Tenouchi and tip speed

[Bennosuke]

I was recently told to speed up my swing and so I have been trying harder to swing faster, (which feels like I am using more muscle). Because of this my strikes have become too powerful. It seems like the faster the tip speed the harder it is to stop the shinai.

Is there a way to swing faster without having to perform a very hard tenouchi? Or is there a way to swing it faster without hitting too hard?

[MikeW]

There is a difference between power and speed. Try using as light a grip as you can to maintain control of your shinai and apply tenouchi right before impact. Also try to keep your arms and shoulders as relaxed as possible so you don't fall into a 'wood chopping' mode when you are striking.

[Bennosuke]

I think the relaxing thing is really important for me, especially when I try to speed up, because I really am stiff.

But wouldn't weakening the grip slow down the speed of the shinai? I know when I weaken the grip and still try to move with speed it wobbles a lot and moves off center.

[nodachi]

Normally when this question is asked, I give this canned response. It may or may not be your problem, but try it.

Your overall swing speed is probably fine. However, you may have a pause between the up and down swing. Try to do a more continuous motion, rather than 1. up 2. stop/change directions 3. down.

This seems to help many people so maybe it can help you. If not, oh well, try something else. :)

[ahmed61086]

What about a lot of suburi? Makes you more relaxed while swinging, which makes you faster.

[stuartwilson]

For me, the key was relaxing my shoulders. You can't do it with a death grip on the tsuka (among other things), and that is the starting point for learning to relax. For quite some time, no matter howhard I tried, I couldn't seem to put this together. Then is was pointed out to me that I was properly relaxed (and faster than I realized) when I was dog tired.

Along the way, sensei said to "hold my shinai like a baby." He was trying to make the point, but you can go too far with it. In my first tournament match, my opponent slipped his tsuka behind mine in tsuba-zerai and tore my shinai right out of my hands, resulting in hansoku (to me). Dirtbag. Anyway, relax your grip, but beware of this situation as well.

[JSchmidt]

You could be applying tenouchi too late.
Some people seem to use it to stop the shinai from bouncing up, but you should aim to use it to stop the shinai going down instead. (approx 1 inch below the intended target.).
Both before and after that, no real force should be applied to the grip of the shinai.

Jakob

[Bennosuke]

Thank you very much:D

[ahmed61086]

You could be applying tenouchi too late.
Some people seem to use it to stop the shinai from bouncing up, but you should aim to use it to stop the shinai going down instead.

Jakob

Its funny that you should mention that, because I was thinking about this myself. I allways used it to bounce the shinia up, but now since my tenouichi i think is more sophisticated(less exaggerated), I can use it to stay down(or just bounce up an inch, and still get the same results). I wonder which style is better.

[sainueng]

Off topic a bit...

I always thought tenouchi is to help you stop, never for bouncing up. The bouncing is, in my opinion, an unfortunate adaptation that people use to more easily go through and maintain zanshin. Don't get me wrong, it definitely has its place and is appropriate at times. Just overused and frequently misunderstood by beginners, imo.

On topic...

Relaxing your shoulders is probably the most important step. That and what nodachi suggested. Think of the strike as a single entity. Up and down on one beat. Another suggestion I have is do NOT try to increase your speed by trying to power/muscle it through. You're more likely to strike improperly, injure yourself, and tire too easily if you do. This is related to why some people recommend observing your swing after exhausting your arms, I think.

Finally, if we want to be geeky about it, I think your tip speed should increase the most at the end of your swing, as you use your wrists and apply tenouchi. Rotational physics or some stuff like that that I don't remember anymore. :p

And if you're talking about the small hits, like sashi-men, then that needs to be adjusted differently imo.

[kurisu]

[QUOTE=sainueng]Off topic a bit...

I always thought tenouchi is to help you stop, never for bouncing up. QUOTE]

Actually the idea of tenouchi comes from using a real sword, without it, the blade will not cut true/through. When hitting bone, skull or arm or other parts, the blade will actually turn and slip and follow the bone. Tenouchi insures you split a skull open or sever the limb.

[sainueng]

[QUOTE=sainueng]Off topic a bit...

I always thought tenouchi is to help you stop, never for bouncing up. QUOTE]

Actually the idea of tenouchi comes from using a real sword, without it, the blade will not cut true/through. When hitting bone, skull or arm or other parts, the blade will actually turn and slip and follow the bone. Tenouchi insures you split a skull open or sever the limb.

Right, which continues the cut down, not bounce up.

[nebosuke]

Right, which continues the cut down, not bounce up.

It's more through than down. Down is chopping like an axe, for a sword there needs to be slicing.

[Karaken]

Speed is speed. Without tenouchi, no speed after first cut which usually hits the floor. Try this drill taught by Kato Sensei ( Nana Dan ).

Let your friend hold shinai in front of them ( Men or Kote position ) and start hitting them but not more than 3-4 inches up and down. Actually whatever the span is ( 1/10 inch or 1 inch ) the purpose is hitting is as fast as you can for 50 times. Vary your strength, vary the relaxation factor of your shoulder, vary your grip pressure. Soon, you'll realize lighter the grip, faster you can tap. Compare the result with other people. Now, try the same thing but with Haya-Suburi 30 times. See if you can recreate the same feel in your grip. Lighter the grip, faster you can swing. I can do 30 haya suburi in about 18-20 seconds and I'm not the fastest. If you're slower than that, your grip or shoulder is too tight. Relax and try again.. There is no target, we just keep on trying..

[sainueng]

It's more through than down. Down is chopping like an axe, for a sword there needs to be slicing.

lol, when I was writing that I was actually debating writing "down" or "through" or "out". I decided people would know enough to understand what I'm referring to. Well, I don't do iai or koryu, so I admit my opinion on how an actual katana would cut isn't worth much. :p My only point was that the "up" motion is not really tenouchi, as I understand it. Rather, the bounce is something people do to basically free themselves.

[bullet08]

here is what i have been told as to how to improve the 'tip speed'.

lift the shinai using back muscle. bring down the shinai, and really swing that thing down at the last 3rd of the cut and imagine that you are going to throw the shinai away.. as if the shinai will fly out of your hand at the moment of impact. at that moment, apply tenouchi. make sure it's twist, and stretch, not just twist. it will steady the shinai better.

pete

[Darknails]

I was recently told to speed up my swing and so I have been trying harder to swing faster, (which feels like I am using more muscle). Because of this my strikes have become too powerful. It seems like the faster the tip speed the harder it is to stop the shinai.

Is there a way to swing faster without having to perform a very hard tenouchi? Or is there a way to swing it faster without hitting too hard?

Try relaxing your shoulders and straighten your left elbow at the end of the strike while doing tenouchi. That stops the shinai from going further downwards.

[The great I AM]

Just a thought I had while reading this. Have you thought that your cut might be going down (ooer) because you are actually cutting down, and not forwards? A lot of people who seem to think they have tenouchi problems are actually cutting down instead of cutting forwards (like they are a samurai chopping up helemts.....).

Try cutting forwards and at full stretch as fast as you can, and when you reach full stretch you should find that the shinai will stop from the natural end of available movement in your arms, notably elbows and wrists. Just keep your right arm roughly parallel to the floor and aim to go through your opponents face (without punching them in the mush....) with your fists. I always found that trying to keep my left fist roughly level with my opponents tsuki dare and trying to cut forwards helped. This is how I try to tech my beginners the start of tenouchi at UCL, and its working perfectly so far. Give it a try.

[Bennosuke]

Gibbo,

I think that is a really good point you make. When I'm tense I think I try to muscle the shinai down as quick as possible, rather then strike out.

Aahh... time for a lot more practice.

[The great I AM]

Gibbo,

I think that is a really good point you make. When I'm tense I think I try to muscle the shinai down as quick as possible, rather then strike out.

Aahh... time for a lot more practice.Hope its of some use to you.

[Super Kodachi]

Hi Bennosuke

I used to have similar problems myself especially when i used to do Iaido. I could never move the iaito fast enough to get that nice woosh sound.

Gibbo's totally right about the tennouchi point and cutting down and thats really useful advice. I never thought about it that way.

with regard to improving your swing speed why dont you try using a suburi Bokken? This is what I did in Japan when i needed to work on the speed of my swing.

During suburi every session i would use a suburi bokken, then as soon as we armoured up and started kihon geiko i would get my shinai. I found that it really helped me move my shinai faster and also helped with the correct shape of the cut. The weight of the suburi bokken will force you to finish the cut nicely and complete the full range of motion extending the wrists and arms as Gibbo said. In fact I've started using my suburi bokken again for suburi at home to work on my form on cutting.

When you can move the suburi bokken quickly you will be very fast with the shinai.

Try to throw the tip forward and let the action complete itself naturally. Dont grip to tightly with the hands and relax the shoulders, elbows and wrists.

I hope this helps, and I'd be interested to hear other peoples opinions.

[Spathever]

Hope nobody minds me waking up a dinosaur.

We have been told from the very beginning to swing forward, not down. To do the cut so that if we'd let go of the shinai when we're supposed to do tenouchi the shinai would be sent flying forward not down. It also helps to get that much needed forward momentum.

We have tried on some occasions to just throw our shinais. It's a good thing we practice in a hall that also has a stage and proper curtains so we don't break our shinais while doing it :)

The thing about using your right hand only to stop and stabilise the tip is a thing we're taught immediately. I've been doing kendo for about two years and I think i've got a reasonable technique for my experience. But I've been wondering what reasons there are not to use right hand to add more speed to the cut (if it's possible). Kinda adding moment to the swing. I've have my own thoughts on this matter, but I would like to hear some input from more experienced kendoka.

[Karaken]

Hope nobody minds me waking up a dinosaur.

We have been told from the very beginning to swing forward, not down. To do the cut so that if we'd let go of the shinai when we're supposed to do tenouchi the shinai would be sent flying forward not down. It also helps to get that much needed forward momentum.

We have tried on some occasions to just throw our shinais. It's a good thing we practice in a hall that also has a stage and proper curtains so we don't break our shinais while doing it :)

The thing about using your right hand only to stop and stabilise the tip is a thing we're taught immediately. I've been doing kendo for about two years and I think i've got a reasonable technique for my experience. But I've been wondering what reasons there are not to use right hand to add more speed to the cut (if it's possible). Kinda adding moment to the swing. I've have my own thoughts on this matter, but I would like to hear some input from more experienced kendoka.

To have a good tip speed, you need a good snap. Try to swing without using your wrist at all. It'll be much harder to gain speed. When you overuse right hand, it tends to kill the snap angle too soon. Until you learn how to maintain proper angle and to have a proper speed, it's better not to (over)use right hand. It's also because most of us are right handed and most us have a tendency of overpowering with right hand. Eventually everyone has to develop their own style and how/when to use right hand strength. This is the reason why every MEN-Uchi look different. When you teach a beginner try not to over teach everything. Over teaching will kill the indivisuality of one's own style of Kendo including the timing of how to use right hand. Hope this helps.

[flavio]

But I've been wondering what reasons there are not to use right hand to add more speed to the cut (if it's possible). Kinda adding moment to the swing. I've have my own thoughts on this matter, but I would like to hear some input from more experienced kendoka.I've also been wondering about the mechanics or physics of utilizing the right hand/wrist for adding speed. I'm not sure if this is what Spathever had in mind though. As I get more experienced (I only have a year of Kendo) and want to add more tip speed/momentum could I use my right hand as a small pivot point for a split second before I hit men? I emphasize small because it would be just before my arms straighten and the tenouchi comes into play; with all this appearing to be one smooth movement. Now that I think about it, is this the natural mechanics of a men strike? :confused2 Please correct me or share some insights on this.

[icy_flame]

I've also been wondering about the mechanics or physics of utilizing the right hand/wrist for adding speed. I'm not sure if this is what Spathever had in mind though. As I get more experienced (I only have a year of Kendo) and want to add more tip speed/momentum could I use my right hand as a small pivot point for a split second before I hit men? I emphasize small because it would be just before my arms straighten and the tenouchi comes into play; with all this appearing to be one smooth movement. Now that I think about it, is this the natural mechanics of a men strike? :confused2 Please correct me or share some insights on this.

I also would like to be learn more on this.

Just some body mechanics I learned from a basketball coach. When doing fluid movements like shooting a basketball, it is better to exhale before making the motion. Personally, I find that it makes muscles less tense; allowing smoother movement. There was some discussion about this earlier on in the thread, so I thought it might be good to discuss.*

*How should breathing be timed when swinging?

[dwez]

I saw this a few weeks back, it may have been covered on the board before but there's been a study of suburi swing speeds, it's detailed here:

http://www.miamivalleykendo.org/suburi.html

[mark]

I saw this a few weeks back, it may have been covered on the board before but there's been a study of suburi swing speeds, it's detailed here:

http://www.miamivalleykendo.org/suburi.html

Interesting article. Thanks!

[flavio]

Yes, thank you for the link dwez.

[icy_flame]

yeah, cool my old sensei helped with this.

[Kuma]

Thank you so much for this link! As I reached the end, I involuntarily said, "Ahh!" outloud. I feel as though I have reached a new level of understanding about suburi. I can't wait to go practice this.

[dwez]

Actually this isn't where I found it. There is a website for the Japanese Budo Forum and I hoped to find the other research papers that are presented - even more untapped knowledge? The English version wasn't too easy to navigate so I couldn't find any. I'll post the budo forum link next week when I'm back at work it may be more beneficial.

[Spathever]

Quite an interesting piece of research. I would have liked to dwell deeper into the research methods and results, but one can't have everything. The last thing by Ueda and Yoshida senseis left me a bit confused, I didn't really get what he was trying to get across.

It's interesting how things like these can sometimes verify something taught by experience alone. For example when teaching the beginners (when our sensei is unable to come to practice I get the responsibility of teaching since I'm quite reliable and have the best technique. Yeah, we're a small group) I try to teach then to use their elbows too, to bend and strech them and not just raise and lower their hands and bend their wrists.

Flavio, that's exactly what has been rummaging in my head. I mean E=.5mv^2 so the more energy you apply the more speed you get, provided the mass doesn't increase too much. There is no denying the laws of physics and using the right hand might, just might be able to give more speed to the strike. Still we're taught not to use our right hand until tenouchi. Why is that?

There are numerous things that have gone through my head. Have I misunderstood something? Quite possibly. Is it because this is shinai kendo, where it is impossible and simply not an inteded thing to drive the shinai through someone's head? Is my sensei not getting something vital across? Are japanese higher dans not getting something valuable across in the camps I have attended? Is human physiology unable to increase the speed with the right hand, or does it make correct tenouchi impossible? Would it make the cut (especially small cuts) too stiff and slow even with a lot of practise?

A lot of this is probably a bit funny for you more experienced colleaques. But this is something that I've been thinking about for a long time, I've even consulted my dad who is much more experience in things involving physics. I don't use my right hand until tenouchi just like I've been taught and it feels fine that way, I have no desire to go against what everyone is teaching me. I just think that it's important for me to understand these issues.

[Kuma]

I don't use my right hand until tenouchi just like I've been taught and it feels fine that way, I have no desire to go against what everyone is teaching me. I just think that it's important for me to understand these issues.

Agreed there. I don't think that there is anything disrespectful about trying to understand why we are taught a certain method and not another. Understanding the importance of the elements of a swing is giving me a newfound respect for proper form.

I'd love to see some comments on this right hand point.

[johnkichu]

An interesting, thought provoking article, but I am left with three questions.

1. Is the purpose of suburi to attain faster and faster tip speed? If not, why the preoccumpation with speed in suburi? Or are the authors really trying to get at standardized (better) way of teaching suburi?

2. What about footwork? Crappy footwork will destroy your speed.

3. This is all about suburi - how does this translate to more effective (faster?) men strikes in keiko siutations, when movements are smaller?

[Karaken]

An interesting, thought provoking article, but I am left with three questions.

1. Is the purpose of suburi to attain faster and faster tip speed? If not, why the preoccumpation with speed in suburi? Or are the authors really trying to get at standardized (better) way of teaching suburi?

2. What about footwork? Crappy footwork will destroy your speed.

3. This is all about suburi - how does this translate to more effective (faster?) men strikes in keiko siutations, when movements are smaller?

SP, KU & JOHN, guess my append wasn't read. I addressed the exact point of the right hand in the previous append. .. Here goes again below. The point is that right hand can add speed if used correctly but it ain't easy..

John, to address your questions (IMO)

1. Is the purpose of suburi to attain faster and faster tip speed? If not, why the preoccumpation with speed in suburi? Or are the authors really trying to get at standardized (better) way of teaching suburi?

As with many martial art training, the purpose of suburi isn't quite as simple as to attain faster swing speed. That's why we call it an Martial ART not Martial Science. You only obsessed with speed in the beginning, if you listen to 5 dan up ( maybe 6 ) they rarely talked about speed. Ichi GAN, Ni Soku..
As you go up on the rank, your calm mind with Enzan no mezuki ( spell? ) becomes much more important. But those senseis still do suburi. I heard one of the 8th dan wanna be have done 1,000 suburi a day to prepare..

2. What about footwork? Crappy footwork will destroy your speed.

Abosolutely, it destroys everything. The speed too but that's not important when the footwork doesn't work. If you fall, what's the point of running faster?

3. This is all about suburi - how does this translate to more effective (faster?) men strikes in keiko siutations, when movements are smaller?[/

In japan, there are many articles analyzing the every minute movement for doctorate or other reserach for teachers. While this is good to validate certain point for certain people ( see i was right afterall ), martial art is a very indivisual sport. Depends on how flexible you are ( Age, height, weight, race, gender etc.. ) some of the points in their study might be moot point or not applicable at all. Please see my point below for over teaching..
Scientific analysis is good to a certain point, but remember the root of any martial art. They have trained with many repetition with minimum instruction. Then one day you find your own way, then you lose it, and you find it again. In the process, you grow up. If you teach too much, you are partially destroying this process of exploration and imagination..(IMO)

-------------------------------------------------------------------
To have a good tip speed, you need a good snap. Try to swing without using your wrist at all. It'll be much harder to gain speed. When you overuse right hand, it tends to kill the snap angle too soon. Until you learn how to maintain proper angle and to have a proper speed, it's better not to (over)use right hand. It's also because most of us are right handed and most us have a tendency of overpowering with right hand. Eventually everyone has to develop their own style and how/when to use right hand strength. This is the reason why every MEN-Uchi look different. When you teach a beginner try not to over teach everything. Over teaching will kill the indivisuality of one's own style of Kendo including the timing of how to use right hand. Hope this helps.

[Karaken]

3. This is all about suburi - how does this translate to more effective (faster?) men strikes in keiko siutations, when movements are smaller?[/

Suburi is not Kendo, it's a small part of it. The theory is, BIG movement teaches you how to do SMALL movement properly ( But not the other way around ). Make sense?

[sainueng]

If you try powering your swing w/ your right hand, I see 2 problems occurring:

1) You don't swing straight.

2) Extra motion from the right hand further exposes the right kote.

[Kingofmyrrh]

yeah, cool my old sensei helped with this.

Where did you meet Yoshida sensei/Ueda sensei? Have you been to Keio as well?

[Kingofmyrrh]

I saw this a few weeks back, it may have been covered on the board before but there's been a study of suburi swing speeds, it's detailed here:

http://www.miamivalleykendo.org/suburi.html

This shouldn't be mistaken for an official translation - it's just how I took it. If you want to understand exactly what they wanted to say I'm afraid you'll have to get the Japanese version. Anyway, I've discussed this article to death in another thread so you'll have to look it up if you want more info.

[dwez]

But I've been wondering what reasons there are not to use right hand to add more speed to the cut (if it's possible). Kinda adding moment to the swing. I've have my own thoughts on this matter, but I would like to hear some input from more experienced kendoka.

I don't think it can speed it up due to the position of the hands. If you were holding the shinai like a basebal then maybe it would but as the hands are separated applying too much force with the right hand would in effect slow it down as you have two competing arcs.

If you imagine the shinai like a beam in a catapult moving the left hand a little bit accellerates the tip over a massive distance. Putting another force further up would shift that point. Making it easier but with far less distance travelled at a lower top speed.

Regardless adding force at that point would require your hand/arm to be tense which would inevitably slow it down. Your amrs need to be relaxed.

Saying that we all use our right hand to some extent. Once you begin to understand the throwing action of the left hand as the optimum action the right is the direction and just asks as a support for the shinais wieght, for those that need it [I'll include myself in that group who have still to attain good cutting technique].

Of course I could be wrong in all this but I did fail Applied Maths at A-level so I think I'm clearly qualified to discuss 'projectile speeds' and 'forces of moments'. Ahem, I'll get my coat.

[Koki]

I was taught by several high ranking sensei not to use my elbow during suburi (meaning bending my elbow and then extending it during swinging).

They all emphasized using my shoulders instead of relying on elbows and wrists. Basically, they told me to raise both my arms but keep the exact form of my arms while they are in kamae, and then swing down and make the biggest circle possible. Swinging that way forcing me to use my whole body rather than just arm strength.

I think the most important thing is to learn to relax during swinging. After your arms are up above your head, you can just "drop" your arms and let gravity pull them down, and then applying tenouchi at the end. If your arms are too tensed or if you are grabbing your shinai too hard, you woulnd't be able to achieve good tenouchi.

[Kuri]

I was taught by several high ranking sensei not to use my elbow during suburi (meaning bending my elbow and then extending it during swinging).
My sensei in Australia has always taught the swing as described in the article (BTW, great link dwez). While training training in Japan, I was also told to only use the shoulders by a couple of high ranking sensei (no wrist action at all). Then again, in the same dojo, other high ranking sensei told me to continue doing it as I always had. At the other extreme, Toda sensei says it's all in the wrists :laugh:. So which is it???
Personally, I don't think it matters as long as the cut is a yuko-datotsu. Just like the article, everyone is taught differently, and what works best for one person is not necessarily the answer for the other.

[dwez]

My sensei in Australia has always taught the swing as described in the article (BTW, great link dwez).

Cheers, there's a bit more research on much wider topics [the effects of hypothermia during kendo!!? for instance] over at www.budo.ac/kendo/ click the English page for the notes.

[mark]

Cheers, there's a bit more research on much wider topics [the effects of hypothermia during kendo!!? for instance] over at www.budo.ac/kendo/ click the English page for the notes.

Thnaks for the links. Interesting stuff!

[Inner_Silence]

nice...really interesting hmmm

[Neil Gendzwill]

I was taught by several high ranking sensei not to use my elbow during suburi (meaning bending my elbow and then extending it during swinging).Interesting. From the article:

One other thing that I can explain with confidence from the results of this research is that you must use the shoulders, then the elbows, then the wrists, in that order, such that it becomes a shoulder joint-centric movement. Best of all is to make full use of the snap of the wrists, rather like a whip.The above is the way I have been taught and the way I teach. Raise the arms and keep them the way they are in kamae, ie bent elbows. You can even bend the elbows out a little more, so long as you keep correct grip. Then as you swing forward, first from shoulders, then the arm straightens with the elbow closing, and finally tenouchi.

One analogy I had from a sensei was to think of the difference between baseball and cricket - why is a baseball pitch faster than a cricket bowl, even though the cricket bowler gets a run-up? Simplified, it's because the pitcher is allowed to bend his elbow and thus can use the straightening motion to add speed to the ball. Similarly, the closing elbow in a kendo cut adds speed.

[dwez]

Interesting. From the article:
The above is the way I have been taught and the way I teach. Raise the arms and keep them the way they are in kamae, ie bent elbows. You can even bend the elbows out a little more, so long as you keep correct grip. Then as you swing forward, first from shoulders, then the arm straightens with the elbow closing, and finally tenouchi.


I don't know if it was at a seminar or what but we were showed once to push the shinai forwards [so arms start to stretch] as this presents the smallest possible movement to your opponent and will raise the shinai a few inches before they know it. Then follow the natural arc and bring it down. It made sense at the time, and still does on occassion but it also means the weight is distributed further from the body which in turn makes my upswing very slow and suceptible to nuki waza.

The advantages - obviously is you're moving firward without the opponent noticing and you can also deliver a quick cut if necessary.

Disadvantages - slow upswing and it doesn't favour big cuts. It may be bad form, but I wa sshown it that way once honest!

[Koki]

Personally, I think there are different levels of hitting men and also different levels of doing suburi. They are all depended on your kendo experiences.

Maybe you didn't have enough tenouchi in your wrist, so your sensei emphsized "It's all in the wrists", etc... It is like the four blind men touching the elephants. Each of them only "see" a part of it and think that it is the whole elephant.

[Koki]

On a seperate note, when I started doing katate suburi for my jodan, i was taught only to use the shoulder and tenouchi at the end, no wrist... no elbow. I don't even have to keep my left fist in the center line either, but to keep it on the same plane of my left arm.

[mark]

Interesting. From the article:
The above is the way I have been taught and the way I teach. Raise the arms and keep them the way they are in kamae, ie bent elbows. You can even bend the elbows out a little more, so long as you keep correct grip. Then as you swing forward, first from shoulders, then the arm straightens with the elbow closing, and finally tenouchi.

This is also the way I have been taught large technique.

However, for small techniques I have been taught similar to dwez.

I don't know if it was at a seminar or what but we were showed once to push the shinai forwards [so arms start to stretch] as this presents the smallest possible movement to your opponent and will raise the shinai a few inches before they know it. Then follow the natural arc and bring it down. !

I have been taught to go for tsuki and at the strike point launch men. Very strong players are said to be able to decide men kote or do at the strike point. The more skilled players will have a strike point a few inches from the tsuki dare and be able to strike a strong men (shoulders, elbows and wrists) from there . One challenge is to establish your personal strike point ie. how close you can come before rendering your strike weak and inefective. The other challenge is to ensure that you are not cocking your wrists and that you are "going up the rail with your left".