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Thread: You have one year to prepare for a duel.

  1. #46
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    Oh really, an everyday expression? In my Japanese book, it says "Many students who fail the entrance examination for the university of their choice decide to wait a year and retake the exam the following year, studying at a cram school or on their own in the meantime. These students are called ronin" (!!!!) So I suppose shinken shobu is close to that. Languages are sooo interesting...

    I did know "petard" already, (although not the "break-wind connection", har har.), but thanks for the link. That's a good site. I like to collect these types of cliches and idioms, they can reveal a lot more about a society than people think.

    Back to your thread Charlie, thanks for the digressive space.
    J. Nicolaysen
    -------
    "I value the opinion much more of a grand master then I do some English professor, anyways." Well really, who wouldn't?

    We're all of us just bozos on the budo bus and there's no point in looking to us for answers regarding all the deep and important issues.--M. Skoss.

  2. #47
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    I think it's beyond silly to define all these points for the duel when it's a big hypothetical situation that none of us (at least, as far as I know ) has ever been or will ever be in. If we were living in a time and/or place where this would be possible, then we would certainly be different, have a different outlook on things, and probably have no access to e-budo... Most likely end up doing something totally different than what we talk about here. Heh.

    Myself? Well, I'm inclined to think I'd continue doing what I am doing, maybe get in shape, and warm up a bit before the duel like Tasogare Seibei does in the movie. But hey, how should I know, I certainly would have a different mindset than I do now, and could easily do something wildly different.

    Really, I don't see the point of thinking about this. A bit too hypothetical ,

  3. #48
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    By the way, I have actually been in a sword fight!

    Okay, not really. But this is a true story. One time for Halloween when I was about 11 I was Robin Hood. I had a wooden sword in my belt as part of my costume. An older boy tried to take my candy, and I drew the weapon and beat him with it, chasing him off.

    Tah-dah!
    We are the Sherlock Holmes English Speaking Vernacular. Help save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula.

  4. #49
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    Default Re: Re: Thanks

    Originally posted by gendzwil
    ..."hoist on his own petard"...
    I am sorry, I have never heard that expression before.
    Skip Cooper
    It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.- Mark Twain

  5. #50
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    Originally posted by SLeclair

    Really, I don't see the point of thinking about this. A bit too hypothetical ,
    Not to single you out, because a couple people have made similiar points, but this is a discussion board. It's made for things like this. Thinking about hypothetical and 'what if' situations is entirely appropriate. Posting on a thread that you don't think the thread is worthwhile is hardly worthwhile in itself and doesn't do your point any good.

    FWIW, I think it is silly to assume anyone on the board would be doing anything other than making educated guess, not having ever participated in a live sword duel (which is what I ask people who call themselves 'swordsmen' or 'warriors.' "Really? How many people have you killed with that sword?"). However, please don't jump on Charlie or anyone else for simply raising hypothetical questions.

    If you want something entirely pragmatic, the Internet is not the place for you, save for a few suppliers--otherwise the information you need is found in your sensei and individual training.
    --Neil Melancon--

  6. #51
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    Originally posted by Aozora
    Not to single you out, because a couple people have made similiar points, but this is a discussion board. It's made for things like this. Thinking about hypothetical and 'what if' situations is entirely appropriate. Posting on a thread that you don't think the thread is worthwhile is hardly worthwhile in itself and doesn't do your point any good.
    Perhaps you should consider that I came in the thread, and participated in my own way. What, I can't express my opinion as to the value of pontificating on an hypothetic? Well, I'm sorry, but this is a discussion board. I don't have to agree to the framing of the situation or to provide a response in the form you want.

    And I never said the thread wasn't worthwhile. I find it interesting to read what other people think they would do in that situation and the reasoning behind it. I don't have to agree that it is useful in any way. Charlie asked for opinions, I gave mine. I don't care whether or not you agree with it, but don't go assuming that I think this thread is worthless. That hardly does your point any good.

    ---
    Sebastien L.

  7. #52
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    You're certainly free to express whatever opinion you wish. I didn't argue that at all, so I'm not the only one assuming things here.

    I did assume by silly, it meant "of little value" or "worthless" but rather than play semanitcs, let's stick to 'silly,' which was your word. If, Sebastian, you find it silly, why participate? That is my point.

    That and I think people takes these boards a bit too seriously sometimes.
    --Neil Melancon--

  8. #53
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    Default Re: Re: Re: Thanks

    Originally posted by Skip Cooper
    I am sorry, I have never heard that expression before.
    Follow the link for more detail, it means to be betrayed by your own plans or actions.
    Neil Gendzwill
    Saskatoon Kendo Club

  9. #54
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    Thanks for the link. Now, if I only knew what "straight dope" meant.
    Skip Cooper
    It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.- Mark Twain

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    Well...I have done a bit of Jyodo so I know what doing kata is like, at least with a bokken and Jo...and I started Kendo just over a month ago. I haven't sparred anyone yet...cause I am still learning the basics of it...footwork, strikes, ect.. But...I do think that Kendo would be benificial in a real shinken duel. Just for the mindset it teaches and giving you the stress of being up against an opponent. I do think that you would need to augment the Kendo training with tameshigiri and proper handling of a real sword....also learn the other ways to strike...whether you use them or not...you need to realize that they are a possibility other than men, do and kote.

    So with that said....Kendo does have a use for such a thing...but it's not the end all....but I also think that neither training in iaido/jutsu or kenjutsu would be good either...not unless you are in a ryu that has free sparring of some sort.

    That's my .02

    Peace and Long Life
    J. Winter

  11. #56
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    Well, assuming that this is ye olde Japan, there's really a much better alternative to training at a dojo for a year. Fighters trained in urban dojos usually got thrashed by angry country samurai, after all.

    I'd pack my bags (or at least my swords) and head off on a musha shugyo. A full-out, Musashi-style one. Assuming I get back alive, even if the other guy's been training constantly for a whole year, I'd probably waste him on the first stroke, do a fancy reverse-grip chiburi and noto and walk off grinning.

    It might be, in this modern age, we underestimate the value of constantly either fighting (and people from lots of different styles, too) or training your rear off all the time. Living hard for a year and trusting to the gods and your devil-may-care attitude may be tempting, but I get the feeling that I'd start getting real queasy around day #363 knowing I hadn't done everything I could do to win.

  12. #57
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    Originally posted by X-san
    ...I'd pack my bags (or at least my swords) and head off on a musha shugyo. A full-out, Musashi-style one...
    I think that would be a very good idea.

    If you spend all your time training with the same people it's easy to develope deeply ingrained patterns of response.

    By training with different people, especially with practitioners of other styles, you would be better prepared for the unexpected.

    Myself? I'd go off to a remote mountain temple to study under a crazy old hermit who would only let me fetch firewood and cook his meals, but never touch a sword.

    However he'd attack me mercilessly with a stick at all hours of the day and night, unconsciously training my reflexes and instincts to near superhuman levels.

    Finally, when I was able to sense and fend off his attacks without so much as looking up from my sukiyaki, he'd grant me a certificate of full mastery even though he'd never let me touch a sword.

    Yeah, that would be perfect.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

  13. #58
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    I'd do everything Yagyu Kenshi said above, and buy a Desert Eagle in .44 magnum.
    Sean P. Tracy

    Kempo-Karate, Gung fu, Stickfighting.

  14. #59
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    Default Re: Re: You REALLY want to do this? Well...

    Originally posted by PRehse
    Further - practicing blocks and parries solo is the worst thing you can do for the simple reason that the response is to your own mind rather than the actions of an opponent. At the very least hire someone to strike at you with a number of random attacks that you would expect to encounter and then several more that you would not.

    Train as close to the situation you will face as you can without obtaining injury that will affect your level of training or your ability to perform on the day. This means sparring in addition to lots and lots of drills.

    Sparring is far more effective than meditation to prepare your mind for clear action on the day. It is important to approach your sparring with that in mind.
    Normally, I'd agree with you, but there is a fundamental difference in using sparring to practice fighting and developing a mindset to kill.

    Truth be told, few of us within these forums have had to take a life for ANY reason. Those of us who have know that their training DID count, but their mindset counted more. Unfortunately in my pre-computer profession days, I had the chance to see this first hand.

    As a practitioner of both traditional and eclectic martial arts, I believe in sparring, both empty handed and weapons. I also know that sparring, as good as it is for so many things, builds some bad habits unless done correctly, which brings me to another point... how to you practice killing someone with a sword while sparring? As soon as the blade actually touches flesh, does your sparring partner simulate agonial responses to the cuts? Do they suddenly cower or so they saacrifice themselves to cut you, at which time YOU cower or drop because of the simulated wound?

    One more thing... don't discount using your own mind as an opponent. Your MIND'S reaction time is infinitely faster than any sparring partner's, and unlike a sparring partner, your mind can add so many scenarios that can't exist except in actual combat, that you'll either develop that combat mindset or you'll just commit seppuku right then and there, saving yourself the trouble of dueling.

    It may sound kinda "Karate Kiddish," but if you think about it, unless you're Musashi himself and want to duel for your entire life to learn how to do it, you need to use what you can to prepare. My way is different than your way. That's the point of a duel anyway - where the only thing you have in common for a brief moment in time IS each other.

    FWIW,

    Carlos
    E. Carlos Estrella, Jr.

    The strength of a man is not measured in how much he can lift, how many he can fight or how much he can endure, but in his capacity to admit his limitations and learn to successfully circumvent them.

  15. #60
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    I'm with the gun club, but first I'd make a couple attempts at having someone else take care of the problem. With a little searching, a few hundred bucks, and some round trip tickets from Mexico, you can get a lot of problems like this taken care of.

    I mean, outsourcing is the all the rage these days.
    ----------
    Charles Lockhart
    FBI: From da' Big Island

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