance for adult beginners and late-starters. Learn the Way of the Sword with 45+ years of traditional experience. |
This is the basic kote do strike. You will notice how hard do strike is when you put bogu (armour) on.
Eventually, you will learn a faster version of kote and do strike. If you cannot do it slowly, you cannot do it fast. Trust me on this.
As I explained in the basic kote men strike, I learned this as kote oyobi do.
Again, you do not have to use oyobi if it is too hard to say.
You can say "big kote and do strike" for the basic kote do strike. And you can say "small kote do" for small and fast kote do strike.
Once you have learned kote oyobi men, this becomes easier. All you have to do is change the second strike from men to do.
Again, we do not want to lift our sword as we do in men strike to strike kote. Do strike, however, should be a big strike.
This is how to perform the basic kote-do strike: kote oyobi do uchi.
We keep doing 1. to 8. until we hear "Yame!".
![]() 1. Sword up when stepping forwards |
![]() 2. Strike Kote when left foot comes forwards |
![]() 3. Sword up when stepping forwards |
![]() 4. Strike Do when left foot comes forwards |
![]() 5. Sword up when stepping backwards |
![]() 6. Strike Kote when the right foot moves backwards |
![]() 7. Sword up when stepping backwards |
![]() 8. Strike Do when the right foot moves backwards |
COMMAND
1. Kote oyobi do. Hajime!
2. Ichi, Ni, San, Shi, Go, Roku, Shichi, Hachi, Kyu, Jyu
3. Yame!
Repeat the count from 1 to 10 as many times as you want. Then give the command, “Yame!”
KIAI
1. On each count, the practitioners strike kote and do. So they shout, "Kote, do! "
So it is done as shown below.
Commander: Ichi
Practitioners: Kote, do! (going forwards)
Commander: Ni
Practitioners: Kote, do (going backwards)
Commander: San
Practitioners: Kote, do (going forwards)
.
.
Commander: Jyu (going backwards)
Practitioners: Kote, do
Commander: Ichi (going forwards)
Practitioners: Kote, do
and continue until
Commander: Yame!
Some Important Points
Make sure that you do not bring your hands above your head when you strike kote. That is not a big kote strike. Big kote strike is not as big as big men strike. Please refer to kote uchi for more information.
Footwork
I cannot say enough about this.
Keep your toes down while moving.
The left foot stays behind the right foot.
You can watch a brief video below. You can select "kote oyobi men" or "kote oyobi do" by clicking the links shown below the video.
This lesson is part of Level 2: Build Strong Basics.
Back to Level 2: Build Strong Basics