How Did The Samurai Fight With A Sword ⛩ Kenjutsu Stances & Footwork
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2022
- In this video, I discuss how the samurai fight with a sword. I also discuss the proper use of stances and foot work within traditional Kenjutsu to training.
Have a look at the Book of Bushido here
www.amazon.com/Book-Bushido-Complete-Samurai-Chivalry/dp/1786786052/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WF0B1JBBO24H&keywords=book+of+bushido&qid=1661869159&sprefix=book+of+bushido%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1
Maybe it’s like karate where the stances become more dramatic compared to the original.
Sword duelling is about distance down to the millimetre and sublime timing, I've practices Kenjutsu and it has plenty of teqniques where stance and where balance is shifted either forward or backwards, its not so much about the stance but how you transion between stances. When static it's about measuring distance but when in motion using the stance as a guide for how you transition. I think you are 100% right Anthony but I also think the artwork isn't meant to interpreted as static but in motion because when you are fighting to the death you are going to be moving. I understand also that limiting unnecessary movement is important also for stamina. However just like in a fist fight it is easy to lose fine motor skills when under stress from violence and state of mind is the most important factor. I love your work Anthony please keep them coming..💖🇦🇺
Great points, and Kuroda Sensei is awesome.
Fascinating, I'm quite glad kendo cleaned it up and emphasised standing straighter, front on, makko shobu, don't expose the head as much in leaning forward and down, but given their weapon and draw or pushing cuts, it makes perfect sense to go low and forward if you want to cut an arm or a leg (leg or hand snipe), or stab or cut the face by going in low and hard.
Let’s not forget that modern impressions of Japanese swordsmanship come from quite late in the story & are influenced by films & even Kabuki theatre as much as anything. It doesn’t surprise me that martial arts designed for actual fighting, especially on the battlefield while wearing armour, keep everything nice & tight to the body, just like a modern MMA fighter. The armour point is significant, the design of the Sode mean you can “hunker down” behind it, protecting you from not only sword/spear blows but also arrows. This is fantastic stuff Antony, will there be a book about Kenjutsu in the future?
Yes deffo but I’m only at the start
Why would you want a book about Kenjutsu from someone who never studied Kenjutsu?
@@dwl3006 because it would be a historical perspective on sword fighting rather than a how-to manual I expect
Yeah, the tucking makes sense. On battlefield use, it makes sense kendo (not kenjutsu) was taught to the Battotai as a counter to kenjutsu using samurai, so they could quickly face up, charge, cut men and go through forward low leaning kenjutsu opponents. One being for old battlefields and duels, and then one to counter those of the old battlefields (train commoners to bravely charge and cut men).
Really enjoyed this one Antony. The side by side stances were articulated well. Thanks!
Great I’m glad you enjoyed it.
1- to draw the opponent into making a move.
2- to be able to spring backwards/ to the side/ drop side or forward roll.
Upright posture is used in Iado because 'someone said so' as a formality.
This is excellent information that opens up dimensions into sword training! Thanks, Anthony! This video got me to pick up my sword right away (after the 2nd viewing lol).
Just bought it. Looking forward to the read. Thanks for the video.
another excellent and informative video love it
Hey man , just wanted to let you know your videos are great , and love your work. You definitly need more likes on them! Huge fan of these subjects , keep it up
Thank you. Glad you like them
Having more weight on the front foot helps with forward movement and weight balanced between front and rear foot help with in and out movement use it in MMA all the time along with a wide stance for balance and i practiced kenjutsu and did sparring fun stuff.
thank you very much nice to see you in action, many techniques where you lean very forward often serve to lure the opponent out of the reserve thank you.
Ultimately, it's an educated guess regarding how they fought (referring to my personal interest in Sengaku Period combat). At least Antony uses historical references to make an educated guess...like a _historian_ would.
That dude is fast kenjutsu that way he does it hidden and your learn it the leaning hind it. Thumb up bro I am still hang in here
As a koryu practitioner I can't really see the power delivered in these stances where your weight is clearly overreached or under from the start. I know every koryu is different but usually power is generated from a neutral stance and then you shift accordingly based on your attack where its ok at times to overreach but at a consequence that you leave yourself exposed to a counter. This is very interesting.
I'm really liking these Koryu videos. No other Japanese Samurai youtube channel goes in depth comparing styles like this yet.
I stand by the rule that what it says in the documents I go by. I do not adjust for traditional teachings which may have changed. So I make sure that I still to what is said. I’m glad you like them
I think it’s more for charging in. Battlefield fighting requires more close range. The armor is your defense. Plus many of the targets in armor are better attacking from below.
@@christopherrasberry9629 with armor I can maybe see it being used. But without it it's leaving yourself open to an attack.
How much power do you need when you’re wielding a 3ft razor blade?
@@jonathanborella769 you only cut with the first 5 inches or the monouchi of the blade. It doesn't take much to cut off a limb. Lookup tamashegiri cutting.
Cool. It looks very serious
1:25
Didn’t even know the samurai used this stance, when I practice Kenjutsu I used this stance a lot
You are fishing for that men parry, aren't you?
Hey. One thing I noticed in pictures you showed us in this video (and it does crossover to other arts I'm learning like boxing, wrestling and HEMA) that you are doing differently is how you bend your front knee over your toes. That can actually hinder your balance. Please don't take this as a hate.
Shinkage ryu it’s predecessor was said be offensive and had less focus on defense. Leaning forward increases your reach and your athleticism.
I teach Yagyu historical Swordsmanship classes at my Museum using 3 different translations. The lack of clarity on the available translations makes it very difficult to learn, but I think the interpretations I use from the three translations helps a lot
These stances you show do look a lot like many of the positions one sees in the medieval German manuscripts especially in dusack fencing
Deffo you can see the similarities
Parabéns pelo canal
Hi Antony, good to see you training again. Great video, interesting how we learned how to do things before the internet came along. But this approach to learning swordsmanship is a difficult one I think. But that is my opinion based on my experience. Keep it mate look forward to the next one.
Yes will keep going. Thank you
While it maybe difficult, it would be a good alternative for those unable to access a dojo for whatever reason.
la posta di falcone, also known as the guard of the hawk, the high guard :) (credit kingdom of heaven)
Very interesting stuff, Antony. I think if you gave a room full of journeyman and up boxers katanas and told them to get after it, this postures are what you would find. Experienced fighters and higher level fighting- be it boxing, fencing, MMA, even BJJ/judo/wrestling- are all about timing, angle, set up, and reading rhythms. Stance and posture get fuzzier because fighters are using the position as a platform for these other things.
It has long been an accepted that kamae (stances/postures) meant for use in armor, especially but not limited to Pre-Edo Period, generally tended to often (albeit not always) be wider and lower for better balance and stability on uncertain ground. As for this leaning in Yagyu Shinkage Ryu...... I am not a member of the ryuha, thus I am not qualified to speak about the practices of the school.
In a fight for your life you take on any sort of stance that works. There is very little that is rigid and structured in a fight. One of the reason why the movements of well trained martial artists in a MMA fight don't look as clean as it does in the training dojo.
I was about to write that the beginning stances are very similar to Kuroda Tetsuzan’s Tamiya Ryu then you showed his clips haha
Haha yep
Looks very similar to Italian Rapier stances.
Agreed
Iv done those stances, picture ones shown & more in Ninjutsu. All are different with weapons/without in diff ryu. Leaning forward offers head as setup/quick acceleration/heals of ground/further from close attacker behind & staffs reach further/gives intention/for diff distances of attackers around/can roll/duck under high strikes easier etc etc. Some of the pics are shown at start, middle, end of cuts/lunges etc also. Do lots of weird stances/cuts/body movements as knowledge is power.
Makes sense as it would bring the armour plates together in a more hunched stance
True in many schools there are leaning forward deep stances. My teacher always talked about cat like stances enabling to move quickly. Also in Musashis style there is a leaning forward stance. kashima shinden style is totally based on leaning forward.
So saying only upright stances are good is not quite correct. But upright stance more refers to having solid body attitude meaning no shrinking shoulders or tucked in chest even when in leaning forward stance. As for offensive defensive.
My teacher said the mind s always offensive even if stance seems defensive. Reason same as why swordfight was not dynamic. And that is tension. If mind not set on attack fear creeps in then you die. But moving much in dynamic way opens way to mistake exposing also to much. So waiting in stance with mind set on attack good tactic. Like predator looking at prey and attack when sees weak moment in other. It not about showing skill but about killing in efficient quick easy way.
Thats why in fact no need to know so many techniques. Yapanese sword perfectly suited for that.
Moving around in dynamic way showing skills for public yury only works in sports when no risk on death and mutulation. And katatraining in old schools may be dynamic when it comes to combat only few techniques are needed and not in dynamic way. It is not a game of movement then but live or death. Thats why sometimes no so much technique was learned and often in a what people now would see as boring repetive way. Ofcourse now no need anymore to see it that way for no one fights with sword.
But also not forget the reality behind it.
👍❤
The idea of muted music in the background of a vid is a valid one. But the tunes you use in these newer vids are totally distracting and misplaced imo ^^"
Interesting series though.
The oriental ones are too chinese
Awesome video as always Antony! Quick question, I’m currently working on a video relating to the Kama scythe weapon, and I was wondering if you know any resources where I could see their use and styles in history?
I’ve seen one in western ma but do not know the name. But there is one out there
@@AntonyCummins thanks for the reply! I’m a big fan!
I think you are confused in your interpretation of what the drawings mean in the scrolls you reference. Yes, some depict the initial stance during the setup of the technique, but some are there as a reference as to what position the body is in during the defensive or avoidance part of the technique. They are like grabbing a single screen shot from a modern day video clip. Obviously, there is a lot more going on in the sequence that as a practitioner you are supposed to know. The pictures are there simply as a reminder of the finer parts of the technique. Another thing to keep in mind, especially when studying Yagyu schools is that the Owari branch adopted techniques from another school much later in it's lineage and the modern Owari line is not pure Yagyu or Shinkage Ryu. Yagyu also has many ways of holding the sword at the beginning of techniques that are not part of modern schools and you typically see in kendo or iaido katas.
We investigated that. Many are described in the scroll as a starting point. The Japanese says start at x point and the drawing shows that point exactly- but I will do a video on it
@@AntonyCummins What you are probably not getting in translation is that a number of the techniques are used as a bait in order to offer up a target for the opponent to cut at and set them up for a final cut. I practice in the Edo branch and see where you are making assumptions but they are incorrect in some instances you demonstrated.
👊🏻
Any idea if those more forward stances had anything to do with samurai being used to wear armour?
I think this is without armour
Actually these make perfect sense. You're on a battlefield with allies to your right and left often.You don't need long and heavy strikes to kill someone. Sometimes you're looking for open areas not covered in amor. Taking what one swordsman said at one particular point in history doesn't make it gospel. Even if it's from Miyamoto Musashi. All samurai history didn't begin and end with Musashi. Though Musashi. did fight in wars also. Most of his duels were one-on-one without armor. Claims live and die based on the evidence. This was a well reasoned argument with historical evidence.
Swordsmanship has change over the hundreds of years. That's impossible to stop. Martial arts has had the same issues.
Ittō-Ryū has a jodan no kamae where the’re dramatic, what I mean is that their arms are almost completely stretch as they’re about to start a cut, and that’s the point, so, I wouldn’t say dramatic, but theory and function is what causes changes in postures, you should make a video of Nitten Ichi-Ryū
But for that we would have to check the original scrolls to see if it matches
🤠👍🏿
Stance is about stability, mobility, and distance. The stance you take is dynamic and based on your situation. Anyone who practices a karate/taekwondo type martial art understands the difference between the art form and real-world application. Watch any full-contact fight and you see very little formal karate being used. Instead, what you see is a lot of kickboxing. Perhaps that premise applies here as well. How you use your stance is more important than the stance itself. My only other comment is that in my martial arts experience, too aggressive a stance commits your weight in one direction and makes it harder for you to move. In reality, outside of learning the art form, if you are effective, and can make your techniques work, the guy you just clobbered doesn't care what stance you used.
Looks “Fiore’esque.”
Hi Ant! Funnily I was discussing today about how I want to put more Japanese style swordsmanship into my longsword because they have an unbroken line.
Anyways, not leaning... hip hinging. These stances are seen in the I.33 the oldest manuscript on western martial arts.
If you are not already aware of Roland I recommend his videos but this one in particular will be of interest to you. X
th-cam.com/video/eEIm-yxA2G8/w-d-xo.html
Just watched thank you
It actually looks wierd when leaning forward. though I can see many advantages with it, the major disadvantage is that you expose your head. though you shield the neck and torso. So where this training ment for armored warfare or unarmored duels. Because as samurai didn't really use shields in their hands hunkering down like this would make use of the most part of the armor. And if it where for duels, is there any indications that you where not allowed to hit the head, or you weren't supposed to either because it where dishonorable or it that you got more money for a well preserved head? well Im gonna end my speculations now. Its fascinating though. Was it the guy that said you forfeit a duel with him because he put a date and place you couldn't get to?
No not him. He was daft he booked it at his house on the other side of the world in covid 🤣
@@AntonyCummins yae apparently he does that to a lot of people. One day someone might actually go and meet him, and that will probably end badly for at least one of them.
Its the same looking at unarmed scrolls for kamae, not 100% as painted. So if your right everything we are teached is sort of wrong
I think over time things just got changed and regulated
And how many schools has been lost and reinvented during 19 century? Then colored by existing arts.
Changes in society, Meiji restoration must have hit the arts hard and caused losses in knowledge.
I studied this a long time ago so its not fresh in my mind.
I also highly respect your work for doing the research scientifically, myself as a former Bujin know how thin the "true" story can be.
Sometimes its good to take a break and lift ones nose over the surface and think over what you're really doing and why.
I can not see myself taking up martial art again but my interest of old Japan , my original interest, that could become true in the future .
You inspire me.
Are you're saying Japanese swordsmen can also hip hinge just like any normal human being? Nonsense
Your weight is above yout hip, you need to relax more and let your spine balanace and suppor the weight of your torso, head, arms and weapon. Otherwisw, your stance is highly unstable. Imagine sitting on a horse when you let your weight go doun and be supported by the saddle, and then, like when practicing meditation, relax your back, let your spine find its center and support the weight of your upper torso. This also helps your mind to be calmer and more alert.
What if I told you that actually spending some time studying and practicing koryu and talking to the heads of those lineages might lead you to different (please read that as "more accurate") conclusions to the ones you usually pipe out?
At 00:18 you say "What if I were to tell you...", and after watching this video, I would reply that you need to get some actual training and more than just a few lessons. I can see what you are saying by looking at the pictures, but really...you're missing a BIG chunk of things which would be cleared up by physically training in the school(s) that you are looking at, reformed over the years or not. That would sort out a lot of the questions about what you are seeing. If you actually had in depth discussions with practitioners about the old pictures representing the school, you would find that keeping your BACK STRAIGHT is a key. The "hunched over" is an illusion of what the pictures are representing and emphasizing, and it's the legs that make the body look that way. Hizaguruma from Shinkage ryu for example......
Look at the drawing. His hips are lower than yours.
This is why I dont like martial arts. It keeps pounding things in peoples heads as if it is the one true way... like if you dislocate your arm to beat a judo artist and best then that way. Who is to say it is wrong?
It’s about what was used in history not what is wrong to use
Antony's stances hardly even resemble some of the original drawings he is comparing them to. This is what happens when you try to interpret texts of practices you aren't qualified or trained in.
Some were definitely off.
These are static Kamai
I disagree they feel very fluid