Kendo with a Stick !!!

[GMason]

A bit of a misleading/antagonistic heading I know, but please bear with me I will explain.

I started Jodo, about 4 months, after many long winded sessions of "Please will you teach me Jodo"..... "Please will you teach me Jodo"

So after a few months of practice I have now been told I should go for my Ikkyu which is great !!

I've been practicing Kendo for a few years now and would consider myself fairly average for my grade.

After one session of Jodo I was talking to my Sempai who is Sandan Jodo and is also my Kendo sensei (Godan), he gave me all the usual compliments "you doing very well blah blah blah But ......."

He told me I was basically do Kendo but with a stick....

Don't get me wrong he didn't mean Jodo is only Kendo with a stick, he meant my movements and everything about my Jodo is Kendo.

My question is......

What is the best way to combat this, I have been told I'm basically too square with the Jo and I should widen my footwork.

Which are all things that can be fixed with practice, but what about the more internal aspects. Because at the moment I feel like I am just going through the motions of the kata and nothing else.

[Nashie]

In answer to your question unfortunately there is no quick and easy way to overcome this problem. I have the same problem when I put on armour, and am told that my kendo is too much like my Jodo/Iaido, which are my higher grades compared to my Kendo grade. The only advice I can give is practice practice and more practice, If it helps you need to try and keep your Jodo postures slightly side on with the bottom hand angled out slightly towards your hip.
As far as feeling like you are going through the motions, this does change as time goes by and the muscle memory from endless repetitions takes over from having to think about what you are doing. Hopefully then you will be able to utalize the experiences you have had in your kendo, with regards to having a free mind and attacking spirit in your Jodo.
It is not easy to give advice on a web site, so you will have to rely on your sensei to correct you, and go too any seminars put on by your association, I believe in your case by The British Kendo Association.
sorry I can't be of more help.
from Nashie

[GMason]

Cheers, for the reply.

I thought it would be practice, practice, practice !!!

I am going to keep practicing and try to make it to as many seminar's as possible.

PS. I enjoyed the Watchet seminar last weekend, even if it was a little cold :)

[Nashie]

Glad you enjoyed the seminar, and congratulations on your grading pass, will see you in August at Brighton for the summer seminar.
Make sure Keith comes down as well.
Also I will turn the heating off in the dojo so you feel at home.

[KamuSan]

I have a similar problem with my kendo. I did several martial arts, so by default I end up with my feet angled. Not parallel as in kendo, but a bit wider and at an angle of almost 90 degrees. Kendo kamae feels like I have to push my left heel out.

And of course, my natural kamae (aikido one I think), is also wrong in Jodo 8-)

Maybe it's better not to start with kendo, jodo and iaido at the same time, but they're all too much fun not to :-))

[R A Sosnowski]

...
After one session of Jodo I was talking to my Sempai who is Sandan Jodo and is also my Kendo sensei (Godan), he gave me all the usual compliments "you doing very well blah blah blah But ......."

He told me I was basically do Kendo but with a stick....

Don't get me wrong he didn't mean Jodo is only Kendo with a stick, he meant my movements and everything about my Jodo is Kendo.

My question is......

What is the best way to combat this, I have been told I'm basically too square with the Jo and I should widen my footwork.

Which are all things that can be fixed with practice, but what about the more internal aspects. Because at the moment I feel like I am just going through the motions of the kata and nothing else.

Well, I'd drop the idea of "doing Kendo with a stick," but just keep the aggressive spirit of attacking. That's the only aspect of Kendo that is transferable. Everything else is different.

Obviously Jodo is not Kendo. Your body has to relearn the Kamae and the Kihon of Jodo. The only solution I know of is long sessions alone of solo Kihon and the Jo side of the Kata, paying attention to the details of jodo mechanics. Work slowly at first so that you can pay attention to your body mechanics and dynamics.

After a couple of months you are worrying about just going through the motions of the Kata -- hold that thought. Just practice, but with the right form. You will be going through the motions until you learn the Kata with your body. Revisit that thought after a year and see how you feel.

HTH.