Understanding what seme is

WHAT WAZA DO YOU NEED FOR EACH GRADE

Do you remember the chart of the final goal, technique level and waza to practice at each destination at Requirements for Each Dan Grade? You can see the chart below.

KENDO AT A GLANCE

We strike each other. For you to be able to strike a target successfully, you make sure that your opponent has an opening. Does your opponent give you an opening? Quite unlikely. So how do you strike an opening? You need to MAKE an opening. How do we do that? 

SEME

What do we expect from seme? An opening. That is why seme is very important. 

Do you remember this diagram?

Before we execute a datotsu, you need to execute a seme. Don’t worry about tame at this stage. You need to worry about it when going for your 6-dan and 7-dan exam. 

Here is what happens if your seme is executed successfully.

You execute seme. And the green blocks are what your opponent will do. 

Against your seme…

• Body movements: Your opponent simply steps backward or step forward. 
• Shinai movements: Your opponent lifts his/her shinai up, pushes it forward, presses his/her shinai over your shinai or simply lowers his/her shinai down.
• Blocking: Your opponent takes a blocking action; covering men or kote.

Some of them can be “openings” for you to strike already. But of course, when your opponent moves his/her shinai over yours, then you cannot strike.

Seme is a first step to see what your opponent does. When your seme works, your opponent will react to you big enough so you will see an opening to strike. 

Ex. Seme -> Opponent Strikes Your Men -> You Strike Debana-Kote.

watch the video

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