Seme question

[Ted Bouck]

I know this is not an easily answered question, but any advice will be helpful. Even a dialog of thoughts and philosophies should be interesting.

How does your teacher convey the concept of Seme?, and how do they teach using/projecting it?

Cheers,
Ted Bouck

[Ted Bouck]

Are there no replys because this is not taught?

Is seme something that is developed in a similar fashin to Mushin? [ie: it just is developed!?]

Anyone??
Ted

[hamish]

I'll have a crack at a reply, Ted.

When I did the 1 year Bekka course at IBU (International Budo University) in Chiba, one of the topics that was focused on in the practical classes was how to develop strong seme.

This seemed to be stressed more in the higher classes (3rd year out of 4 for regular students) from memory.

A lot of the emphasis at lower levels in Japan, and I think this is a combination of youth and also grade, is on speed.

Getting beyond that stage marks a maturing of one's kendo (and character too, maybe?) certainly in Japan, where the majority of people still reach that stage at about the same time, early 20s.

As such, I would think that the kendo maturity aspect of it is something that comes from time with the men on, and can't be forced.

Saying that, though, is not a good enough reason for not teaching this fundamental aspect of kendo (or any other budo for that matter) Which brings me back to the point. . .

The way that Makita sensei (former individuals world champ)taught it at IBU was to drill us in pushing forward from chudan while keeping the kensen firmly targeted on the opponent's tsuki-dare/centre-line before striking. The front foot should be slid forward slowly at the same time. The movement itself, though, is coming from the koshi/hara region.

All basic kihon, of course, but the intent/feeling being very much to blast your ki down the kensen at your opponent, and try and give 'em that 'possum caught in the headlights' kind of experience!

After that, really, I think it's a case of trying it repeatedly, hitting and being hit.

I'm sure everyone has felt the difference between being hit by a fast men, and being CUT by a strong men. Technique-wise there may not be too much of a difference, but you can sure feel a difference!

At what stage should you teach these concepts? If you teach it too early, does it get in the way of acquiring the necessary physical skills?

Opinions anyone?

[Ted Bouck]

Excellent reply. The "pressure" waza you describe will help me explain it better and also to apply it as a teaching aid. Thx, Hamish.

I think that the third year in out of four before really teaching this sounds about right. Maybe a bit late, but the fundumental physical form is required before the spirit of this can be understood.

Much of seme, as I have learned it, revolves around inner strength. When I return from a vacation where I have been participating in heavy, armoured medieval foot combat, which involves upwards of 500 fighters per side, my Seme is "Huge". Afterall, the result of that experiance is much closer to "mortal" then a one on one match anywhere. [no matter how badly your whooped up on in a singles fight!] I understand this to be due to my spirit "expanding" significantly to meet the need of many warriors trying to do me in.

This experiance is not as easily done in kendo. Though the "feeling" can and should be obtainable and utilized. Though the seme I seek in kendo may be "cleaner" in its spirit, versus the resultant "tough, centered, once described to me as MEAN, attitude" that prevails after this "war" type experiance.

Best Regards,

Ted

[hamish]

Glad to be of help, but I'm sure many out there can explain it better than I.

500 is a fair number!

I remember visiting the Oki co's. naginata team for a training camp once. I faced off with the team of 7 as the coach's words faded away: "Welcome to Miyazaki - HAJIME!"

2 on one kakarigeiko is not unusual in naginata practice, and it does cetainly serve to expand your spirit!

A little bit harder in kendo, but have you ever done ai-kakarigeiko in a large group, where you change at frequent intervals on the drum, and immediately attack anyone available on the change? That can get pretty hectic if the interval is very short.

Hamish

[Ted Bouck]

Hamish,

I can scrounge some pics of us in grand melee if your interested. ?? :0) I hope one day to do some Atarashii Nag. too.

I was using a more chudan based strong seme, extension from the kensen with my Sempai saturday with good results. Thx. [This same method did not work at all with a Kohei that knows no better. :0) Is this normal?]

Melee kakarigeiko? COOL!!!!!!!!! What does the Ai in front mean?

Cheers, Ted

[A. Henriksson]

Hi Ted!

Are you doing SCA style swordmanship? It would be really cool to see pictures of 500 guys going nuts, please post them here. BTW I could give everybody a link to some videoclips of Swedish SCA melees.

[Ted Bouck]

Greetings Andreas,

Aye M'Lord. Tis SCA heavy medieval foot combat, among many that I enjoy. Check this site out, it shows big battles.

http://homepage.mac.com/pennsicxxx/PhotoAlbum2.html

and a pic of me in my gear. I am the black bascinet with spear.
http://cleftlands.cwru.edu/archive/picture.asp?id=68

I would love to see clips of sca melee in Sweden!!!!

Are you in?, or thinking about joining?

Cheers, and best Regards,
Ted

[Kenshi]

Hey Ted,

>What does the Ai in front mean?<

Just "mutual" I guess ... so ai-kakarigeiko is when you both do it at the same time (fun), ai-chudan would be when both kendoka are in chudan (eg. nihonme), ai-gedan (e.g. sambonme) etc etc etc

Cheers,

[A. Henriksson]

Sorry Ted I´m not in SCA. Kinda thinking about joining. Expensive to get the armour and travelling to competitions and such. I also have hard to find time for it since I practise ZNKR iaido and Wadokai karate as well.

If you want to see Swedish SCA then go to http://www.solace.mh.se/~gyllengran/
and press "videoarkiv" (its all in Swedish).

Then just click on any of the videoclips to watch them. All names of the clips are in Swedish but here are some translations:

"Det är kärlek" (Trym vs Duncan) (1626k) = "It is love" (also said in the clip)

Danne får ont i huvudet (580k) = Danne gets a headache

Killar med stora pinnar (958k) = Guys with big sticks

Polearm i magen (746k) = Polearm in the stomach

Klangfull hjälm (350k) = hmmm what the heck is klangfull in English??? It’s a comment about the sound of the guys helmet anyway.

Oh and don’t miss "Tomte spöar nisse (294k)". Maybe Santa isn´t the nice guy everybody thinks he is! Shocking video footage!!!

Är det kanske dig han spöar Nils? :D

[supernils]

passa dig
Nils Bjorkegard

[ben]

I learnt something of seme (which btw, in Aus we translate as "pressure" but which I have read in a dictionary is closer "to storm" or "to attack" - as in a castle, etc: Hamish? you're the resident scholar... What's the etymology of "semeru"?) recently from the Toda sensei visit to Melbourne.

Previously I had always thought seme to be some kind of projection outwards towards your opponent. Whilst it certainly is in terms of body movement and shinai position, the internal feeling is not necessarily so. What I realised from Toda was that his fearsome seme came from a complete lack of care about the result of my attacks on him. This fearlessness seemed to sap the energy from my bones. After training with him for a few minutes he was able to actually induce this feeling in me, showing me debana-men and de-gote. What I realised was hard to put into words, but there is no sense of pushing outwards at your opponent at all. You are not throwing any vibes at them, so to speak, they are simply pummelling themselves with their own stuff.

This may not make any sense...

[alexpollijr]

Ben,

I think I know what you mean, thoug I don't know if it's possible to put in words. Tsushima sensei also got this feel that makes me retreat, ignoring every blow I land on him.

It also goes with debana waza, which he uses extensively alongside the seme.

Therefore, I, in my materialistic views, believe that seme is, as you say, not some kind of vibe or astral projecttion or the likes of it. It looks quite 'tecnical' to me in fact...

Cheers

[ben]

not throwing out vibes like "gggnnrrrgh! take THAT!", but still *causing* your opponent to flounder. maybe technique. maybe experience. maybe something else.

[alexpollijr]

Maybe it's the Force, ben-kenobi :D

[ben]

hahaha... maybe. (He was named after me btw, not the other way around ;))

There's an old Zen saying: "The greater the doubt, the greater the enlightenment."

b