Bokken

Bokken exercise – Mawashi uchi

The practice of bokken (wooden sword) arts is an integral part of Aikido training in Aikido Yuishinkai. Amongst other things, solo and paired bokken practice plays an important role in helping develop key skills for unarmed arts. These skills include foot work, distance, timing, centred movement, correct posture and striking.

At our dojo we take an integrated approach to the role of the bokken in our studies. For example, when we practice unarmed arts we look at the inherent bokken movements contained within the particular technique. Conversely, when practising with the bokken, this is always done with a focus on the skill groups we are trying to develop to aid our unarmed practice. The benefit of taking this approach is that it continually gives our training context.

In the below video Master Koretoshi Maruyama, Founder, Aikido Yuishinkai provides instruction on the fundamental foot work and cutting movements for the bokken exercise mawashi uchi. Also included in the video is a demonstration by Peter Kelly Sensei (Chief Instructor Australia) and Alistair Williams Sensei of the paired practice application of the exercise.

Have a great weekend

Ian Grant
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo

Playing with koshi nage – A bokken and jo perspective

Although part of the broader Aikido syllabus, one of our favourite techniques to practice at the dojo is koshi nage (hip throw). In fact, there would rarely be a class where this technique does not appear in some form.

Like many Aikido techniques, the origins of koshi nage trace back to the battlefield. With this in mind, we recently resolved to study the technique in the context of paired weapons practice, specifically bokken (wooden sword) vs bokken and jo (staff) vs bokken. Below is a video recording of our first efforts in this regard.

The informally recorded demonstrations are intentionally experimental and involve subtle differences in terms of hand placement on the weapon, form of ukemi, method of moving off-line, atemi, feet position and balance breaking. All in all a very useful and informative learning exercise.

As a qualifier when viewing the video, please note that our dojo is not a sword or jo school and we are not about learning to “fight” with these weapons. For us, the purpose of paired weapons practice is to magnify errors in our Aikido technique and to give us the opportunity to apply Aikido principles in different situations.

Have a great week

Ian Grant
Dojo Cho
Aikido Warrior Dojo, Brisbane

Related Posts

Ukemi – koshi nage

Training notes – Bokken happo giri (8 direction cut)

Bokken arts are not formally examined as part of the grading syllabus in Aikido Yuishinkai until shodan (black belt). However, due to the many transferable skills that Bokken arts offer in aiding our tai jutsu (unarmed) training it is quite common for students to be introduced to these wooden sword based arts almost from the outset.

Bokken happo giri is an 8 direction shomen cut that makes for an ideal introduction to solo bokken practice. This multi-direction kata is an excellent aid to learning and developing spatial awareness, proper posture, heaven-man-earth body quality, balance and footwork while continually moving and cutting in different directions.

Bokken happo giri is also helpful in developing the ability to maintain focus in all directions while continually turning. This ability is particularly useful when dealing with multiple attacker situations in unarmed practice.

At our dojo we regularly practice 3 different forms of bokken happo giri. These are omote, ura and irimi. All 3 forms involve an 8 way cut, however, the footwork differs in each. Each form directly translates into our tai jutsu practice by automating correct footwork and centred relaxed movement in our Aikido techniques.

The video demonstration below by our Chief Instructor Peter Kelly Sensei is of bokken happo giri omote.

Ian Grant
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo