To be a good swordsman one must master the following techniques. This should be an
exhaustive list. If an action is not present from your specific sword style then look again.
It is probably there under a different name. For example in european fencing there is an
action called parry and riposte. In kendo they have the same action but often call it a
counter attack. I do however realize that there are many sword styles and as such I may
have missed some actions. Also please realize that one should not confuse individual
actions with drill / kata work. Drills and katas link individual actions together to
demonstrate how the individual actions may be used in an actual situation. I will present a
list of standard drills / kata later which list should not prohibit you from making your own
drills and katas. If you want to know how an action is done please contact an instructor in
european fencing, kendo, iaido or kenjutso or contact me (these are written from my
perspective after all). So, now the list.
FOOT WORK
advance
retreat
cross over
lunge
sliding step
stepping left
stepping right
diagonal left forward
diagonal right forward
diagonal left backward
diagonal right backward
half step
ballestra
side jump
spin out
shoulder twist
fleche
inquartata
pasatasota
speed variation
distance
foot / sword / spirit
chest bump
step size
collapsing distance for the touch
enguard one handed / two handed
enguard 4,6,7,8
guard of gedan
guard right jodan
guard left jodan
guard hasso left and right
guard waki game left and right
guard chudan
time the foot and blade work (1 hand action per 1/2 stride, finish blade work before
finishing the attack, don't let the feet get ahead of the hand)
distance: 1st correct, 2nd set, 3rd control, 4th execute action
KENDO FOOT WORK NAMES
suri ashi (sliding step)
okuri ashi (advance, retreat, step left, step right
shiho ashi sabaki (step forward, backward, right and then left)
hiraki ashi (pivot right then left then back to the start)
tsugi ashi (half step)
ayumi ashi (walking step -- sliding step of couse)
BLADE WORK
parries classical 4,6,7,8
parries unit 4,6,7,8
parries modern 4,6,7,8
parries 1,2,3,5,9
parries head cut left / right
parries out side half hanger left / right
parries saint george left / right
parries men chip left / right
parries do chip left / right
parries men slide left / right
parries do slide left / right
parries starting from the scabard: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
parry with second hand support
thrust
thrust with guiding hand
beat attack (side, up, down, scoop)
disengage
counter parry
pris de fer
stop thrust
bind
counter beat
coupe
glide
attack with opposition
in fighting
angle attacks
flicks
how to strike with a cut (push, wrist flick, hack, slice)
basic cut
practical cut
point control
small moves
hand supination / pronation
blade work is in hand and fingers not arm
feints
pommel smash (tsuka ate)
attacks from the 12 points of the clock (cut direction)
heaven and earth attacks
2 sword actions
breaking the attack
taking over the attack
slice with guiding hand
backward clearing cut
STRATEGY / TACTICTS
directing: right of way, action, hand signals
strip placement
first time spook
watch opponent
journal
simple vs compound attacks
breaking attacks
style
no machine gunning
baiting
preparation
invitation
STRATEGY (how to organize your bout and action)
rule of 4
tactical wheel
first intent attack / defense
second intent attack / defense
second intent defense: stop it before it starts
take it apart in the middle
controls where it ends
chess game
ABC game
window of opportunity
group and battle field (rule of 4 now applies to time in 1 location and number of people to
fight at once, keep opponents in front of you, attack the one who attacks first or who is
most weak, seek stable ground)
when an invitation fails do one of 3 things: continue with doubtful success, stop and
reinvite, stop and do a different attack
MATCHES / BOUTS / SHIAI
Once the previous skills have been understood you must try them first with willing
opponents in drill / kata and then with unwilling opponents by sparring. Working with
unwilling opponents will hone your "competitive edge". Being able to apply the above
individual actions with harder and harder opponents also hones your competitive edge
and understanding of the actions. These kata come from kendo, eishin ryu, kenjutsu,
gvsf, and other schools of the sword. They may not be a comprehensive list of all the
kata that the specific school listed has to offer but should be comprehensive in the
actions/moves taught in the kata.
Kata names
KENDO KATA
long sword
ippon me
nippon me
san bon me
yon ho me
go hon me
rop pon me
nana hon me
short sword
ippon me
nippon me
sanbon me
kirikaeshi
BOKUTO KEIKO HO
single cuts (men, kote, do, tsuki)
sandan waza (continous cuts--usually 2)
harai waza (beat attacks)
hiki waza (bumps and striking forward or backward)
nuki waza (counters)
suriage waza (parries -- men chip style)
debana waza (disengages, coupes, attacks into preperation)
kaeshi waza (sabre parry and riposte and counter)
uchiotishi waza (distance, counter, stop thrust, parry do chip style)
katsugi waza (alternate guard stances)
maki waza (binds)
katate waza (one handed strikes)
MUSO SHINDEN RYU
begginers
shohato mae
atarito ushiro
ryuto uke nagashi
tsuka ate
kesa giri
morote tsuki
samp giri
ganmen ate
soete tsuki
shiho giri
sou giri
nuki uchi
from seiza
shohat to
sa to
u to
atari to
in yo shin tai
ryu to
jun to
gyaku to
seichu to
koran to
in yo shin tai kaete
bat to
seated one leg up
yokogumo
tora issuko
inaduma
ukigumo
yamoaorosi
iwanami
urokogaesi
namigaesi
takiotisi
nukiuti
seated
kasumi
sunegakoi
shiho giri
todume
towaki
tanasita
ryudume
torabasiri
standing
ikidure 1
ikidure 2
turedati
soma kuri
sodome
sinobu
ikitigai
sodesurigaesi
moniri
kabezoi
ukenagasi
seiza forms
itomagoi 1
itomagoi 2
itomagoi 3
KENJUTSU KATA
itto seiho
sassen
hasso hidari
hasso migi
uke nagashi hidari
uke nagashi migi
moji gamae
haritsuke
nagashi uchi
tora bura
kazuki
aisen uchidome
amashi uchi
kodachi seiho
sassen
chudan
uke nagashi
mojigamae
haritsuke
nagashi uchi
aisen
nito seiho
chudan
jodan
gedan
waki gamae hidari
migi waki gamae
EISHIN RYU
Drawing methods
ordered sword 1
ordered sword 2
pursuing sword
angled sword
four direction cut 1
four direction cut 2
beheading stroke
Drawing methods secret
forward inverse cut
multidirectional cut
rearward inverse cut
rearward quick draw
Extra
fast wave
thunder and lightening
thunder clap
demon cutting
extra
forward cut
forwars and rearward cut
rising cut
4 directional cut
tip flip
SHINKAGE RYU IAIJUTSU
mune no katana - lapel throw
zengo no teki - back ward clearing cut
TAMIYA RYU IAIJUTSU
tsuka hazush - 90 right 135 left
tsuki tome - parry a thrust with the sword not drawn
KORAN NO MAKI SECOND VOLUME
sa tetsu - soete tsuki followed by 2 handed men block
fuji san - break a grip on rear of saya then draw and thrust
TACHI UCHI NO KURAI
tsukikage - move leading leg and stop thrust
zetsumhoken - pomel smash from tsubazurei
TENSHIN SHODEN KATORI SHINTO RYU
ippon me
nihonme
yohonme
GVSF KATA
counter attack stop thrust
counter attack pasada sota
counter attack inquartata
counter attack shrink distance
counter attack spin out
parries from scabbard
parries out of scabbard all parries
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 circle up beat (disengage up beat and coupe on front foot, disengage to low line on
left foot lunge. repeat sequence and add at the final an inquartata from lunge.
4 parry 4
circular
julies plan
laying blade to provoke attack
kata men do
the slide
beat thrust inquartata
4 direction cut evasion 1
4 direction cut evasion 2
kodatchi mojigame leg block
half bind
rear ward pasata soda with thrust or cut
under hand draw, 3 person slice
SHOULD A PERSON LEARN A HAND (PUNCH/KICK/GRAPPLE) ART IN ADDITION TO A
WEAPON?)
To really master an art you need to spend a lot of time in it. Time will restrict what you
can do. That being said cross training can help you understand your specific art better
and from a battle field concept people will wonder what to do if you loose your sword.
There are many types of martial arts. Each one is unique in its approach. A few that
have impressed me are: Jiu jitsu, judo, shotokan, tai chi for combat and aikido. Tai chi
and aikido have a sword component that may expand your knowledge as well. Some web
sites to explore would be gilmanstudio.com and submissions101.com. and
kendo-guide.com These give excellent online instruction.