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taichi4eva
29th March 2008, 05:52
Even though I'm focusing mostly on Northern Shaolin, Binh Dinh (a Vietnamese style) and Taijiquan, I occasionally pick up my bokken and do a couple sets of suburi. The suburi is the only thing I've kept from the sword training I had before because the forms proved to be too showy and lacking content. However, I've gone around asking how people swing the bokken properly, and they've criticized me for pulling back too much. It lacks control, they say.

My uncle, who does Aikido, also practices some Aikiken. He tells me that the sword should be held overhead with the tip off the horizontal about 45 degrees. I was taught to pull it all the way back, until the bokken touches my back. After a couple of times doing it my uncle's way, I have to admit, it felt pretty good.

I wanted to ask- what do people on this forum think of Aikido swordwork? Is it practical? To me, it's really flowing and not much power, so I wonder in a real duel, would an Aikido practicioner survive by just "circling around" doing happogiri...?

Also, what does everyone think of Haidong Gumdo, a fairly new Korean sword art? It's supposed to be different from the Japanese sword method in that it focuses more on taking on multiple opponents rather than one on one. The forms seem pretty acrobatic- there are jumps and rolls. To me, the first three forms seem the most practical. After that, circling a sword above my head and rolling around the floor seems like you're just asking for it...

Here's a clip of the first three gumbup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSU5dTyIY-I

And the rolling, twirling, jumping in the other forms, as evidenced in these clips
Fourth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-51sdR28w74)
Fifth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZXY9pk2Gbo)
Seventh (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceBnI8JClFE)
Eighth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSavV3EvwOw)

Here's my theory- the first three forms were probably constructed with one on one fighting in mind. Then after that, it's pretty much anything goes...

Thanks everyone!

Viet

P Goldsbury
29th March 2008, 06:52
Hello,

I moderate this forum.

I see that the above is your 15th post in E-Budo and that you have already been reminded about the name rule in this forum. Thus, I have given you an infraction.

As for the topic of the thread, I think it is commonly agreed that neither aiki-ken nor the common forms of tachi-dori were designed to be used against a sword expert.

taichi4eva
29th March 2008, 07:01
My name is Viet and I put it at the bottom. I don't know what the problem is.

P Goldsbury
29th March 2008, 09:08
Hello,

You are required to use your full or family name with initial. In an earlier post, you gave your name as Viet Le and so I suggest that you put this named in your signature, which appears at the foot of all your posts. You can do this by opening the User CP and using Edit Signature. I have reversed the infraction.

Best wishes,

Nii
29th March 2008, 10:28
Hi Viet, would you mind elaborating on Binh Dinh? Is it like Vo vi nam? I recall that Binh Dinh was a town in Northern Vietnam wasn't it? As a Vietnamese person, viet martial arts are something I've always been curious about.