Weapon of Illusion!

[Robert Miller]

Anyone have any training with the kamayari? Care to share?

I have trained a few techniques; about 10 years ago. The techniques were simialar to bo gaeshi...kinda'...(flame shield on!)
So anyway, it's a unique weapon, from an interesting ryuha.

[drizzt777]

I did some with a kamayari. The weapon is quite interesting, though the one I trained with was longer than a normal bo, about 8 foot in length I'll guess? Maybe a little less, but man was it fun!

I believe the weapon came from the Kumogakure ryu, as it was a specialty of the school? Correct me if I'm wrong.

One of the best videos out there today by Soke Hatsumi is the 1988 LA Tai Kai, as one of the shihan (Noguchi-shihan I believe) uses the kamayari against multiple sword attackers. Very cool indeed.

God Bless,

[Spunky]

I.. well.. I watched more than practiced :) some Kamayari this past spring during a seminar by Kevin Schneider on Kumogakure ryu stuff. They apparently wore a pair of metal bars under their forarm sleeves that would block/destroy sword blades and were used to bash.

The most prominent thing in my memeory, which would apply to any staff-based thrusting weapon I suppose, was sliding the hand position to adjust your thrust distance, but hiding this movement in your kamae. In the given example you only see the spearman lean back and the front hand opened so that you couldn't see the back one, and the spearhead was suddenly in your face!

I also remember watching Kevin perform kihon toritejutsu on my teacher from 12 feet away with the kamayari :D

Truth be told, my kenjutsu and sojutsu is so lacking, as was the case with many of the attendees, that he had us working a lot of basics that apply to any of these weapons, but in a way that maybe a few people could actually get some kamayari stuff out of it. We have a great training version of the weapon and occasionally play with it. Its great for entangling attackers' weapons. Try doing muto dori with one sometime :)

[kj gotro]

Tai Kai Atlanta ' 94

john gautraux

[sean_stonehart]

I was at that Tai Kai ... that was Yari v. kodachi, Te Makura & two other kata. I don't remember seeing a kamayari there.

[kj gotro]

HENKAS - It is a start.
john gautreaux