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Technique of the month

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Iaijustu - Jujutsu: two sides of the same coin 

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          I have heard this statement many times, "Iaido is pretty but it won't help you in a fight". How wrong this opinion is. The study of Weapons (Iai\Ken jutsu, Jodo, Bokkenjutsu etc.) is the study of the root and foundations of one of the most common forms of self defense - Jujutsu, the unarmed fighting skills of the samurai. The Kamae, tai sabaki, maai, sen and giri all translate to empty hand waza. Look at the way you practice your weapon. The tsuki utilizes your whole coordinated body just like the choku zuki of karate. The grabbing of an attackers arm is no different than the tenouchi of your weapon. The kata regularly employed in kenjutsu and Iaido can be done exactly as they are, with empty hands for effective goshinjutsu waza.
         Shuhari can be translated as "learning through experimentation". It is this very shuhari that the arts of jujutsu, aikijutsu,Yawara etc. were born of. Here is a very simple exercise, Have uke stand in front of you, grab his forearm as if it were a katana (either arm), practice happogiri. See what positions ukes body ends up in after each cut. You will undoubtedly see the beginnings of many aiki nage waza. With a simple turn here or twist there you will be able to throw uke.
        I have included for comparison the Iai waza "Saya tsukamu"(scabbard grab) and the empty hand  alternative as practiced in Gendai Goshin Iaido. The waza is almost identical in both series of pictures.
 

 

Uke grabs saya or hand from behind

Using circular movement Tori locks Uke's wrist

Pull out the sword or prepare  right ura tsuki

Katate tsuki waza or ura tsuki

Back to jodan no kamae, or prepare for ikkyo

Right irimi and kesa giri, or aiki ikkyo osae waza

 

Learning and practicing the beautiful art of Iaido can and will teach the practioner effective unarmed self defense. This is only one waza demonstrated for illustrative purposes from one style by one instructor, It was not designed to sell Iaido or kenjutsu as the only way to learn self defense, but to prompt thought that there are many ways to learn goshinjutsu and that any weapons art, properly applied can yeild empty hand self defense waza.  The expansion of our minds is the only universal goal we all have in common, lets help each other along the way.
 
                                                 Arigato gozaimasu,
                                                 Walt Bushey
                                                 Gendai Goshin Budokai

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