Flow of an exercise

Hi all,

It's been a long time since the last update! But now that most of you who started at the beginning of the year are in armour, it is important to understand the flow of the exercise and how to receive a technique. This post will describe the order of events between kakarite (practice side) and motodachi (receiving side) when practising any particular exercise.

1. Kakarite and Motodachi start at tooma (long distance).
2. Both sides kiai to indicate readiness and will.
3. Kakarite moves into a distance at which the exercise can be performed. While kakarite is doing this, motodachi holds centre and tests the pressure of kakarite.
4. When motodachi senses that kakarite is ready, motodachi responds to the pressure and provides the opening. When practising shikake-waza (attacking techniques), this will involve showing the target. When practising oji-waza (counter techniques), it will be making the prescribed cut.
5. Kakarite performs the technique.
6. While kakarite is finishing the technique and displaying zanshin, motodachi moves to a position such that when kakarite returns to kamae (stance), both are once again at tooma. This does not need to be at the centre; the position motodachi moves to will be dependent on how far kakarite moves through or back at the end of the exercise. Return to the centre only at the end of the exercise or if it is dangerous to perform the technique where you are.
7. Repeat the exercise the required number of times.

Following this flow improves interaction between motodachi and kakarite, very important to improving the kendo of both sides: it trains spotting the opportunity, making and responding to pressure, and timing. It is important to remember that kendo is between two people, even when practising the most basic of techniques.

Later posts will have me attempting to describe the more advanced waza that having armour now make safe to be practised, so stay tuned!

Weihao