Hello all!
Since September, we started experimenting with kodachi in the Athens dojo. Right now we practice kodachi against kodachi, which is something we have never done as part of the official curriculum. It is a very interesting and scary study, and we will continue like this for a couple of months, then switch to standard kodachi jutsu practice (where kodachi is practiced against a sword).
Here I present some examples of early kumite (video filmed on 20 of October).
These are grappling kumite, meaning, we do not strike from a distance. It is an isolated practice. The setup is similar to that of the Nodachi kata, and then, after first contact, it is freestyle. Kumite means that the overall strength/speed/intensity/will to win is around 50-80%.
Standard Grip
Notes:
In the first video, I do a very dangerous move of trying to disarm his weapon by pushing the blade from the side. One note here: a lot of things that are happening in kumite are not conscious thoughts. They are instinctive reactions. What happes is that after each and every kumite we have a debrief. The 3rd person watching is the one that makes notes on what happened, and tries to identify training scars. Then, we have our homework. If there is a training scar (and we have many), we then work it through drilling and regular kata, then in randori. And hopefully, after lots and lots of repetitions, the training scar will disappear in kumite.
In the second video, there is a standard case where both people are cut, even if one kills the other person. This happens around 50% of the time (will elaborate later).
Standard grip practice has a lot of overlapping points and techniques with sword against sword, bit also has its unique points because of the shorter range.
Reverse Grip
Notes:
Reverse grip practice is a lot more grappling based. The reverse grip gives limited opportunities for standard cuts. Grappling and sumo are key components here, and usually what happens is that each person tries to disengage in a way where he can 1) cut the other person while 2) not being cut
General Notes:
- Kodachi vs Kodachi practice is scary
- A lot of times, as mentioned above, both people are seriously cut. The standard scenario is that you may cut/stab the other person, but while doing so, you are also cut/stabbed, maybe not in a fatal way, but who knows what would happen in a real case. This happens within the 1-5 seconds range after the initial cut. In order to battle this, we have changed our strategy to focus on controlling the other’s person arm or hand, and then cutting or stabbing (safest way). Easier said than done, but at least, this strategy gives you the most chances of not dying.
- Grip strength is of crucial importance. If you get a grip on the other person’s arm/weapon, then you need to really not let go. The moment you let go, you are most probably cut/stabbed.
- Grappling is of crucial importance also. If you cannot grapple, you cannot fight with a kodachi (at least on our setup). I am sure that if we start at a normal distance things will change (this is our new experiment, starting from now on), but still, grappling will always play a very importance role. By the way, there are significant differences between eg. judo/sumo and what is needed here, as controlling the arms while grappling standup is a major component of success in this setup.
This is all for now, feedback is welcomed! I will post more videos in around a month.
I’ve been working on descriptions in the densho and trying to decipher some of the more cryptic aspects and revive what of it may be practice, especially when linked with a combative approach to sumo. I’m seeing some of that in what you are doing here.
“revive what of it may be practical.”