Origin of the feint

[Bakemono]

The feint is often used in gendai budo but I have never seen or heard of a feint (starting a move that is not intended to hit) used as a technique in a traditional kata. Is this due to that the feint does not work when using real weapons in a real situation or is there some other reason? Or have I simply not seen enough kata's?

/Jakob Ryngen

[carl mcclafferty]

Jacob:

This where Dan Harden would usually come in and talk about overall training, not just kata. But since he didn't, most arts have feints in their kata though they are better seen in Kumitachi (two person kata). Most are simple body movements to draw an opponent into an action, not a sword feint like seen in the movies. You could very easily miss them if you're not training in a given art. Watch their feet next time and not their swords. It might give you an idea how you would react if the action was towards you and where that would leave you positioned.

A good place to start would be to watch the kumitachi in Gendai Arts like Toyama Ryu, Ryuseiken and I suspect Shinkendo. The opponent steps to draw you into an action, they respond to your action by back, out or forward steps to neutralize your cut and cut you. Without obvious sword feints. If you get a chance to come to the Tai Kai in Orlando in August, you'll get to see quite a few styles (Gendai and Koryu) and watch their foot movement in kata or you can get Bob Elder to send you a tape of the kata/kumitachi.

Just a thought and my humble opinion of course.
Carl McClafferty

[szczepan]

Very interesting topic. I have been thinking about feints lately...For sure some of kumitachi can contain footwork, timing and ways to changing distance usefull to make feints, but it is not easy to see by beginners and even intermediary students. Training of the feints is very usefull for mulitple purpose (to develop intuition , to develop right jugement, etc.). In sports like in boxing or fencing feints are structured and they teach it in very accessible way for beginners. Why not do the same in our practice? It leads me to a question how early in a practice we may introduce feints?

[tommysella]

The central kata of Kito-ryu have two feints (now preserved in Kodokan Judo as Koshiki no Kata)...

Regards,
Tommy