Why does kirikaeshi start with hidari men?

[Lucien]

Why does kirikaeshi start with hidari men?

Over a lifetime of kendo this means that we will make more hidari men than migi men. For me this doesn't make sense.

Migi men is harder to execute and, so the theory goes, a good migi men leads to good migi do.

Any ideas?

[TKO]

Why does kirikaeshi start with hidari men?

Over a lifetime of kendo this means that we will make more hidari men than migi men. For me this doesn't make sense.

Migi men is harder to execute and, so the theory goes, a good migi men leads to good migi do.

Any ideas?
er??? isn't kirikaeshi starts with

"MEEEN"--Forward "migi"-"hidari"-"migi"-"hidari" Back "migi"-"hidari"-"migi"-"hidari"-"migi" --"MEEEN"

Total: 5 migi men and 4 hidari men

migi=right
hidari=left

[DCPan]

er??? isn't kirikaeshi starts with

"MEEEN"--Forward "migi"-"hidari"-"migi"-"hidari" Back "migi"-"hidari"-"migi"-"hidari"-"migi" --"MEEEN"

Total: 5 migi men and 4 hidari men

migi=right
hidari=left

Wrong frame of reference.

Migi-men is opponent's right, not your right.

So, kirikaeshi is "shomen - hidari-men - migi-men...."

So, it is 5 hidari men and 4 migi men.

[Halcyon]

Migi men is harder to execute and, so the theory goes, a good migi men leads to good migi do.

Any ideas?Well, you have to start somewhere, so why not start with the side that's easier and more common? Actually, if you think of it in terms of iai, there's a move called ukenagashi, where you deflect an opponent's strike to your men and follow immediately with a strike of your own. Because you draw your sword out of the saya with your right hand, the mechanics of the move pretty much dictates that the kissaki swings around behind you from your left to your right. By the time you get both hands on the tsuka, you're in a better position to slice your opponent's left side (your right). At best, you would hit straight down the middle. It would be rather unnatural to hit your opponent's migi men.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

[Vortex]

Well, you have to start somewhere, so why not start with the side that's easier and more common? Actually, if you think of it in terms of iai, there's a move called ukenagashi, where you deflect an opponent's strike to your men and follow immediately with a strike of your own. Because you draw your sword out of the saya with your right hand, the mechanics of the move pretty much dictates that the kissaki swings around behind you from your left to your right. By the time you get both hands on the tsuka, you're in a better position to slice your opponent's left side (your right). At best, you would hit straight down the middle. It would be rather unnatural to hit your opponent's migi men.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!


That sounds alot like what I heard from my Sensei.

[Lucien]

Thanks for the replies.

I was thinking the other day it would make more sense to start the sayumen sequence with hidari men the first time, then migi men the 2nd. This would even things up a bit as I think it is a weakness to have a preference for a particular side.

Just a thought.

Happy 100th post to me...

[ratdeau]

With hidari men it's more difficult to hit your kote.