Falling into a blow?

[Ookami-shinkage]

Okay... This is purely hypothetical, but..
If you were in a match with someone(With shinai or bokken), and the opponent hit you with a vertical slash and you blocked, but you cannot hold him back, if he/she was pushing you back to knock you off balance, how would you come about getting out of this situation? What about falling back? Or would that knock you farther out of balance?
:( I might be asking this the wrong way. Some times I can have a hard time explaining situations... :(

And another question..... What is this about a double edged katana?!?! That sounds kind of odd... :eek:

[ghp]

Tsubazeriai; interlock your tsuka between his arms (you can do this while "repositioning"; pivot & throw. Much easier to show than explain. And don't ask for more -- this is only one of three "pre-war kendo" tricks that I know.

Now, if said opponent is much larger than you, you're toast.

hehehehehe -- generally speaking.

--Guy

[Ookami-shinkage]

Thank you! :D That is a very helpfull tip!

[David T Anderson]

Why are you standing where somebody's sword is falling? :eek:

Just move out of the way...

[Ookami-shinkage]

Sorry, I did not explain it properly... lol I have bad luck!
Ok... Let me try and explain a bit better.
We locked swords and he started pushing me back using both hands, (One on the hilt and the other on the middle of the blade to get better leverage) trying to unbalance me, so I was wondering if there was a way to get around it. He always seems to do this, and I have tried swinging his sword out of the way, but then he strikes me down. :( I hope that is a better explanation. Sorry again, lol.

[David T Anderson]

Sean -- I thought your question was hypothetical...it sounds to me like you are trying to run before you are even ready to crawl. If the other guy is stronger than you, don't try to resist his strength. Instead get out of his way and cut him as he goes past you.

If this advice doesn't make sense to you, perhaps you aren't ready for sparring yet...

[Ookami-shinkage]

Excuse me, but I don't appreciate you're comment, Mr. Anderson.
I do not think you understand the situation. And it was hypothetical until I tried it out, and if I would move out of the way, I would get cut. :(
I don't think you should go so far as to assume if I am ready for sparing or not. What you said was rude, and I do not think there was any reason for it. :(
If I said anything to influence you to the point of insulting me, then I am sorry, but you shouldn't judge if someone is ready for sparing or not, if you do not even know them. :(

[David T Anderson]

I beg your pardon Chris -- you'e quite right...it was wrong of me to presume anything about your level of knowlege and experience.

Doubtless your Sensei or instructor can guide you...

[Soulend]

It was just a matter of time...

[Amir]

I know of several solutions, but all of them require you to be better then your opponent, particularly if he is stronger and heavier, since proper timing and sensitivity are material to success :

1. while he is pushing, shift your body slightly a-side while keeping the block with the sword (move it with you) then cut him in the frontal move. The principal here is to use his force against him, also common in Aikido & Judo.

2. Enter from beneath his arms with the handle of the sword for a hit / open his hands.

3. go to a knee slightly sidewise while cutting his legs.

I hope I am helping you, it is rather difficult to explain these moves, and I must admit I myself still has much practice to do before I would be certain of their implementation.


Amir

[Ookami-shinkage]

Thank you, Amir. I am a bit stronger than him, but of course, he has alot more skill than me. But I will try that out as soon as he gets some time. :D

[Charles Mahan]

I think the best solution is to not lock swords. Most schools teach avoidance of blocks in general. A hard force block of an incoming strike may fail when your sword breaks. It will not necessarily break, but it is possible, and the consequences of such a failure are... severe. So most schools teach some variation on a parry, where the incoming strike is not so much 'blocked' as it is redirected away from you such that your opponent is allowed to continue his cut in an area of space where you aren't. Then you flow out of the redirection and immediately into a cut. In MJER, it is referred to as Ukenagashi, and isn't so much a defensive move as it is a counterattack.