Ewa and I were introduced to Jukendo after seeing Baptiste Tavernier on NHK. We were in Japan for a brief 3 month stay and thought it would be fun to try. Terada Sensei kindly agreed to train us despite Ewa turning up on crutches the first day. We spent that first afternoon in his driveway... Continue Reading →
2018 Kasugai Jukendo Tournament : Womens Individual Match 4
https://youtu.be/_gh8ThEMbGo By Simon Larsen There are two good lessons I saw in this match. Both happen to be problems I had in jukendo. You can see several times Suzuki makes strikes which a few centimetres short of the target and seem slow (0:50, 1:01. 1:24, 1:52). When I had this problem it always felt like... Continue Reading →
2018 Kasugai Jukendo Tournament : Womens Individual: Matches 1-4
https://youtu.be/VtIXyiy0PVU By Simon Larsen This tournament was Ippon Shobu, 1 point matches. These are fairly common in Jukendo and they are pretty high stress affairs (for me anyway). You have to walk out into the match ready to go as a moment’s hesitation or uncertainty will often gift your opponent an easy win. As you... Continue Reading →
Training drill: Relaxing shoulder
https://youtu.be/uN49fjyZeqk By Simon Larsen and Emily Jackman It’s important not to be tense when training - this drill can help to release tension from the shoulders before and during strikes. Note that this drill is deliberately doing some things wrong in order to build up to a more correct strike. In normal kihon do not... Continue Reading →
Training drill (Advanced) – Circles
https://youtu.be/YjZfqKhpWs8 By Emily Jackman and Simon Larsen This more advanced shiai exercise is another one from Yamaguchi-sensei; it’s not complicated but it does require good timing and footwork to do successfully. The shuugisha takes the initiative to enter from tomaai using suriashi - as they cross ma-ai the motodachi, who does not move in, attempts... Continue Reading →
Yamaguchi-sensei Lesson 4: Full technique
https://youtu.be/hH-bq61X9ww By Simon Larsen and Emily Jackman This is the full exercise which follows on from the work in the previous 3 lesson videos. Again, if you’ve not practiced the techniques from the earlier lessons it’s advisable to get those under your belt before adding this all together. The full technique consists of the shuugisha... Continue Reading →
Replacing mokuju tampo
https://youtu.be/yosViTJ5Glo By Emily Jackman If you’ve ever replaced the sakigawa on a shinai then this is not likely to be too new to you. This technique is also similar when changing the sakigawa on your tanshinai. You’ll need: - a new tampo - tsuru - thin flexible wire that can be bent into a hairpin... Continue Reading →
Yamaguchi-sensei Lesson 3: Mae tsuki mae
https://youtu.be/9u2vuz8wSz8 By Simon Larsen and Emily Jackman Again, if you haven’t already seen and practiced the exercises from lessons one and two, it’s worth reviewing them before taking on this extension. In this exercise we’re now starting from outside of ma-a which requires an additional step in to reach distance before doing tsuki mae. If... Continue Reading →
Yamaguchi-sensei Lesson 2: Tsuki mae tsuki / Kaeshi tsuki
https://youtu.be/GBbtmVkG_rM By Simon Larsen and Emily Jackman If you’ve not seen the first lesson video, tsuki mae, then we definitely suggest reviewing and practicing the exercise from there before using the refinements and advancements in this second lesson. This starts with the same basic exercise as lesson one, the tsuki mae where the shuugisha makes... Continue Reading →