Help: Understanding do [Archive]

Charlie Kondek

31st October 2001, 14:49

Fellow kendo-ka: My do attack needs work. Can anyone offer any pointers?

I am able to place my shinai pretty much where it's supposed to be on my opponent's bogu, but it's the follow-through that needs work. I either find myself entangled as I try to "drag" the shinai across my opponent's do, or I let go completely with the left hand - is that allowable? Also, the footwork - how far to your right do you veer?

Enfield

31st October 2001, 17:43

First off, let me say that I have less experience than you do, Charlie, so take my advice for what it's worth. On the other hand, still being at the stage where I'm trying to figure the same things out may be helpful.

As for the hands: I push through with my left, and let my right fold back (though still applying pressure), by the time my shinai has almost cleared aite's do, my left arm is pretty fully extended (but still low, near where it was at the completion of the strike), but my right hand is to the left of my left elbow. Besides keeping my tsuka clear, the release of my shinai lets me know how far away I am from aite and when I should turn back around.

As for going off to the right, it depends (of course). For absolutely basic do, I stay right in the center until after I've struck, then go as little as I have to to get through (often bumping dos or shoulders). For men-nuki-do, I try to only go to the right (or left, if gyaku do) far enough that my shoulder is just to the right (or left) of what was the center. I think (and this is from my aikido days) "let the sword cut my sleeve, but not my arm." The other thing I do during nuki-do (and this could be just me and quite wrong), is hiraki-ashi so that when I strike do, aite is still directly in front of me, *then* rotate away. I find that this makes it much easier to strike on the side of the do, rather than getting the front with the middle of the shinai. I then push out the same way as above.

I used to have a similar problem (getting all tangled up or twisted around) until someone told me, "Strike, then leave." The advice worked for me at least.