iaido

Posted by: raist0430

iaido - 05/16/05 06:18 PM

aside from kin taylor's web site are there sny good places that i can order any dvds that show the various katas for iaido and are they worth it.
Posted by: Charles Mahan

Re: iaido - 05/16/05 10:38 PM

Could you be a little more specific? "Iaido" is an awfully broad term. That's kinda like saying..."Anyone know of any good Karate videos?" What style are you looking for? Are you looking for demonstrations? Instructional video?
Posted by: raist0430

Re: iaido - 05/17/05 08:59 PM

well im looking for any instructional videos . as for being specific im quite new to this so my apologies for not knowing that iaido is like karate and has many different styles . then again i wouldnt be comparing karate and iaido . seems like apples and oranges .
Posted by: raist0430

Re: iaido - 05/17/05 09:01 PM

before i got ill i was practicing Muso Jikiden Eishin ryu i didnt know the name sorry
Posted by: Charles Mahan

Re: iaido - 05/17/05 11:12 PM

So why not just go back to your dojo? Why look for instructional videos?
Posted by: Benjamin1986

Re: iaido - 05/18/05 05:47 PM

Are they worth it?

Probably not. It is extremely difficult to learn swordsmanship (especially Iaido) from videos or tapes due to the lack of someone to correct you if you are doing something wrong. I guess that it could be done if you had a heck of a lot of patience, at least two full length mirrors, and an extremely detailed video. However, you will probably still miss a lot, and if there is any alternative, I would advise against it.

Iaido is especially difficult from a video due to the minor, minor details involved in each draw. If you look through the archives you can find the story about how Charles almost earned the title "one-hand" through a small mistake (if he had been using a sharpened blade, he would have). The same goes for you.

I would suggest that you find a teacher. Books can only take you so far in anything, but with steel, your mistakes hurt.
Posted by: Charles Mahan

Re: iaido - 05/18/05 11:31 PM

Quote:


If you look through the archives you can find the story about how Charles almost earned the title "one-hand" through a small mistake (if he had been using a sharpened blade, he would have).




Really? I can't seem to remember that. Any idea where that thread might be hiding?

I generally agree with the sentiment though. Even iaito can be very dangerous to a user with little training.
Posted by: raist0430

Re: iaido - 05/19/05 06:09 PM

to be honest i got very ill and literally dropped off the face of the planet and i wanted to really train before i went back ..i guess i wanted to impress my sensai before going back.
Posted by: raist0430

Re: iaido - 05/19/05 06:12 PM

i wouldnt be training with a real sword .. and i agree with the statment about minor details but i wanted to learn the basics then perfect it but i will head your adviceas i assume you both KNOW what youre talking about
Posted by: Charles Mahan

Re: iaido - 05/19/05 09:40 PM

I suspect your sensei will be happy to see you. His expectations will not be especially high. In the long run your time will be far better spent with proper instruction, than without.

As for knowing what I'm talking about, I do know a little about Iai. Not all that much really, but enough to answer this question.
Posted by: Benjamin1986

Re: iaido - 05/20/05 12:55 PM

I thought it was you, Charles, but I guess it must have been someone else. I'm sorry. It was told in an thread explaining why we use iaito in Iaido.

Anyway, the story goes like this. Our nameless swordsman (who is apparently not Charles Mahan) was practicing Iaido in class. The move he was making required the saya to be angled close to the horizonal, but he missed that part and had it close to vertical. As he drew from this incorrect position, the move became impossible. The iaito slipped out of his control and jammed into his left arm. His arm was heavily bruised, and his sensei said that if he had been using a sharpened blade, he would have cut his hand off.
Posted by: Charles Mahan

Re: iaido - 05/20/05 01:21 PM

Nope. Definitely not me. I've had a few scary moments, but nothing like that.