Iaido [ee-eye-do] (居合道) is the art of drawing a Japanese sword from its scabbard to obtain advantage over an opponent. The sword is drawn to defend one’s self, to control or to kill an enemy in the most efficient way. Iaido as we know it today probably began with Iizasa Choisai, the founder of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu.
Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu (1542-1621), like Iizasa Choisai, is reputed to have received a divine inspiration, which led to the development of his art. Nowadays Iaido represents the intrinsic form of Japanese Budo and is used as a form of mental and physical discipline, emphasising correct technique and form and character development. The study of Iaido encourages strength, balance, co-ordination and suppleness. Since Iaido is practiced with a weapon, the training is based on kata (set forms). Each form represents a different combat scenario. By practicing in a repetitive manner the practitioner learns and develops technique.
An introduction to Iaido to the prospective student 'As you yourselves have often certainly experienced, a warrior especially needs these three things--he must guard his person with strength, shrewdness and care; he must be free in his movements, and he must be quick to draw his sword.'
Iaido Sword Style
Techniques are highly refined, simple and direct. A beginner’s performance reveals lack of control and rigidity while a master’s appear effortless and natural. Chiba Shusaku Narimasa, founder of the Hokushin Itto-ryu introduced Gekiken (full contact duels with shinai and bogu) to the curriculum of this koryu in the 1820s. Due to the popularity and the large number of students of the Hokushin Itto-ryu at the end of the Edo-period, this kind of practice contributed greatly to the spread of shinai and bogu all over Japan. Also there are many waza in modern Kendo which were originally techniques of the Hokushin Itto-ryu. Through a controlled flow of movement, the practitioner seeks to unite his spirit, the action, and the sword, Through this unification the sword becomes a tool to forge the human character. An adept of Iai seeks not only to cut through his enemies but rather cut through his own delusions first.
The characters for Iaido (居合道) can be translated as “the way of mental presence and harmonious action” or “the way of harmonious being”. To start the practice of Iaido at an official BKA dojo the following is a guide to the usual clothing to be worn.
It may be permissible for everyday loose clothing to be worn during the early stages of training subject to the advice of the Dojo Leader. No footwear is worn during Iaido training other than for medical reasons. Stages in training 1. This means quite simply training or practice. This is the stage during which the essential movements are perfected by slow repetition, by breaking the kata down into its component parts, by understanding how the techniques work in a fighting situation. With this practice the swordsman begins to understand the principles of Metsuke (correct use of the eyes), Seme (pressing or pushing) in order to control the opponent, of Maai (combative distance) and Ma (timing). This study takes about five years of regular practice.
Overlapping with it, from about the third or fourth year, the swordsman will begin the practice of Tanren. Tanren means to forge in the same way that a sword blade is forged, with hard work, and sweat, and many hours of dedication, folding together the hard and soft elements in the body, mind, and movement just as the sword gains its strength out of hard and soft steel. The student increasingly practises without concern for the correctness of the movements (though they must remain correct and effective) and repeats the kata uninterrupted with a feeling of Shinken Shobu (a fight to the death with a real sword). During this phase posture improved, movements become more natural, techniques become more effective because timing is better controlled and less predictable.
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