sou-giri question

[Ted Bouck]

Greetings all,

In the excellent article for this and nuki-uchi, the new ZNKR Iaido kata, the ukenagashi block picture in sou-giri shows the kissaki VERY behind the Iaidoka's left shoulder. Is this correct?, or should this block be more like kata No.3 [Ukenagashi] ??

If this pic is correct, What is the assummed opponents strike angle that would require this higher/yoko style block?

Thx,
Ted

[Alex]

Hi Ted,

the move is not a block or an uke-nagashi (in the sense of san-bon-me). It is a kind of subtle parry as you draw the blade and lift it above head to cut back. The situation imagined is when an atacker comes in for a STRAIGHT cut to your noggin (shomen), you draw the blade out of the saya as you step back from your front (right) foot, parry the attackers cut as you lift he sword over head, then step out again with the same foot to counter cut. Your own blade, although going back, is drawn up on an angle, thus offering protection to that rather volatile cranium area as the sword goes up. So the whole motion is very fluid. The pictures are correct in having the kensen back. Did you check out the CD ROM included in the magazine? This may make it clearer.

Cheers,

Alex:)

[A. Henriksson]

Can somebody please explain what the opponent(s) in sougiri are doing? It seems as the kata should be renamed to "overkill" because of all those cuts.

-Andreas Henriksson

[Ted Bouck]

OK, now I completely understand. Thx Alex.