push down and away

[Kagerou]

Ok, I'm at work and have too much time on my hands (again) and I started thinking about a problem I've been having for a while.

Both my hands lift upwards as I start my technique (not limited to one in particular). I saw myself on video and it's really noticable.

I realise it has to do partly with not pushing from the hips but whenever I try to concentrate on that my timing falls apart.

Well my thought today was that I should push down and away with my hands as I step forward. Does that make sense?

[tango]

"push down and away" doesn't make sense to me.

if i had your problem, I would probably work on sashi-men.
...because that action forces you to push your hands forward instead of up...

I dunno. Maybe that's not what you need. It's hard to say since we can't see you.
What do your sensei/sempai say?

[DCPan]

Both my hands lift upwards as I start my technique (not limited to one in particular). I saw myself on video and it's really noticable.

Hmm...it's not necessarily a problem with your hands.

It's like kata #1's zanshin for the shitachi. If you press forward by stepping forward with your left until the uchidachi starts backing up before you go into hidari jodan, then from the side, it looks like the sword moved forward before it went up.

So, you *could* conceivably change nothing, and simply start your hands later and let your feet/koshi move first.

That said, some have suggested to me in the past that think of it as starting with tsuki-like feeling first.

Currently though, I'm working on wringing as I go in. I find that wringing as I go in works for me for two reasons.

1. The wringing is almost tsuki-like so it feels like I'm wedging in.

2. The wringing brings my elbow in which in turn begins the furi-kaburi.

YMMV.

[hyuna]

I think if the problem is really with your hips, then you should concentrate on your hips and just let your timing fall apart for now. The thing is that your hips probably won't be improved by thinking about any sort of pushing with your hands.

[Neil Gendzwill]

You guys are overthinking this. It most likely isn't hips, he's just lifting his hands to attack like many do. Making the initial motion like tsuki or thinking of starting the arm motion by pushing the left hand forward are two ideas that might help him overcome this.

[Kagerou]

"push down and away" doesn't make sense to me.

if i had your problem, I would probably work on sashi-men.
...because that action forces you to push your hands forward instead of up...

I dunno. Maybe that's not what you need. It's hard to say since we can't see you.
What do your sensei/sempai say?

I have the same problem with sashi-men. My hands move up before they start moving out.

As for my senseis, they say "stop lifting your hands!"
I think they wanted me to work it out instead of just giving me an answer. So I came up with this idea.


Making the initial motion like tsuki or thinking of starting the arm motion by pushing the left hand forward are two ideas that might help him overcome this.

This sounds more like what I wanted to say originally. The down part was just my brain thinking "not up stupid!"

[R Stroud]

when you swing up to furikaburi and then hit, use your joints in this sequence.

Shoulders
Elbows
Elbows
Shoulders
Wrist

[Kagerou]

when you swing up to furikaburi and then hit, use your joints in this sequence.

Shoulders
Elbows
Elbows
Shoulders
Wrist

I think I'm doing elbows, shoulders, elbows shoulders, wrist now.

Guess I'll be doing a lot of suburi in front of a mirror during the holidays.

[JByrd]

when you swing up to furikaburi and then hit, use your joints in this sequence.

Shoulders
Elbows
Elbows
Shoulders
Wrist

Interesting, I'll try it that way. I have been trying to do it like this:

Shoulders (upswing)
Shoulders (downswing)
Elbows
Wrists

[H.Sandsleth]

I think I do shoulders (up), elbows (downswing), shoulders again as the elbows are sort of half extended, then wrists.

I don't quite get the elbows, elbows.

I'm working on not breaking the angle of the left hand except for the end of the cut. It changes the timing since the tip is not allowed to travel as far back.

[shred_lord]

And Eyes and Ears
And Mouth and Nose

Heads
Shoulders
Knees and Toes
Knees and Toes

[Geordie Bruiser]

And Eyes and Ears
And Mouth and Nose

Heads
Shoulders
Knees and Toes
Knees and Toes

Hey I remember you doing that during our Keiko at Mumeishi!!! lol

[DCPan]

I don't quite get the elbows, elbows.


If you maintain kamae as you raise from the shoulders, the elbows will eventually have to open as you bring your sword above your head.

That's my guess re: elbows, elbows, as in elbows open, elbows close.

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showpost.php?p=369052&postcount=12

YMMV

[H.Sandsleth]

Thanks, that makes sense.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Interesting, I'll try it that way. I have been trying to do it like this:

Shoulders (upswing)
Shoulders (downswing)
Elbows
WristsYou have to let your elbows open up a little as you swing up and then close as you swing out. If you keep your elbows closed the whole way, then all you have to generate speed is shoulders. It's a little like throwing a baseball. It's that elbow opening and then closing that gives the baseball that extra zip. Cricket bowlers can't bend their elbows, they have to add that run in to get the same speeds and even then I don't think they're consistently as fast (although the records are very close).