BHS Shinsa Workshop

January 24, 2015

WHY?Why do they have ranks in kendo? Why aren’t they based on tournament results?

Because:• Ranks provide structure to the dojo.• Ranks provide a means to measure progress

and goal setting for an individual.• If the dojo structure was based solely on the

ability to hit someone with a stick, the structure would rapidly degrade.

AJKF RANK CRITERIAKYU YUDANSHA Kata

  1. Chakuso - appearance• Chakuso 2. Reiho - manners 1. Shisei• Reiho 3. Shisei - posture 2. Kamae• Shisei 4. Kamae kata - correct kamae 3. Ashi Sabaki• Kamae Kata 5. Ashi Sabaki - footwork 4. Kiai• Ashi Sabaki 6. Kiai & Kakegoe - spirit 5. Accuracy of cut• Kiai & Kakegoe 7. Kihon Datotsu – basic strikes 6. Maai• Kihon Datotsu 8. Maai – proper distance 7. Zanshin• Maai 9. Zanshin 8. Riai• Zanshin 10. Kiken-Tai-Ichi - unification 9. Uchidachi vs Shidachi

11. Datotsu no kikai – timing 10. Metsuke

  12. Waza- yuko-datotsu, renzoku, ohji & shikake

Defining requirements for Kyu and Dan Testing

• 6 Kyu – primarily children’s rank, purpose to encourage them to stay in kendo.– Put on dogu without assistance– Minimal footwork – ashi sabaki– Kihon, kirikaeshi, kote, men, doh – kihon datotsu – Do kakari keiko with motodachi– Be able to begin & end keiko properly (reiho)

Note: Children’s hakama need not be correct length.

• 5 Kyu – improved skills above 6 Kyu minimum age 10

• 4 Kyu – improved skills above 5 Kyu minimum age 11– Ashi sabaki – footwork – Chakuso – appearance (himo tied correctly, no

himo hanging out)– Kihon – basics improved especially footwork– Kakari keiko – kakegoe & kiai (show good spirit)– Reiho – can get on and off the court correctly

• 3 Kyu – Adults & Children, minimum age 12, more than 1 year of practice.

- Kamae kata- correct kamae

- Shisei – posture, stands up straight, back foot not turned out

- Ashi sabaki – no walking after strike

- Zanshin – follows through after strike

- Kiai – strong kiai

- Chakuso – kendogu on correctly including hakama & kendogi

- Kihon datotsu – makes valid strikes

• 2 Kyu – Adults & Children, minimum age 13, more than 2 years of practice.

- Kamae kata- correct kamae

- Shisei – posture, stands up straight, back foot not turned out

- Ashi sabaki – no walking after strike

- Zanshin – follows through after strike

- Kiai – strong kiai

- Chakuso – kendogu on correctly including hakama & kendogi

• 1-Kyu – will be ready for shodan within a year.– Reiho – men himo, doh himo, correct hakama length

( Jr. excluded)– Shinai has nakayui in correct place, tsuba correct– Ritsu-rei – maintains eye contact, rei posture correct

(bend at waist 30 deg.)– Back straight at sonkyo– Correct grip on shinai– Kensen at correct height– Feet facing correctly (left foot pointing forward)– No walking after attack

• 1 Kyu continued;– Strong kiai – kakegoe– Lifts both hands up – no right hand only on

datotsu (strike)– Stretches arms out on strike– Some renzoku waza (at least kote-men)– Maai – keeps reasonable distance– Act as a motodachi– Kata – no major mistakes on sequence & form

• 1 Dan – Shodan- Appearance – do they look like a shodan?

- Reiho – see 1 kyu description

- Proper kamae – posture & maai

- Keiko – uchi, ashi sabaki, sae, zanshin

- Kata – no major mistakes (1 do over allowed per person).

- Do not focus on minor problems, do not punish the person with a bad partner.

- Improved form

• 2 Dan – Nidan• Appearance – do they look like a nidan?

- Reiho - manners

- Shisei – posture

- Kamae kata – correct posture • Chudan – shinai held correct and kensen correct level• Sonkyo – back straight

• Waza – Shikake & renzoku waza– Oji waza – depends on aite

• Keiko – spirit & vigor, strong kiai and kakegoe– Riai, demonstrate when to attack– Maai – strike from correct distance, does not get too close.– Ashi sabaki – solid footwork– Zanshin – follow through & finish to attack– Kihon – Solid basic strikes

• 3 Dan – Sandan Presence • Chakuso & Reiho posture and attitude• Solid basics – strike ( sae and tenouchi)

- Use of hands- Foot work, no bunny foot or goose step- Keiko – use of waza, riai – logical attacks- Kiai & kakegoe – spirit & energy- Zanshin – finish ready for next movement• Kata – Tachi 1-7, solid no major mistakes, 3

minor max. Kodachi no major mistakes, minor OK.

• 4 Dan – Yondan Presence • Chakuso & Reiho posture and attitude• Complete basics – strike (sae and tenouchi)

• Seme – takes center, uses ashi seme & kizeme

• Keiko – use of waza, riai – logical attacks• Kiai & kakegoe – spirit & energy• Zanshin – finish ready for next movement• Kata – Tachi 1-7, solid no major mistakes, 3

minor max. Kodachi no major mistakes, 3 minor mistakes.

Mental preparation on SHINSA

Before the SHINSA1. Train yourself so that you

are in good condition to perform to your best ability in the exam

2. Develop correct posture, kamae, and striking form

3. Through repetition make this your way of doing kendo

4. Spiritually focus yourself in every keiko to develop your KI

5. Every keiko is your test

Courtesy (reiho) before and during the match

1. Before the match, build up your fighting spirit (Ki) and do correct rei – get your mind right to dominate

2. Concentrate during each keiko to keep your ki strong from the start (rei) till the finish (sonkyo)

3. Focus and maintain the spirit at your highest level.

Maai (distance) (2)

• Using your shinai, sense and feel the opponent and link this with your footwork to penetrate the opponent’s spirit. Mentally cut them. *Sen-no-Ki (Initiative)

• Using your internal power (Ki) without stopping your mind, penetrate their kamae and their ki by unifying your body and mind centering through your hips.

• Understand your uchima

Maai (distance)(1) Sandan up.

• Stand up in To-ma, make a strong posture, then get in issoku-itto maai little by little and gain an insight using your “minds eye” (enzan no metsuke)

• Sense the opponent’s ability from contact with Ken-sen (tip to tip or edge to edge), sensing their Ki (kizeme) Have the “conversation” - dictate

• Vocalize your Ki with full energy bring it up from your tanren and mentally attack with your Ki from within you. Visualize the cut – mental cut before physical cut.

3 Components of the Match

• Exploration- have the conversation with the shinai, learn how to attack with Kizeme.

• Strike – First strike damages aite confidence, establishes control.

• Control – Dictate the rhythm and pace of the match, your timing.

Posture

• Maintain posture before, during and after the strike especially for Dan ranks

• Poor posture is the result of too much upper body and no hips (footwork)

• Work on posture with lower ranks that you can dominate to get the habit of good posture.

Seme-ai Keiko (Engage in Infighting)

• Contact of Sword (Conversation) Strength, Toughness

• Ashi-Seme = Pressure by footwork (distance and timing)

Skill, Proficiency (ability to control the rhythm of the engagement)

• Vocalization (Ki-sei)

Vigor

Random Points

• Do not concede opponents strike• Control the opponents shinai• Use seme and shibori to control the center• Kill the opponents kamae with downward

pressure on their shinai to create chance ( nori-men).

• Don’t make too many hits (this is a big problem for 3 Dan and up).

Opportunity of Striking created from the interval of engagement (Ma-ai)

• The opportunity to strike is created at Issoku-Itto (one-step, one-sword) from To-ma

• Pressure from mind’s eye (sunren), visualization, spiritual guts, and the use of footwork to penetrate the opponent’s center by the use of your ki (ki-seme). Take the center with your shinai; moving out the opponent from the center creates an opportunity to strike

• Death-defying strike (sutemi) becomes Uchi-seme (pressure from your strike becomes the opportunity to strike again)

• Moving forward becomes Tsuki-seme (pressure from Tsuki)

Review of Concepts

• Breathing • Kamae (one motion from sonkyo)• Kisei ( Ki, momentum, focus, mental

energy, full of spirit)• Kizeme – mental attack• Ashi-seme – use your footwork• Sutemi – go for broke, a single blow to win

Death-defying Strike(Sutemi no Datotsu)

• Death-defying strike opens the way to the next strike (uchi-seme)

• D-d strike connects and links to Zanshin• D-d strike is the basis of success because

there is no hesitation• D-d strike is the way to survive

To attack without fear of death, to risk it all for success. In Kendo to initiate an attack with no regard to the outcome

Creation of Strike from Pressure (seme)

• Seme (pressure) Defense• Center-axis –

seme w/ waist, (koshi, tanren, visceral)

seme w/ Ki• Linear –

seme w/ foot,

seme w/ Tsuki• Curvilinear –

seme w/ body,

seme w/ strike (uchi seme)

Death-defying Strike

(Sutemi no Datotsu)

SemeStrike =Linear StrikeSeme = Curvilinear

Principle of Strike motion• Tame

(in responding to an attack or producing a waza to remain emotionally calm--staying relaxed physically and mentally)

• Flexibility

• Leverage

Tame of Strike motion (staying relaxed during the strike)

Tame to resist opponent's pressure (controlling the opponent’s attack by remaining calm)

Flexibility of the body

Flexibility of the arm, wrists and hands during the execution of a strike

Leveraging action of the shinai (teko)Leverage of the arm

Advanced Concepts

• San Satsu no Ho – the 3 kills, sword-waza-spirit

• Mitsu no Sen – the 3 attacks, sen sen no sen (strike at the start, just before the opponent goes, when their mind is on offence). Tai no sen – in the middle of their attack. Go no sen- just after

The points of SHINSA

1-Dan ~ 3-Dan

1. Correct way of putting on Do-gi and Courtesy

2. Proper posture

3. Strikes that meet the basic requirements

4. Full of spirit

4-Dan ~ 5-Dan

1. Level of applied skill

2. Level of discipline

3. Rate of match

The points of SHINSA (cont.)

6-Dan ~ 8-Dan

1. Riai (a logical reason for your action)

2. Personality, Dignity (your kamae, demeanor and keiko demonstrates these attributes)

Grading Worksheet

• Group 1st Dan 10% learned kendo basics / sufficient skills• #___ age___

Pass / Fail• Match #1 Valid Strikes Failed Strikes

• Match #2 Valid Strikes Failed Strikes

• uchi seme riai-kikai sae kamae maai keiko

reiho

Shinsa Standard of AJKF for Kodansha levels

• Rokudan: Profound knowledge of principles; excellent skills the same as godan, but the riai must be demonstrated even more. Demonstrate a strong control of the center, efficient use of waza and footwork, and mental control of the opponent and situation.

• Nanadan: Fully acquired a profound knowledge of principles with outstanding skills. (Demonstrated by kamae, seme, riai and movement.) All aspects of the previous ranks must be present, along with an essence of dignity that speaks to quality kendo. This dignity shows both on and off the court in the person’s life.

• Hachidan - A person who is eligible for 8-dan shall have fully acquired a profound knowledge of Kendo principles, mastered Kendo spirit, and demonstrated perfect skills.

Difference in 6-, 7-, 8-Dan

• Skill level (true ability, strength increase with each level)

• Riai (each level demonstrates a greater understanding of logical actions)

• Personality, Dignity (rank, beauty)• Time duration (presentation of Kendo skill

in short period of time) 2 minutes or less

Necessary condition at the exam

• Condition before the exam -- Mind-set and physical condition

• Manners for Tachiai -- Concentration of Ki • Appearance, dignity, posture -- Durable Ki • Push (Seme ai) -- Utterance, enhancing Ki

Attack with mind, push, and hit• Strike -- Uniting with mind, sword and body (ki-

ken-tai)• Zanshin -- Posture of mind and body

Sufficient condition at the exam

1. Beautiful appearance

2. Strong kendo

3. Flexibility (slow/fast/strong/weak)

4. Quick response, immediate response

5. Opposition, harmony and cooperation, relationship of opposition

6. Superhuman feat and human technique (hesitation, fear)

7. Requesting the very best Ippon 　

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Summary1. 素直な心　 (sunai na kokoro) Open-mindedness, to

accept at face value, to accept without reservation.

2. まとめる力　 (motomeru chikara) Ability to unite

3. 自信と過信（心の内と外） (Jishin to Kashin) Self-confidence and overconfidence (inside and outside of mind) correctly assessing your ability and level.

4. 殺人刀と活人剣　 Setsuninto and Katsuninken = Hari-waza and Ohji-waza , sword that takes life –sword that gives life.

5. 観て頂く　 mite itedaku (two interpretations) 1. Being humble and having your kendo watched, 2. Watch and steal a person’s waza. Mitori-geiko – to learn by watching someone and see their good/bad points. Then reflect on your own kendo.

Author: Jeff Marsten, 7dan, Kyoshiwww.americankendo.com