From the Sword

I have been told many times that my style of Aikido comes from sword work (not by Sensei, and I think it isn't a fully true statement and maybe becoming less true with time).

The problem is, I had little sword work coming up compared to some associations (more than some, but not a lot).  So, I was left in pre-YouTube and Facebook days to watch movies and read books.  Kata practice also left me with a sense of an extended and protracted contest.  There are other fighting styles from different cultures who try multiple rapid cuts, but the theory is most of those cuts are going to fail to do much.  Most Japanese arts seem to try to be minimalist - one move, one kill.

I was raised on Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker.  I was blown away by The Princess Bride.  I caught Revenge of the Ninja in the theatre as a new release.  Choreography has since become more lavish, wire work more common, computer graphics and clever editing common place.  More Crouching Tiger, more Zorro, more Kill Bill, more Matrix.

This Link shows some Iaido cutting practice.  My understanding is each practice target device is supposed to have roughly the same feel and offer the same resistance as a human arm, leg, or neck.  The wall shaped device would then offer the same resistance as a vertical cut through the torso I guess.  

Each movement is a single, simple, lethal, fight stopping movement.  I watch the final fight scene from Sanjuro, or when I watch Sword of Doom, this is what I see.  There are no blocks, no handsprings, no flips, and it's much less fun and sexy.  It looks quick and lethally simple.  When I watch these scenes with non-martial artists I get told it looks fake (and, these are movies so they are fake) - but the same people don't make that comment about Jackie Chan.  Maybe the idea that we really are that fragile is unsettling.

I remember Sensei saying empty handed Shomenuchi was "Two Kills."  Raise the hand - finished.  Lower the hand - finished.  It's the same movement as Tohei's Ikkyo Undo, as Shioda's Kokyu Ho #1, as Tomiki's Atemi Waza.

This was one idea that I tried to work on leading up to my last test - no meaningless movement, each moment in time an opportunity to strike, lock, or throw.  One move, one finish.