As promised, I am using this opportunity to provide some more detail on information I alluded to in my last post. Steven Roosevelt did a great job in answering the question on scoring with shoto in nito by directing us to Stroud sensei’s description on the Idaho Kendo Club site:
- “The minimum requirement for making yuko datotsu using Shoto is to have the Daito physically control (pressing) the opponent’s tachi at the time of the strike. However, it is generally rare that striking by Shoto will result in a yuko datotsu.”
We were fortunate enough to have a demonstration from a nito 7th dan who showed us that the opponent’s shinai needs to be totally suppressed by the daito and that the nito player’s body should be completely square on to his opponent as he makes the strike. He also made the point that he had never received or seen ippon given for a strike made with the kodachi.
With gyaku dou it was emphasised that as well as striking the correct part of the dou (the left side), with the correct part of the shinai (datotsu bu) and with the correct hasuji i.e. striking the target with the bottom take, it was imperative that the attacker step back in a straight line after hitting. The logic being that if he steps to his right or crosses abruptly to his left in front of the opponent this does not constitute a natural path for a pulling cut or hikigiri.
This was in the broader context that all yuko datotsu should be considered with reference to “The Principles of the Sword”. So the instruction was to consider posture and zanshin carefully along with bu, bui and strength of strike.
Another point of discussion was that bad behaviour in and around the shiai-jo should be dealt with promptly. Hansoku should be applied as per the rule book and in cases of severity, for instance where a combatant refuses to return to the kaishi sen, taijo (disqualification) should be used.
Reference was also made to supporters’ behaviour and that encouragement should be limited to (non-rhythmic) clapping.
The fact that 56 of FIK’s 57 countries are attending, (I did not ask who the no-shows were!) was mentioned several times. This obviously means that the schedule for the whole 3 days is going to be very full. Please competitors and coaches get to the right shiai-jo at the right time, or we will all be in the Budokan until midnight.