I was doing some reading and came across a couple of mentions of impact training with a bokken in kenjutsu. For example: hitting a makiwara and/or a old tire with your bokken. I was curious because I am learning Iaijutsu. And with my limited beginners knowledge, it would seem like you would be more training yourself to respond to the rebound of the strike off the object then the smooth execution and follow-through of the cut as it seems iai teaches. Just curious and always willing to learn new details.

It's not part of our training in MJER either. The folks at the top apparently don't think it's a necessary part of the curriculum.

The only places that I have heard about using makiwara for sword training, are in certain aikido schools for their aikiken, and in the Jigen ryu. I've never heard of any other groups that do that. I've no idea why they would do it in aikiken, but it is an integral part of the Jigen ryu philosophy, which is a bit different than most koryu sword arts.

Rings no bells from my Muso Shinden Ryu either.,

I guess it isn't very common then as an aid to practice.

Or very relevant, I'm thinking.

Quote:

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... hitting a makiwara ... training yourself to respond to the rebound of the strike ...

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It's not clear to me that the sort of makiwara training one sees in empty handed-arts and boxing, say, really applies so much to JSA. There's certainly kata where weapons 'rebound' in sword (and in jodo), and I suppose that provides some exposure but generally one'd be expecting your sword to bite into a target. Paul's mentioned the Jigen-ryu - they really have it out for those helpless trees, though it seems more like an exercise in vigorous and rapid striking rather than 'impact training' per se. Likewise test-cutting isn't much of 'impact training', though it is a useful diagnostic of technique.

RN