Kishimoto sensei class for 6/7 dan from May 2010
Here, finally, are the secret notes from the secret senior's class of several years ago at the Spring Seminar. For those who have complained for years about being excluded from this class, you're welcome.
Taken from video provided by Eric Tribe
Tenouchi and Hasuji
The left and right hand thumbs should be touching the second
fingertips, as if to snap your fingers. The palms should face each
other as if praying.
Hold the hilt gently, squeezing between thumb and palm, then both hands
closed at the same time, little finger to index finger as you cut.
Basic Posture
Sitting seiza there should be one fist between the knees. When you go
up on your toes they should be roughly the same distance apart, you
should be able to stand up without moving your feet. ("pop" your knees
up and stand)
When standing there should be one to 2 foot widths between your feet, this is Shizentai, natural stance.
From seiza when you step forward in Mae with your right foot you should
be in this shizentai width, this means your body is stable and strong.
If your left foot is not lined up your cut will not be down the center,
most of the 6/7 dan students in the class have a bad cut.
This distance between the knees is most important when sitting seiza.
Just tell the students to sit at one fist distance, they can't
understand it now but they will later.
Iai Goshi
The feet must be in shizentai as mentioned earlier. The feet should be lined up roughly with the outside of the hips.
Bend the knees inward and sink down until the knees touch. This is iai goshi.
The weight should be on the base of the big toe, heel up or down
doesn't matter. The little toe can be touching the floor but don't put
any weight on it. If the feet are put flat on the floor you will damage
your knees.
Rock your feet inward and put the power in the big toes, while walking
keep the knees inward, this is especially useful for the step and
thrust in morote zuki.
Turning is easy if you keep the power inside, both toes pivot at the same time.
Never put the knee ahead of the toes, you can't use iai goshi if you
do, you will have to rock back to put equal weight on the two feet and
then turn. This is no good.
Kokyu
Exhale while sitting down in seiza, at the finish of your exhale your
left hand touches your left thigh. Sit as if sitting down on a mat of
needles, don't put your weight on your heels, keep a little up.
Inhale into the stomach, then exhale as you rise. Don't do this
suddenly or you may damage your muscles. Rise smoothly, exhale as you
do and finish with the feet at the proper width (mae). As you do furi
kaburi kick your body forward with the back foot and bring it up
immediately. On furi kaburi the right wrist turns the ha upward early
in the movement.
On the cut your right foot plants just as your sword makes contact with
teki's head, then you finish the cut with this foot planted. Breathe
out as you cut.
Exhale while doing chiburi and hold, hold, hold the power in the hips.
Uke nagashi - kokyu
For Mae and Ushiro you catch his attacking feeling and attack before his motion starts.
Uke Nagashi is not the same, Teki is attacking you, this is go no sen.
Exhale as you sit down, inhale as you rise, this is not the same as in
Mae. If you inhale 100% as you rise you will only have one way to move,
you can't control your body or your mind, you must stand up.
While in seiza keep your stomach muscles working, ready to move. As you
step forward with the left foot don't inhale 100% or you can't move
quickly, inhale to about 80%, moving slowly at first is OK.
Sambonme (Uke Nagashi) is not the same as other techniques.