Iai training

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Battousai

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I was wondering about the best ways to train. I know in Darrel Craig's Iai the Art of Drawing the Sword, that meditation is stressed. In what ways does everyone meditate before/during iai practice? I hardly meditate at all, at least in the way that was described in his book.
Right now I just practice the same draw over and over again. I've been taught lots of draws, but because of a lack of space and my dislike of getting rug burns on my knees I just practice a few favorite basic draws, mostly just the simplest one. I set a goal for myself of being able to do 100 draws in 10 minutes, I've met that, but I think it will be awhile before I get it down to 9 minutes. What I've been concentrating on is just basic routine motion, trying to get the noto down as if I was doing something mindless like putting my hand in my pocket.
Another training method I've done in the past is to do the draws with wrist weights on, 10 lbs, then 5 lbs, then nothing. The sword can start to feel like a feather after going down through that sequence.
All of my training revolves around the physical, with not much to do with the meditation aspect, does anyone have any advise for increasing this meditative element, or any other good physical training regiments?
 
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Richard S.

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heres a thought, maybe you have already gotten into the meditative aspects to a degree. i mean when you draw you think about your thumb pressing against the tsuba, your hand pulling the blade free, where your foot is gonna land, and the position of your shoulders at the completion of the cut. instead of quantity, why not slow it down? relax, BREATHE,and pick it apart in your head. and when you "feel"the time is right, do it.....................humble respects.
 
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islandtime

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Originally posted by Richard S.

heres a thought, maybe you have already gotten into the meditative aspects to a degree. i mean when you draw you think about your thumb pressing against the tsuba, your hand pulling the blade free, where your foot is gonna land, and the position of your shoulders at the completion of the cut. instead of quantity, why not slow it down? relax, BREATHE,and pick it apart in your head. and when you "feel"the time is right, do it.....................humble respects.
.............................................................................................

O.K. ,I will add my 2y to the mix.

Start working on breathing and heart rate. Begin as you first have the Iaito in your hands and start going through your beginning routines.

This is the time when I start slowing everything down. From the time I lay the sword down in front of me before I bow I am working on breath and heart rate. Both of these are very important to get THERE... At the chiburi pause (in my style)and at the end of each kata I have a short period of Zanshin also.Try working these into each training session. It couldn't hurt

Gene Gabel
 

Yari

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Originally posted by islandtime




Start working on breathing and heart rate. Begin as you first have the Iaito in your hands and start going through your beginning routines.
Gene Gabel


Breathing is very important. If this is wrong, it's not iaido your praticing, but just weights with movement. But if you practiced wights you'll know that breathing is important, but there is another aspect to it in iai. Movments and intentions and breathing and zanshin have to work together. Go to a contest for iai, and look at the masters. When you look closly at them you'll see the difference. And their personality will be "better".

But I can't tell you how to breath because I havn't any idea on which type of iai your doing. There is basics , but they only go a certain way. From ther eyou need an "expert" from that style.


/Yari
 
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Battousai

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Thanks guys! I'll try what you all suggested :)
 

old_sempai

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:asian:

Go to the Bugei website and order a copy of: The Science of Breath," it was written by a Yoga in 1905.

You will be surprised regarding the different types of breathing exercises it describes, especially in light of the fact that it is a rather thin book with regard to the number of pages. Further, it also describes breathing exercises used in Go Ju and other MA, arts that did not formally exist at the time it was printed. All in all it is an excellent book.

I purchased it for approximately $19.995 about 10 years ago and it was worth the investment. I'm certain one could adapt the deep abdominal breathing techniques into Omori, at the very least.

:asian: :D
 
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Battousai

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The Science of Breath by Yogi Ramachakra

I found it on www.Bugei.com for 11 dollars, hardcover. I'm going to try to see if I can get it cheaper/paperback from Barnes and Noble.

Thanks Old Sempai, once I get some extra cash (probabily in 3 weeks LOL) I'll be ordering it.
 

Yari

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Originally posted by old_sempai

:asian:


I'm certain one could adapt the deep abdominal breathing techniques into Omori, at the very least.

:asian: :D

Have you praticed Omori-ryu? All of it, or just the parts from the japanese iai federation?

Why I ask is I've praticed some of the kata's, but I' not wure the teacher could correctly remember those. So I was wondering howt they were compared to the set-ai kata's

/Yari
 

old_sempai

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:asian:

My Instructor was teaching both Omori and Hasagawa, I was busy learning the Omori. Here's a list of forms he teaches:


Sho hato
Uto
Sato
Rei uto
In yo shin tai
HitariTo
Junto
Gya kuto
Karanto
Sei chuto
Gyato in yo shin tai
Batshuto

Regards

:asian:
 

Yari

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Originally posted by old_sempai

:asian:

My Instructor was teaching both Omori and Hasagawa, I was busy learning the Omori. Here's a list of forms he teaches:


Sho hato
Uto
Sato
Rei uto
In yo shin tai
HitariTo
Junto
Gya kuto
Karanto
Sei chuto
Gyato in yo shin tai
Batshuto

Regards

:asian:

I gotta say that I never learned the names. And then I moved over to more sete-iai. But I remember omiriryu as a good iai style, and not so often taught.

/Yari
 

old_sempai

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:asian:

I guess I should have looked at the Bugei site before simply posting a SWAG price. you know, "Scientific Wild A$$ Guess." As stated, I purchased the book a long, long time ago [should I add: "in a galaxy far, far away?" No guess not!].

But, hey never mind the price I hope that it serves the purpose and helps in your training.

Enjoy, and enjoy the weekend

Regards

:asian: :asian:
 

rsmith63

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Happy New Year,
You have received some suggestions. Here's another: Misinterpretation of kata is a problem but it is also a problem if people are concerned too much on its physical style without knowing what each kata means. It's like looking at sweets in a picture, you can see it but you can't taste it. There are so many katas and Iai styles that are only about the looks and have no spirit. Losing the kata means losing its spirit. If you're looking for how fast you can Nukitsuke and Noto than you are missing the point. Its unfortunate that there are so many sword masters both in the cities and in the country areas with many of them teach the wrong things, some of them modify the original methods and make things up and some of them just try to attract the audience with eccentricity. Even if they become well known and famous, they have the same value as clay tiles - ZERO. To many students try for speed at the very beginning. Its not important if you can do 100 noto's in a matter of a few minutes. What's important is to try to understand what the kata is doing and what is its purpose. You have to understand and feel what is taking place. This requires time and dedication and daily training. Through daily training you will achieve Mushin as your hands and mind become one. Eventually the memory world and your lost world will become as one.. In other words, it's the freedom from all ideas and thoughts. Speed is not the answer - through speed only, you are like the clay tiles.

If I can be of any further assistance, feel free to email.
[email protected]
 

Sukerkin

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Good day, Robert and welcome to Martial Talk :rei:.

Many truths noted in your post above and it is good to see someone with experience happy to share that experience.

Just a couple of small suggestions with regard to forum 'etiquette' to help smooth your road out here in Net-Land :D.

This thread was over six years old and most of the posters in it no longer have accounts here at MT. It doesn't invalidate the usefulness of what you said but it has come to be seen as not the 'done thing' to resurrect Zombie Threads. It's better to take the keynote from the thread that sparks your response and make a new one.

It is also somewhat outside the procedures of the board to specifically request that people contact yourself directly by e-mail or PM (unless it is for matters of a personal nature). The board exists for discussion of martial arts topics and obviously the discussion fails to happen if people correspond privately :).

'Moderator' duties done, I'd like to welcome you on-board and suggest that it might be an idea to head for the "Meet & Greet" forum where you can give us a bit of a thumbnail sketch of yourself and your experience/areas of expertise in the arts. A pleasure to have a fellow swordsman join our ranks in the New Year - dohzo yoroshiku.
 

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