Monday, February 28, 2005
Tegatana Usage During the Tegatana Dousa
I’ve been very carefully watching the deshi who lead warm-ups at Shodokan and have come to some useful conclusions about how to better use your tegatana (hand sword) during the practice exercise called the Tegatana Dousa.
The key point has to do with the hand position when it is above the head. The correct position is with the blade vertical and pointing towards the sky while the curve of the thumb mimics the curvature of your head. Furthermore, the part of the thumb closest to the head is only about 4-6 (8 to 12 centimeters) inches away from the head. The hand at this apex position is more or less directly above the top of the head. To then make a forward strike, the elbow extends.
Let me go through the five Tegatana Dousa exercises in order.
#1. Here, think of there being two separate strikes. The first is a downward sword cut, which will work as described above, with the cut ending at about your chin level. The second is an upward sword cut. But since we are doing these exercises to improve not our swordsmanship but our un-armed aikido, make sure that as you pull back with your tegatana, you point the fingers down as far as they naturally go. (If someone grabbed your wrist, pointing the fingers downward would greatly facilitate pulling them off balance.) Your upper arm should be flush with your chest as you pull back, and your fingers should be pointing down. (Please note that your forearm should not be touching your torso, due to the natural curvature of the tegatana arm. Given the curvature, if your upper arm is touching your chest, your lower arm would be able to touch anything—unless your belly is really big.) When you move forward with your feet and raise your tegatana blade from this position, stop at about your chin level.
#2. Here the interesting thing to note is that your upraised hand as you move from the left side strike to the right side strike (and vice versa) moves slightly behind your head. That is, you thumb should be pointing vertically downward, behind your head, as your hand and arm pass above your head to move from striking on one side to the other.
#3. Here, nothing new to report. Just keep in mind big circles and don’t bend your elbow. Also, make sure both thrusts (circular to outside, circular to inside) finish directly in front of your center line.
#4. Not much new to report. But do make sure you turn the full 180 degrees and that your armpit is shut as you pivot.
#5. Here, again, make sure that your hand is directly above the top of your head as you do the strikes--especially on the latter two. Before you move forward, get the hand over the middle of the top of your head. Then strike. This ensures you are centered throughout despite the fact that your torso is turning 90 degrees or so as you strike.
The key point has to do with the hand position when it is above the head. The correct position is with the blade vertical and pointing towards the sky while the curve of the thumb mimics the curvature of your head. Furthermore, the part of the thumb closest to the head is only about 4-6 (8 to 12 centimeters) inches away from the head. The hand at this apex position is more or less directly above the top of the head. To then make a forward strike, the elbow extends.
Let me go through the five Tegatana Dousa exercises in order.
#1. Here, think of there being two separate strikes. The first is a downward sword cut, which will work as described above, with the cut ending at about your chin level. The second is an upward sword cut. But since we are doing these exercises to improve not our swordsmanship but our un-armed aikido, make sure that as you pull back with your tegatana, you point the fingers down as far as they naturally go. (If someone grabbed your wrist, pointing the fingers downward would greatly facilitate pulling them off balance.) Your upper arm should be flush with your chest as you pull back, and your fingers should be pointing down. (Please note that your forearm should not be touching your torso, due to the natural curvature of the tegatana arm. Given the curvature, if your upper arm is touching your chest, your lower arm would be able to touch anything—unless your belly is really big.) When you move forward with your feet and raise your tegatana blade from this position, stop at about your chin level.
#2. Here the interesting thing to note is that your upraised hand as you move from the left side strike to the right side strike (and vice versa) moves slightly behind your head. That is, you thumb should be pointing vertically downward, behind your head, as your hand and arm pass above your head to move from striking on one side to the other.
#3. Here, nothing new to report. Just keep in mind big circles and don’t bend your elbow. Also, make sure both thrusts (circular to outside, circular to inside) finish directly in front of your center line.
#4. Not much new to report. But do make sure you turn the full 180 degrees and that your armpit is shut as you pivot.
#5. Here, again, make sure that your hand is directly above the top of your head as you do the strikes--especially on the latter two. Before you move forward, get the hand over the middle of the top of your head. Then strike. This ensures you are centered throughout despite the fact that your torso is turning 90 degrees or so as you strike.
