Happo Buri...

[mingshi]

Some terribly stupid questions. But excuse me I have no sensei to ask :(

Now I managed to do

1. From Hanmi Chudan, go up to Jodan, and swing down vertically.
2. From Hasso, punch forward and swing down diagonally.
3. From Waki, turn my waist and swing horizontally.
4. ?????

Is my interpretation of Happo Buri alright?

Another question: Is there anything that I should pay special attention to when doing Happo Buri? Say, how do I know if I am doing it right/wrong? One thing I can tell is if it's right it makes a strong "whoosh" sound.

Thanks in advance.

[alch]

Right now I'm not so fresh, so I can't judge all that properly, but what I learned is that when you're a beginner and your naginata is making a 'whoosh' sound, it's quite possible you're putting too much strength in your 'forehand'/'forearm'. Strength should be coming, like Kendo, from your backhand. Don't put (too) much strength in happo-buri, however compelling it is, but try to focus on relaxing while doing it (you should be able to do it many many times without getting tired). The way I learned it, it's a sort of warming-up exercise, to loosen up the muscles. Try doing it slow at first, and then, when you know or have been told you're doing it correctly, you can try speeding it up a little (but remember the focus shouldn't so much be on speed, but on loosening up).

But then again, I'm just a Naginata noob. :)

[Nagi David]

the chion is quite important, I disagree with the idea of warming up for it. It's a basic learning of cuts. It should help you to feel your environment better : how you move, what's the lenght of the Naginata, what's the limit of it, where is the mono uchi. When ever you do chion , as any other Naginata cut, you should always keep in mind where is the mono uchi. This is the dangerous part of your weapon.

1st Joge buri : starting from chudan you raise your Naginata over your head and take a frontal position by bringing your rear foot near the front one. Than you do the cut, and bring that foot back where it was. Pay attention to the sholders line. It has to be front and at the end of the movement a person standing in front of you should only see one of them ( as in chudan). The cut stops near the ground, and the rear leg is a little bend. Try to do any cut in one line, don't do any zig zag with your Naginata. The fastness of the movement is not really important, but it should never come from your arm strenght but from the movement of your body.

2 Naname buri : take Haso kamae and do a diagonal cut while moving your rear foot forward and than the other one backward.
Keep your low hand in contact with your body. Once again don't forget the sholder position.

3 Yoko buri : from waki kamae do a lateral cut with the same body movement that naname buri

4 Naname buri shitakara ue : from waki kamae do a diagonal cut from the ground to the sky while doingthe same body movement that naname buri. Relax your arm and sholders. Stop the cut when your arm can naturally not go further and take back waki kamae on the other side. This is probably the most difficult mouvement of hapo buri.

5 Furi kaechi : at the last cut of Naname buri shitakara ue bring back the naginata over your head where you will change hand and do a frontal cut.