Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Assimilate sword handling - the task is not easy, learning how to use the sword correctly takes years, and even after that you will make mistakes. Along with the long-term goal of constantly improving yourself, set short-term goals in fencing. note that knowledge of physics and geometry will only facilitate the process. Also note that this is a technical article intended for people who are really interested in this.

Steps

1. 1 Find a competent, experienced instructor in iaido, kendo, or other historical sword art to practice with.
2. 2 Let's clarify a few myths. Ninja swords were straight and shorter than the curved katana of the samurai. Despite the fact that all swords are different, the Ninja, like other sword schools, had their own characteristics. They are all Katana (Nihonto), and were forged either as Koto (old sword), or Shinto (new sword), or Shinsakuto (renewed sword). Lately, people have started to believe that ninja used secret techniques and special swords. It is true that they had their own sword fighting techniques, but keeping such techniques secret was common in most Japanese sword schools. If you would like to learn ninjutsu, practice with a qualified Bujinkan teacher. br>
   • There is a saying: "the sword that saves a man kills him." The sword is a tool for killing... It doesn't matter in whose hands it is. If you want to master the sword, you must be comfortable with death, your own and someone else's.
   • You won't move at superhuman speeds just because you know how to use a sword. It won't make you faster or give you any kind of strength. The sword is special piece of metal... The skills you learn after long hours of practice with a qualified teacher will not unlock your secret energy. When the sword is used correctly, even if it is samurai, nothing happens unrelated to the laws of physics and geometry.
   • You cannot cut through a tree with one cut. And if you try, you will probably ruin your sword, the tricks shown in the movies are either rigged or cut into bamboo that can be chopped up like that.
3. 3 Explore all eight directions. Yes, compass directions.
   • Stand facing forward, you can easily define four quadrants (imagine that you are facing north, even if you are not): north, south, east and west. Now think of the four sub-quadrants called octants: northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast. In total, they make up eight directions. You can follow a simple exercise to learn them.
   • Put your right foot forward, left foot backward, pointing to the left, they should not be too far apart, but not too close. Now step with your right foot and rearrange your left so that you stand in the starting position. This is the first direction or north.
   • This is where the tricky part begins: the turning technique. Check your position and turn to the strongest side with minimal effort.In fencing, a turn to the strong side is simply a turn in the direction that requires less effort than the other. (While turning to the other side is called turning back or turning to the weak side). If your right foot is in front, turn towards your left and vice versa.
   • Now step with your pivot foot and return to your first direction. This is called zango (two directions of travel, as well as the way you go through eight directions). Take a bend to the strong side to 3, that is, to the redirected north. Do zango. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are slightly different. From 4, turn to the strong side 45 degrees, sliding your back foot (in this case with your right) towards the fifth path. Do zango and repeat to reach 7 and 8. When you get to 8, you can easily return to the first direction. Do this 1000 times. If you want something more interesting, try to walk not forward, but backward. Then combine both. This is Hachi Kata (Method of passing 8 [directions] or Hachi Du (lit. Eight directions).
4. 4 Learn to pronounce Japanese. You will often see and hear him. It is a simple phonetic language that is easy to learn. Ask a native speaker to teach you how to pronounce or watch some anime with subtitles.
5. 5 Join the Dojo. No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to master the sword on your own or with the help of the video. Try any style up to the 17th century. Try to stay away from Kendo, it's a sport, and you shouldn't be doing real carnage, but if you can't find anything else, go for it.
6. 6 Stand firmly on your feet (as if you are standing with friends, only your shoulders should be in line with your hips, and your back should be straight), feet should be shoulder-width apart.
   • Take the sword (still in the case) in your left hand, blade up (in a curve pointing up, away from you) and away from the top of the sayi (case). Lift it up from the left side as if it were in your Obi (belt).
   • Grasp (do not grab) the Nakago (handle) directly under the Tsuba (forend) and pull out, as if using the Nakagojiri (very end of the handle, plug) to hit the opponent's stomach.
   • Stop now. Imagine yourself in samurai armor. How would you prevent your webbing and / or arm from being cut?
   • Extend your left leg back and move the sword in an arc, aim with the tip, as if you are holding it to the chest of an enemy of the same height as you.
   • Set the saya aside and place your left hand on the nakogojiri so that the end of the sword is in the center of the palm.
   • To look like someone who knows what they are doing, rotate the blade a few degrees to Hurray (left).
7. 7 Learn six directions.
   1. Stand in the center-defense, supporting leg - right. Now lift the sword up so that the blade is pointing 45 degrees behind you (in other words, straight up would be 90, straight back would be 0). This is Position with the right foot in front (top position).
   2. Stand in a position with your right foot in front (top position), slide the blade down until it forms a 45-degree angle, pointing down, keeping your shoulders straight. This is position with the right foot in front (bottom position).
   3. Stand in a position with your right foot in front (top position), step with your left foot so that it becomes a pivot, and point your right to the right, do this without moving the sword. This is position with the left leg in front (top position).
   4. Extend your sword 15 degrees from 90 to the side of your head, but do not hold it straight in front of your head because you are still wearing a helmet. This is position with the left leg in front (middle position).
   5. Straighten up, leave your right foot behind and your left in front, move the sword handle towards the center, still leaving the blade retracted. This is position with the left foot in front (lower position).
8. 8 Try not to think about these positions. They are just springboards for your movements. Try changing their order as you see fit, but not quickly.Move slowly and smoothly, speed will come later. Then find a partner as he moves, move accordingly, then move asymmetrically, doing something different, but at the same speed. Become a shadow for the eagle. Then, have your partner become a shadow for your eagle.
9. 9 Take the first hit. Start with a center defense with your right pivot foot. Raise the sword overhead to the top looking position, but in a slightly different way. Swing your sword down and bring the hilt to the center. This is called Shomenuchi (blow down to the head). You can also try Yokomenuchi, an incision that runs down to the side of the head or neck. (If you practice aikido, all of these words will fall into place soon.) The kick you just took is the basic technique of Japanese kenjutsu (swordsmanship), regardless of school.
10. 10 Practice hitting. Kenjutsu requires stamina, so practice. Hit what you just learned 1000 times in sets of 5, 10, or 50. You will feel a burning sensation that will teach you what you need to know. But remember that the skill of the master puts, so if you do something wrong, you will continue to do it wrong.
11. 11 Hit one of the six positions previously explained, with either foot in front. This can be done by sliding (in fact, it is a step, but a step with the supporting leg, so the sword must be close to the feet), with a step or simply standing still. Just remember to raise your sword above your head before you strike, because you may need to turn around and hit the enemy behind you before dealing with someone in front of you. For example, the position with the left supporting leg, the bottom position. Your instinct is to deal with whoever is in front of you, so it's natural that you will wave the blade past your ear. Instead, you need to raise the sword quite high above your head and then strike.
12. 12 Practice more often. Every day, do 10 sets of 10 different blows (do not chop and pierce, but descend blows). You will notice that it gets much easier over time, and you can move on to a heavier bokken (wooden sword), suburito (heavier bokken, usually over 2kg 720g) or iaito (blunt katana).
13. 13 Try to understand all these ideas. When you do this, you will be on your way to becoming an accomplished swordsman, but that's all I can teach you. You need to find a kenjutsu school in your area. If you cannot, but you are devoted enough, keep practicing. There are good schools all over America and usually the local community college offers Japanese martial arts classes, if they don't teach kyjutsu they might know who is doing it.

Tips

• Repetition is the mother of learning... If you are part of the school, do the same suburi that you are taught, otherwise do both the right and left pivot feet.

Warnings

• Never cross the thin blue line, you will be electrocuted.
• Don't start right away with a live (sharpened and sharpened) blade, bokken is perfect, but if you're determined to steel, try iaito (unsharpened katana). They'll set you back $ 100 to $ 1000 and you can probably find a couple of good options on ebay, but I recommend bugei swords, they are best forged from the finest quality steel, a simple iaito will cost $ 600.
• Never cut the edge like a fighting one, the swords in the movies are not sharpened and can be 1.27 cm thick, two real swords will destroy each other.
• "Teaching" a martial art without the proper guidance and supervision of an experienced teacher is more likely to create bad habits than skills. If it were something that you can easily learn yourself, there would be no teaching people.
• Check the laws in your area to make sure it is legal to keep a katana or practice in public, try not to disturb the peace.
• Do not carry bladed weapons until you are licensed (in other words, you are either a naval officer or a licensed bodyguard).
• Try not to hit yourself.
• If you are looking for a professional teacher, western school of fencing and kendo are two great ways to learn how to fight. Do your homework first and research the school.
• Don't chop things with your sword / bokken, it won't teach you anything.
• Safety first, always wear protective clothing before touching the sword.
• Never threaten anyone's life with a sword.

What do you need

• Bokken.
• Large room with high ceilings or open space.
• Time.