Giho 40 Koran-to No.2/ 虎乱刀 弐
This time we are going to explain the parry in 虎乱刀 (korantou) in more detail.
In all techniques of Tenshinryuu we originally do not perform anything like receiving and stopping an attack.
Yet, just like 楷書 (kaisho), in case you split up the movement for training purposes, out of convenience and for the sake of stopping the attack, it will look like actually stopping an attack.
If you actually stop an attack with your sword, it will break or end up getting bent.
Then, if you counterattack at the same time, your enemy will end up sidestepping and being able to defend or chase you.
However, if you were to learn a movement that is not cut off at any point from the very start, you wouldn’t be able to protect your body from your enemy’s attack or break their stance.
Therefore, as training it is necessary that you split up the movement, start from 楷書 (kaisho) and practice and improve step by step.
The 楷書 (kaisho) movement is very important, however, please do understand that it won’t be of any use in actual combat.
Battou with the sousho 離 (ri)
Training method 1
Please allow us to demonstrate a training method of what we’ve explained in the previous video about doing battou while barely moving your right hand to the right.
You can do this with a wall to your right, but if you have some company with you, you may also simply ask them to help you practice.
Have them grab your tsukagashira. “Grabbing” in this case doesn’t mean holding it in a firm grasp, so please make sure that it is held gently to not obstruct you too much as it is done rather for confirmation purposes.
Then, place your hand on the tsuka in preparation for battou, but don’t do at the angle as is, but draw your sword while turning the tsukagashira slightly to the right.
As stated in the previous video, use the motion of your shoulder blade and hips etc. so that you’ll have to move the tsukagashira to the right as little as possible. Let your partner keep track of how much you have actually moved. About 5 cm should be fine, but regarding the movement you’ve seen now, using even more sayabiki to draw the sword would be ideal.
After that, keep going until the parry to complete this training method that will confirm whether your sword’s positioning has been a good one.
We’ll do it again.
One more time.
Right now he hasn’t gone off to the right that much, but I tried to push a bit for some support.
So if it seems like the sword would end up going too much to the right, feel free to give it a little push as if to tell them: “Slow down, buddy!”
In this case right now, truth be told, he didn’t do anything wrong but just to bully, I mean, for the sake of demonstration I pushed a little harder.
Otherwise, not to particularly obstruct them, please just make sure to stop the sword in case it goes beyond a point where you would say: “About this should be the permissible range.”
Right now, it would have been ideal if he had drawn the sword just little bit more to the left.
This has been how this training method should look like, so please feel free to actually try it out.
Training method 2
This is the training method if you want to use a wall.
If you started by sticking to the wall like this the battou would be a lot different from the very get-go, so instead start with your right shoulder 5 cm away from the wall to draw your sword.
From this position calmly pull out your sword and depending on how the angle of your sword changes, the tsukagashira will generally hit the wall.
From there just as mentioned before, pull back your right shoulder blade, while bringing forth your clavicle, move your right hip as you draw your sword.
If you do it too fast, you might run the risk of bending your sword or cutting of breaking your saya, so use your body as much as possible and draw your sword slowly in order for the tsukagashira to not end up hitting the wall.
Also, please make sure as much as possible to not raise your fist when drawing the sword.
Try to think of drawing the sword parallel to the ground.
Open up and stretch your body to its fullest extent and slowly draw your sword.
This has been the training method when using a wall.
Important points
Next up, I’m going to explain a few important points with a partner.
Right here, please be careful not to lower the kissaki too much.
I’ll explain to you how to receive/catch the opponent’s attack.
Do this kind of movement.
In the moment of receiving the attack, I hit my opponent’s sword with the 鎬 (shinogi – ridges on the blade), but from there I move my sword so I put his sword on the 峰 (mine – back of the sword) of mine, all whilst receiving his attack.
While I twist my wrist outwards, I move his sword from the 鎬 (shinogi) to the 峰 (mine) or my sword to receive his attack.
Do not catch the opponent’s attack with the blade like this. If you do this, your sword’s blade will get damaged and your sword might end up breaking. Because of that, please make sure to not receive/catch the attack with the blade but have it go from the 鎬 (shinogi) to the 峰 (mine) by moving your sword.
Also, do not stop the attack. Please make sure to use the recoil from receiving the attack to perform the motion of cutting their forearm right after.
Please do not stop the opponent’s sword like this. In the very moment their sword hits yours, flip over your sword to cut their forearm.
Onto the next point.
After receiving the attack, you might be prone to raising your arms above your head when intending to cut your opponent’s forearms.
Since this is especially a common beginner’s mistake, please make sure to not do that but instead, for the time being, do it slowly with only small movements to cut the forearm.
To tell you the truth, in a real situation you won’t be able to cut the opponent’s forearm with movements as small as these. The actual movement is slightly bigger.
As you could see, in actuality I raise the sword up to the height of my face. However, with just that I wouldn’t be able to build up enough force for the slash, so I add the motion of swiftly switching my feet with a jump to perform a proper and clean cut/slash.