Iaido

[middleway]

Hi all,

Just interested in who here practices Iai in any of its forms?

I studied Enshin Ryu Iai Suemonogiri Kenpo (Kôden Enshin ryu Ken-Pô) and have started to return to this practice recently .. linking to the seated or kneeling thread I have been using an Oar Suburi Bokken to work on it from a bodywork standpoint. It is interesting how the cross body, side lines etc are worked without the usual Crotch Arch etc.

When practicing Iai what are you guys working on?

cheers.

[jaime_g]

I practise Thibault drawing. It's really interesting because the lenght of the rapier force you to stretch the body diagonally raising your foot

http://ardamhe.free.fr/biblio/Thibault/ ... b%2003.jpg

(It is ilustrated on upper background images)

[Finny]

I study Katori Shinto Ryu iai - In suwari iai I try to work on moving smoothly, accuracy, and otherwise just following my teachers' corrections and trying to ingrain correct movement. I agree, working through kata from an IMA pov can provide some interesting feedback

Hampered in the last few months by a painful foot injury - to my left foot, which takes some strain in iai goshi

[middleway]

Hampered in the last few months by a painful foot injury - to my left foot, which takes some strain in iai goshi

Yikes yeh a foot injury and Iai dont mix! I remember having a twisted ankle and trying to train and it was horrific haha.

[I-mon]

You don't feel or use the crotch arch when sitting and kneeling, Chris? For me it's a fundamental part of the meditation posture, and the base of support for all movement above the pelvis.

I don't practice Iaido though, although I've always thought it's pretty badass

[middleway]

without the usual Crotch Arch

Sorry mate, Wasnt clear enough in what i was saying. What i meant was that when performing Shiko etc it is not the 'usual' use of Dang that i am more used too in Standing methods etc.

Check out 15.30 from here. Where the switch steps occur its like an open close.



Very old school Iai is Enshin lots of stabbing in the throat!