small cut/large cut

[bullet08]

over the weekend, i was at charleston, sc for seuskf tournament/promotion. i took ikkyu test and passed. but there was something very interesting that i noticed. i was watching yudansha test and majority of the people testing were using small cut instead of large cut (or at least large enough to see the opponent under the kote). i always thought that large cut wasn't sucha good thing for promotion test, is the trend changing?

pete

[nodachi]

"i was watching yudansha test and majority of the people testing were using small cut instead of large cut (or at least large enough to see the opponent under the kote). i always thought that large cut wasn't sucha good thing for promotion test, is the trend changing?"

I am a little confused, although I just woke up so maybe I am misreading this... I'm really out of it when I wake up. :sleeping:

Low grades should always use big cuts for gradings. Big and straight cuts are best.

As you approach higher grades, you can gradually do smaller cuts, but there needs to be really good tenouchi and really good use of your wrists or else the small cut looks like crap. The sensei at the budokan was giving talks on this and saying that small cuts or big cuts don't really matter as long as you have really good using of snapping your wrists and your waza is really crisp, but keep in mind that he is referring to people who are taking their 5 to 7 dan tests in a couple weeks. Below that, big cuts are your friend.

[bullet08]

"yudansha test and majority of the people testing were using small cut instead of large cut (or at least large enough to see the opponent under the kote). i always thought that large cut wasn't sucha good thing for promotion test, is the trend changing?"

that should read small cut. i made a mistake in the post. try to beat the 'server too busy' and just pushed post x)

pete

[schiedsrichter]

Well, the last times I watched Dan-Examinations, the participants seemed to tend to small techniques, expecially in the lower grades. The danger in this point is that they they put up the equation: Dan-Level = small technique.

Indeed, plenty of them tried only to rush and minimize their former techniques, so that e.g. the kirikaeshi looked like a helicopter with no tenouchi and no leading left hand in shomen level.

For my own Shodan-Exam (coming January), I'm not going to rush up my cuts due to the prevailing opinion among the majority of those "helicopters" ;)

By the way: In the exam-regularity exists no point do increase the cut velocity from kyusha to yudansha level. :happy:

[nodachi]

My question is this: if you saw small technique in dan tests, did those people pass? Depending on what level of test it is, I assume that technique that is too small would lead to failure, but that is in the states. It may be different elsewhere.

[tango]

I understand that a good number of people (yudansha) did NOT pass at the most recent SEUSKF promotionals.

There is a difference between "tournament shiai" and "promotional shiai". ... just as some will say that "tournament kendo" and "good kendo" are not the same thing.

If you use (too much) "tournament shiai" at a promotional, it can cause you to fail. Tournament kendo is for scoring points. Testing kendo is to show very proper kendo. It's just so well-known that less-than-proper kendo can score a point in a tournament. Less-than-proper kendo can fail you at a promotional.

In my experience, when someone fails a testing, it's not JUST because they used "small technique". Usually there are some other reasons that caused the failure (lack of fighting spirit, lack of zanshin, lack of seme, poor posture, weak kamae, etc. etc.).. Too, a lot depends on what rank you're going for. I think that sensei/judges are more forgiving of certain aspects when testing for lower ranks than when testing for higher ranks. (That might be an obvious statement).

I passed nidan on my first try but was thoroughly (yet politely) pounded (verbally) by one of the judges after the test that I needed to show a LOT more seme.

I passed sandan on my second attempt. I was afterwards told that my left heel was occasionally getting too high off the floor and that I needed to address that before ATTEMPTING to test for yondan.

Small cuts can be ok in the greater scheme of things... a small cut with a tremendous wrist snap to deliver a "solid strike" is one thing... a small cut with no definitive "cut" is something else. That's just my opinion.

[shanghaiceltic]

From my own experience up to sandan the gradings are based on techniques. Ni dan waza, sandan waza strikes, good clean men, kote or do cuts and general posture.

Yondan combines all of this with and added element of control of the opponent. Not moving backwards as the oppoent moves forwards, holding good kamae, an ability to be able to do good debana waza

Godan and above are often about kanken (intuition), never leaving a good opportunity uncut, better kamae, being able to show kigurai.

So different levels show different abilities, natural enough as ones jkendo should develop. You cannot do large techniques if you are using say debana kote, instead you are demonstrating better control of timing and distance.

Yondan and above is the move to senior grade levels. You also need to show that you can put on do-gu properly. Amazing even now the number of people you see with himo incorrectly tied or at uneven lengths. Knots that come undone. Keikogi not neatly pulled into place or smooth. Not just about what you can do but appearance too.