Sentoshi Sword Series 3 DVD Set - Excerpt #1

[Bob Hubbard]

An excerpt from the Sentoshi Sword Series 3 DVD Set - Available at www.tampaquestma.com

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[Bob Hubbard]

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[Chris Parker]

Well, all I can say that there are reasons the X-Kan swordsmanship is not highly thought of (there are, of course notable exceptions.... the Genbukan are typically much better, mainly due to Tanemura Sensei's exceptional skill with a sword), but these clips don't really help. He's rather theatrical, isn't he?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I thought the 2nd clip to be quite theatrical, stage combatish in style. First one, didn't seem too bad, but seemed more aimed at 'gravy' than 'meat' as it were.

 

[Chris Parker]

Second was very theatrical, the first was rather lacking in understanding of swordsmanship again. The Kocho no Kamae is an armour based posture, and is fairly useless out of it, but the big (overly muscled) cut from behind the head would simply not be possible in the type of armour the posture they are moving from requires. That and it's a really bad cut, not taking into account the way a Japanese sword actually works.

To understand what type of cut is actually possible (and advised), you may note that many Koryu systems move from a posture with the sword held beside the head (Hasso no Kamae), or very high above and slightly in front (as in the Jigen Ryu clips), or, in the case of Katori Shinto Ryu, an application of a unique cut, known as Maki Otoshi, where the sword is brought back on your left side, then swung down and forward to create a powerful cut... check out the opening movements in the Katori clips you put up!

That said, I just checked out Hayes' clip talking about Mark here.... hmm, a lot of what Mark was doing there didn't really seem that good to me (bad positioning for a number of things, poor form for a few others, muscled throws and so on....), and the entire clip came across more as an ad for Stephen than anything else.... (sigh).

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Yeah, I did get that 'advert' feeling a bit. I'll be posting clips all through out August, so hopefully I'll find some real diamonds soon.