Mokuju: Take a defensive geidan (aimed more at the opponents back knee rather than their front knee). 3 steps in. See the opponent thinking of doing something. Strike them. Zanshin. Lower the mokuju. Return to centre. 5 steps back. Tanken: Slightly delayed behind the mokuju taking geidan make a small covering of their kamae. 3... Continue Reading →
Almost Okay…but – Chokutotsu
The group of people in this video were at the Belgium 2018 seminar and for many this was their first day with a mokuju. So this is not a criticism of them but rather these suggestions will hopefully aid the viewer in watching their own videos and deciding what needs to be fixed and maybe... Continue Reading →
Training basics: Drills
Note that many exercises do not have formal names and so different sensei may call exercises different things. These are what we call them. We always start (and end) class with Chokutotsu san bon of course 01:57 but there are a bunch of other exercises to do which keep things interesting. For all of the basic... Continue Reading →
Etiquette: Keeping out of trouble
Most dojos I have trained at have differences in etiquette. Watching others and copying them is probably the best rule of thumb. The examples in this video are ones that are definitely going to get you into trouble even if you see others doing them. And we do see other people doing these things. Probably... Continue Reading →
Training Basics: Migi No Harai Tsuki
When talking about the technique it is called "Migi No Harai Tsuki". When issuing the command for the technique it is "Migi wo harae tsuke". Terada sensei performs the kihon (basic) version of the technique at 00:26. Reach forward with the mokuju and rapidly bring it back into kamae knocking the opponents mokuju off the... Continue Reading →
Kata: Mokuju tai Mokuju 1: Chokutotsu
The person that initiates the kata is called Uchikata The person that performs the technique is called Shikata Mokuju versus Mokuju kata is started 9 steps apart Basic Movements: Starting from Chudan 3 steps each to issoku itto no ma (ten cm overlap of mokuju) Uchikata tenses as if to strike, this makes a... Continue Reading →
Fumikomi Exercise
Fumikomi for jukendo is very important and slightly different to other martial arts I have done. Today’s footwork exercises are lead by Hisatsune sensei. As Hisatsune sensei demonstrates the distance taken for each step is very small and the back foot comes up very quickly. During each step you are in a vulnerable state and... Continue Reading →
Training basics: Kote
A very important aspect of receiving (and striking) Kote is to remember that the target is actually the heart. It is simply that the receiver attempts to cover their heart with their kote which results in the differently named strike. As with Omote, Ura and Shita the striker does very little different to a normal... Continue Reading →
Training basics: Katotsu / Shita / Shita wo Tsuke / Shitadou
Katotsu, Shita, Shita wo Tsuke, Shitadou all end up meaning about the same thing but have different contexts. Katotsu (lower thrust): Usually used for the name of an exercise e.g. Katotsu San Bon (3 times) Shita (Down): The strikers mokuju is beneath the hands and the mokuju of the receiver. Shita wo Tsuke (strike): Grammatically... Continue Reading →
Ura / Dattotsu/ Hazusetsuke / Uwadou
Dattotsu, Ura, Hazuse tsuke, Uwadou all end up meaning about the same thing but have different contexts. Dattotsu (evading thrust): Usually used for the name of an exercise e.g. Dattotsu San Bon (3 times) Ura (reverse side): Usually used when describing the path to the target and is in the context of what the receiver... Continue Reading →