Written in 2001 by Martin Gatter

It never ceases to amaze me when I am told that one Martial Art is totally different to another. With some minor variations, human bodies are very similar. There is really only one way to move effectively and safely. So whatever Martial Art someone chooses to practice it should share the same fundamental characteristics with any other, good style or Art.

I have had no problem in interchanging ideas, applications and training principles between any of the Arts that I study – Karate, Taiki, Tai Chi Chuan, Iaido and Jodo.

I started practising one of these Arts – Iaido (the art of the Japanese sword) about fifteen years ago. I was looking for something to enhance my Karate training and to give me a different perspective on the art of the empty hand.

As well as giving me much enjoyment, and introducing me to an inspirational Sensei, Iaido has provided what I believe is a much deeper understanding of Karate. I have also found that the principals of strategy, movement and dealing with an opponent are very closely linked between the two Arts.

These are some of the basic principles and ideas that can be transferred and that can aid the understanding of other Arts;

Metsuka No Ensan

Which can be roughly translated as “Look at the mountains in the distance to see all around you”. Less romantically, it can be partially described as using and enhancing peripheral vision. The idea is not to focus directly on your opponent or any part of him/her, because when you focus on one point you are likely to miss movement from somewhere else.

In addition, peripheral vision is a “key” to activate the right side of the brain. This shuts down the analytical process, which is too slow for combat. There is no time to focus on a punch and try to work out exactly how fast it is moving and where it will hit, before sending signals to the appropriate arm to deflect it. The right brain reacts and responds without analytical though and is therefore much faster. 

I love the whooshing sound that a shinken blade makes as it cuts the air.  The soundless drawing of the blade as it unsheathes with the skilled use of both hands that allows it to slip seamlessly from the saya, the rapid expansion of the body causing the blade to power through the air and the way that the Iaido practitioner slides along the Dojo floor on knees or feet with the suriashi (gliding step) movement, utilising the hakama sabaki to prevent tripping over the divided trousers gives a beautiful feel to this deadly art.

It’s spellbinding watching Sensei practice, his perfect erect posture with straight back and hakama folded neatly around him as he sits in seiza.  The pregnant stillness before movement, the slight narrowing of the eyes as he identifies the opponent, the way he uses powerful thigh muscles to rise up with his head moving directly upwards as opposed to leaning forwards.  I love the explosion of movement with the nukitsuke as he draws and cuts with one fluid move, the contraction and expansion of the kirioroshi, the major cut, the different swish of the chiburi to shake the blood off the sword and the smooth co-ordinated noto to return the blade back to the saya.

“You win battles by knowing the enemy’s timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.”

- Miyamoto Musashi

Iaido is the ancient samurai art of self-defence where you draw the sword immediately against an enemy’s sudden attack to win at the moment the sword leaves the sheath.  I was taking my weekly private lesson with Sensei and working on application to the basic Seiti Kata….

“Uke Nagashi!” Sensei called the name of the third kata.  Wearing a hakama requires quite a bit of skill.  Hakama sabaki is hakama (the Japanese divided skirt trousers) ‘skill’ and using the hands to part the legs as you kneel and not kneeling or standing on the edges of the hakama as you move are all required skills for performing Iaido kata.

I knelt down utilising those skills, straightened my head and back and opened my zanshin (awareness) in readiness for any attack.  I heard the whispering slide of Sensei’s sword as it left the saya (scabbard) and I knew he had raised his Iaito (practice blade) over his head and was advancing to attack in a downward cut.

There was just a hint of the gentle slide of Sensei’s feet as he used the traditional suri ashi (‘sliding step’) of the samurai swordsman as he entered my peripheral vision and began the downwards cut to my head.