Seiza

[Eldritch Knight]

Alright; I'll bet everyone here's either heard of this or has used it (if not, what are you doing here???? j/k). Anyway, I've seen a lot of ways to sit in seiza, and am wondering what you all use.

1) What's your style / how did you learn seiza / what did you learn seiza from?

2) How do you sit down?

3) Are your big toes crossed or not?

4) Where do your put your hands (just above halfway down the thighs, straight down the legs, etc.)?

5) How do you rei (bow) (thumbs tucked in, out, etc. fingers touching, fingers 2 inches apart, etc. hands about 4 inches away from your knees, hands right up to your knees, etc.)?

6) How do you stand up?


If you know multiple ways, please post all

 

[Eldritch Knight]

1) Kendou

2) Left knee to the ground followed by right

3) Big toes are crossed

4) Hands are halfway down the thighs

5) Hands about 2 inches away from the knee, and touching at a wide angle.

6) Right foot up, followed by left

 

[Eldritch Knight]

1) Sadou

2) Left knee leading right knee - touching almost at the same time.

3) Big toes slightly overlapped, but not overtly crossed

4) Hands are halfway down the thighs

5) Hands about 4 inches away from the knee, about an inch apart at a wide angle. During practice, right up to the knees and barely a slight nod.

6) Up almost simultaneously, with left foot slightly leading right

 

[D.Cobb]

1) Left knee leading right knee - touching almost at the same time.

2) Big toes slightly overlapped, but not overtly crossed

3) Hands are halfway down the thighs

4) Left hand followed by right hand. Hands about 4 inches away from the knee, fingers touching.

5) Left leg followed by right, then 1 step back.


--Dave
:asian:

 

[pknox]

1) While studying traditional Japanese karate-do.

2) Left knee first, followed a second or so later by the right (incidentally, I was taught that the tradition of left knee first arose because the samurai almost always wore their katana on the left hip, and going left knee first would make it easier to draw the sword without the left thigh getting in the way. The only time it was ever done differently was in front of one's lord or daimyo, as the sense of submission shown by deliberately leaving one in a disadvantageous position to attack is considered very trusting and respectful. Not sure how true that is, but it does make a bit of sense, and I like the notions it conjures up, so I'm sticking with it. )

3) Big toes are not crossed, but are either touching or just short of it.

4) My hands are in my lap, facing each other, with my fingertips and thumbs lightly touching.

5) Hands about one hand's length away from my knees, making a triangle with the thumbs and fingers, which are close to each other but not actually touching.

6) The reverse of the way I came in - right leg first, then left, bring feet together (again, unless I'm in front of a daimyo, of course ).

 

[wadokai_indo]

Alright; I'll bet everyone here's either heard of this or has used it (if not, what are you doing here???? j/k). Anyway, I've seen a lot of ways to sit in seiza, and am wondering what you all use.

1) What's your style / how did you learn seiza / what did you learn seiza from?

2) How do you sit down?

3) Are your big toes crossed or not?

4) Where do your put your hands (just above halfway down the thighs, straight down the legs, etc.)?

5) How do you rei (bow) (thumbs tucked in, out, etc. fingers touching, fingers 2 inches apart, etc. hands about 4 inches away from your knees, hands right up to your knees, etc.)?

6) How do you stand up?


If you know multiple ways, please post all

1 ) Wado-ryu & Goshinbudo Jujutsu
2-6) Please visit this link

http://www.geocities.com/tukangbanting/reiho_2.jpg

all the pictures of Seiza and Seizarei are there

(BTW dont click directly. Open a new, empty browser window then use copy-paste to open the pictures. Alternatively, visit the front page www.geocities.com/tukangbanting and click the REIHO 2 link from there. REIHO 1 does not work yet).

If you have time you can visit the rest of the page


Hope this helps!

Ben Haryo

 

[Bushigokoro9]

Well, living in the west I do not find myself in Seiza very much unless I am in the dojo. When meditating, I also find that I am in Fudoza except for the bow in. Seiza (in my opinion only) is not as combat effective as Fudoza. The principles of both however work GREAT when sitting in a chair. When sitting in a chair I do not have my feet nor toes crossed. I might (depending on the situation) have one of my big toes wrapping around one of the legs of the chair so that I can use the chair to it's utmost potential. In my dojo we practice using Seiza, Fudoza, western style chairs and other unique situations that you might find yourself in.

Best Regards,
Bushigokoro

 

[bignick]

studying judo/jujutsu

left knee down first...followed by right...

right big toe is on top of left big toe....

bow left hand first than right...or both together...left than right is more traditional...fingers touching...

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Left hand first, then right. Pet peeve: Western sensei who insist it is more prudent to keep eyes on other people while bowing, just in case they wann try a sneak attack. In your own school, among your own sempai or sensei, this eye contact is an act of disrespect and distrust, and an affront to the family sense that must be developed in a dojo where people practice moves within centimeters of life.

My own rant,

Dave

Otagani, REI! (honor each other)

 

[RRouuselot]

Here is a link to the Ogasawararyu school of manners. They are suppose to be the end all beat all to your guide to Japanese manners. I think seiza is discussed in here as well.


http://www.ogasawararyu-reihou.com/english/index.html

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Sit on your knees, with a space of two fists between your knees and not any more. Place your open hands palm down mid-way on your thighs.

 

[auxprix]

1) Both Judo and living in Japan (trust me, I know my stuff)

2) Sit down left leg, then right.
3) Males may cross toes

4) Hands on the mid thigh, I haven't found the placement to me too important though

5) Thumbs out. Fingers can be either touching or not at about the forehead

6) Stand up right then left.


One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that Seiza is different between males and females. I've seen the male way described here. In the traditional Japanese way of seiza, the womans knees must be together, and her hands tend to be a little higher on the thighs. This is a bit of a knit-pick when it comes down to the dojo though, where everyone is wearing pants anyways.

 

[still learning]

Thank guys! It is nice to learn new things,this is new for me, we never really cover that is our class because many of us could not sit that way for too long and found ourselves adjusting around, Sensi did not appreciate the moving ,but understood. The left than right,sitting and stand the right than left..? Aloha

 

[treksinthesiddhis]

left knee down first, knees wider than feet, bow right hand slightly before left, unless a guest in another dojo, then bow simutainiously.

As for the commments of "keeping your eyes" on the person you bow too... i don't reccomend it if you visit a traditional japanese dojo! Ever since the bruce lee movie where he whacks the guy on the top of the head for bowing with his eyes down and says "always keep your eyes on your opponent" many western sensei have adopted this. I personally prefer "soft eyes" when watching my opponent anyway... additionally, at least with my sensei, "watching him" probably won't do me any good if he means to do me harm lol.

Namaste
-Rob

 

[Hyaku]

A lot of Budo groupd have their own way of doing this. If you want to really sit down and stand up useing the correct feet it depends on what side of shinza/kamiza you are on.

It should be on the foot farest away from kamiza.

On sitting correctly you should be able to get up easily without effort. If the backside is plonked down on the feet this is not possible.