Strange judging...

[Machismo111]

Forgive me if this has already been asked ^_^. I just went to a NCKF tournament today in Sacramento and I noticed several beautiful Do cuts (I think...Across the chest, right?). What I found strange is that a tap on the hands (Kata?) scores a point, but a very loud and very cool looking direct slash across the chest doesn't? It seems that performing a Do would be a waste of time in a tournament. In fact, I've only seen one person get a point for a Do cut...of course I can't really tell the difference between a good and bad cut being a newbie and all that, but why doesn't a Do score anything?

[etherknot]

Forgive me if this has already been asked ^_^. I just went to a NCKF tournament today in Sacramento and I noticed several beautiful Do cuts (I think...Across the chest, right?). What I found strange is that a tap on the hands (Kata?) scores a point, but a very loud and very cool looking direct slash across the chest doesn't? It seems that performing a Do would be a waste of time in a tournament. In fact, I've only seen one person get a point for a Do cut...of course I can't really tell the difference between a good and bad cut being a newbie and all that, but why doesn't a Do score anything?

A good question! But I believe the reason is this: Do isn't the most difficult cut to make, but it can be difficult to get two of the three judges to agree on it cause it has quite a bit of detail that they might be looking for in comparison to the "hand tap" (kote).
I am guessing that the judges probably didn't see or just didn't agree on the quality of the do's. *shrug*
Do not let this discourage you from using do though! :)

[Nishi]

Hi there...iv been working on my "do" cut alot latley, and doing a bit of research into "do" cuts in taikai.......have a look it may help.

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1157

[qpuppy]

Well... there is a few things that you have to consider... even it might get a cut with time.. and cleared it well... but sometimes the Do will not be given becasue it might be too close.. or the zanshin not right... or that the cut might be abit too high or low... there are always some reasons to it.. but every shinpan has their own idea what is a good Do cut and whats not.... :puzzled: :ermm:

I'm no rank in shinpanning.. sooooo.... it's just my own throughts.... but yeah... like what etherknot said... dont let it discourage you from doing Do cut.... :silly:

*I hate do cut~~~..... :( (major problem for me.... :cry: )*

[Revenir]

Forgive me if this has already been asked ^_^. I just went to a NCKF tournament today in Sacramento and I noticed several beautiful Do cuts (I think...Across the chest, right?).

You mean across the stomache/belly right? Because i thought the chest was too high for do. Of course I'm probably newer than you so I could be wrong.

[xvikingx]

Yeah, if they are hitting the chest and not the belly that may be the reason they are not getting the point called. OUCH!

[swrdply400mrela]

What is zanshin? I'm in Kumdo, which is why I don't know the japanese terminology.

[sminki]

What is zanshin? I'm in Kumdo, which is why I don't know the japanese terminology.


zanshin is what is referred to as jonshim in korean.

anyway, machismo seemed to have said cut "across the chest" and I just want to clarify that a proper doh cut would be on the side of the belly. meaning if the cut is across the belly (or parallel with the direction the target person's facing), it's too close and therefore is not a proper cut no matter how nice a sound it makes.

[nodachi]

Yeah, if they are hitting the chest and not the belly that may be the reason they are not getting the point called. OUCH!

I also thought that a good doh cut hit the side of the torso at belly height, and not across the front of the doh. At least that is what I have been told. It looks like it cuts across the front of the doh, but it needs to hit the persons side initially. The dragging the shinai across the front of the doh is just what happens when you try to run through someone with a shinai.

[Machismo111]

You mean across the stomache/belly right? Because i thought the chest was too high for do. Of course I'm probably newer than you so I could be wrong.

Lol, nah, I dont think anyone is newer than I am ^_^. Yes, I meant the belly. I sorta tend to refer as the front of a person as their chest =P But belly is what I was talking about. Every time someone did a Do cut it seemed that all the other Kendoka (kendo folks, is that correct terminology?) applauded loudly. I'm afraid that while do looks like my favorite attack, I wont be doing it at all in a competition (in 46 years when I'm fit to attend one ^_^)

[swrdply400mrela]

zanshin is what is referred to as jonshim in korean.



Sorry, could someone explain what that is? The dojo I go to is an university club, and terminology isn't used too much. TIA

[Neil Gendzwill]

Zanshin literally means the heart that remains. In practice, it means to be in a state of physical and mental readiness; to be in such a position to continue the attack; to be sufficiently alert so as to not be in danger of attack. In practical terms this means following through after the cut and ending up in the correct posture, obviously alert and ready to fight.

[jmarsten]

Items the shimpan should be looking for are:
did the hands turn so that the cut is with the hasuji
Is the Datotsu area of the shinai the portion that made contact. This are two of the main reasons doh doesn't get scored. Plus all the other standard parts that make up ippon.
I have seen many a doh hit outside of Japan that was not scored but would have been in Japan. It would be very helpful if we had more access to video of Japanese tournaments. While video can be and is often deceiving it is still helpful in achieving a more universal understanding of what constitutes a yukodatotsu.
However most of the complaining comes from folks who never have to call points and the easiest way to silence them is to hand them the flags.

[Neil Gendzwill]

However most of the complaining comes from folks who never have to call points and the easiest way to silence them is to hand them the flags.
Man is that ever true. Like anything else in kendo you really need to practice to get good at it. I still don't feel like I could do justice to a big tournament - out here in the sticks we don't get a lot of opportunity for high-level judging.