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