Whenever I come back to the UK after seeing high level kendo in Japan I am struck by one major difference in our kendo- we show far less kihaku. I don’t mean that our kiai is not loud enough, but overall we do not show the same inner force and explosiveness that our Japanese peers demonstrate. Kihaku refers to the strength of spirit that we bring to our keiko. Outside the dojo in everyday Japanese a more usual translation would be “vigour”.
How this difference is manifested is difficult to explain, but let me try. It starts from the moment we stand up from sonkyo; instead of a “let’s wait and see what happens” attitude we should be fizzing like a piece of magnesium in water, looking for an opportunity to strike. When we find that opportunity we should explode, accelerating after we strike and taking our determination into zanshin.
Partially, the way to achieve this is through correct breathing – taking a big breath before you engage, releasing part of it through kakegoe, holding the remainder in tame and then emptying yourself on the strike. Breathing alone though is not enough. We need to be in a state of constant readiness, able to attack at will. When we do strike it needs to be with total commitment. Win or lose we have to give it 100 per cent of our energy and effort. Our forward movement, particularly for men needs to be as fast as possible, picking up acceleration as we strike.
The strike itself should be sharp, not hard. A fast relaxed swing with good tenouchi is the way to do this and it goes without saying that our fumikomi, posture and strike should be as one. Not everyone is in a position to do this. If you are in the early stages of your kendo career then you are still working on getting the basics right and it is almost impossible to put maximum effort into a strike when you are still thinking of the best way to do it. When technique is practiced until it becomes second nature, then it is the time to leave conscious thought behind and give it all you’ve got.
In my younger days I was delighted to be given the nickname “bullet” by my Japanese sempai. I was sure that this was based on the strength and speed of my attack. It was only later that I learned that the real reasoning behind the name was that when we hit the bars of Kyobashi after training, I was considered unstoppable. Still it was a confidence builder while it lasted.
Thank yor for sharing this information 🙂
agreed
Great food for thought, sensei. Thank you.
This brings about 2 thoughts that I would like to share on the subject if you don’t mind.
1) A very prominent Japanese teacher once explained to me. ‘After we strike men, we should reach FULL speed as we travel past aite/motodachi, shoulder to shoulder, and continue through (at that speed) until sufficient distance has been reached, turning sharply on the spot.’ Most people, especially outside Japan, tend not to do this, and usually stop their follow through at aite, or slow down after cutting men. Quite often, myself included.
2) People tend to misunderstand how to be more ‘vigourous’ and as a result, freeze up or slow down their own kendo while burning more energy. If your upper body is relaxed but your footwork and mind poised for explosiveness, while maintaining a kind of ‘nimbleness’ AND creating opportunities (as opposed to just waiting), your kendo will automatically improve. Easier said than done, of course.
I have struggled with both of these points for quite some time, but slowly making progress.
Sorry that is my opinion, sensei.
Hopefully, this opinion will not be a hindrance.
I have been doing Kendo for about 20 years.
I noticed that many clubs in Russia have a mentor level 2 or 3 dan, with the length of training for about 5-6 years. In most clubs don’t know what a “keiko every day”.
Beginners look at his coach and not see a man who has the inner fire and gave himself in Kendo. Beginners coaching beginners. We can see Sensei who do Kendo for over 30 years too rarely and are not able to imitate them. For brief encounters can’t feel their ki. Even harder in training to understand how they make sense siai keiko. It is difficult to see the path, when you can’t see the back of a man walking ahead of you.
Thank you very much.
[…] (F)rom the moment we stand up from sonkyo; instead of a “let’s wait and see what happens” attitude we should be fizzing like a piece of magnesium in water, looking for an opportunity to strike. When we find that opportunity we should explode, accelerating after we strike and taking our determination into zanshin. – Geoff Salmon (7th Dan) [KendoInfo_Kihaku2]. […]