Open class this Sat. in Eishin Ryu

[Tom Duffy]

This Saturday all are invited to come up this Saturday to train with us for the 2nd shoshinkan-shindokan workout. Of course no charge for JKI members and no charge for students of either dojojs. Only 15.00 for non-memebers.
We will start at 8:00Am and we will go to 11:00 am! We plan on lots of Kenjutsu Kata!
If anyone needs to leave earlier please feel free to do so. Sensei Erik from Richmond and his students are indeed coming and we here in Cranston hope to see many of you students as well as anyone else interested in Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu/Kenjutsu.
Tom
www.risword.com

 

[Charles Mahan]

The Jikishinkai branch of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu is typically refered to as Iaijutsu. This is the first time I've seen the term kenjutsu associated with this branch of MJER. Out of curiosity why use that term?

 

[Saitama Steve]

Maybe he's referring to the kumitachi in MJER. Wouldn't that be a reasonable explanation?

 

[Charles Mahan]

I suppose. Not a common way to describe them but not altogether unreasonable. Several of the Kumitachi which I am familiar with assume the sword is already drawn. I've never heard or read of anyone that refering to them as the MJER Kenjutsu forms.

One of my favorite quotes from a seminar is "Only the first cut is iai. The rest are kenjutsu".

 

[Tom Duffy]

Maybe he's referring to the kumitachi in MJER. Wouldn't that be a reasonable explanation?

HI guys yes Mr. Saitama Steve is correct. Hi Charles I don't understand why the confusion. They are in fact Kenjutsu Kata Which I'm sure you are familiar with. The JKI actually has several of these. I'm not sure what other organizations have because I have only trained with JKI. So I apoligize for any confusion. The reason we spend a lot of time on them when two dojos get together is firstly cuz we all need the training lol. But mainly so the students have different partners for a nice change. Also to learn from each other. Sometimes we spend so much time on solo kata that the Kenjutsu kata suffer. I try to keep a nice balance between the two at my dojo.
respects, Tom

 

[Saitama Steve]

The reason we spend a lot of time on them when two dojos get together is firstly cuz we all need the training lol. But mainly so the students have different partners for a nice change. Also to learn from each other. Sometimes we spend so much time on solo kata that the Kenjutsu kata suffer. I try to keep a nice balance between the two at my dojo.
respects, Tom

That's what it's all about If you only do solo forms, your sotai kata stagnate and you are unbalanced in your skills.

 

[Charles Mahan]

Oh I wasn't saying it was wrong. It's just the first time I've heard or read about them being referred to as kenjutsu. We just refer to them as kumitachi or by their specific set name.

As for how much time should be spent on them. The JKI and the ZNIR/Seitokai differ on this a bit. We don't start them until 5 to 10 years into the curriculum. Varies a bit from one dojo to the next. Sounds like a long time, but it's always seemed to me that the higher ups tend to think in decades not years. Waiting that long ensures that the students have a certain amount of control and a solid grasp of kihon before starting the two man waza. Different orgs. Different curriculums.

 

[Tom Duffy]

Very interesting Mr. Mahan, thank you. Oh and I absolutley didn't think you were saying it was wrong. So Please forgive me if i came across that way. One thing about the written letter, it's hard to really hear how people feel when they type. lol
Yes I can absolutley see the ZNIR point of view. I have been told that some schools don't even see chuden Iai waza until Ni-Dan. So I guess there are lots of methods out there. I wouln't mind hearing more from others.
As far as us and The kumitachi, yes we do call them That as well. We also call them Kenjutsu as a whole for beginners so they can differenciate between Iai and Kenjutsu. Also because some of them, which we all know, have the same name. So It's just another way of explaining it to us inpatient Americans.
In our dojos we actually have the first kumitachi as part of the 7th kyu requirement. Again I wouldn't mind hearing from others what they do in the order of things.