MUSO SHINDEN RYU KORYU
Form names
| Number | Title | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shohatto | |
| 2 | Sato | |
| 3 | Uto | |
| 4 | Atarito | |
| 5 | Inyoshintai | |
| 6 | Ryuto | |
| 7 | Junto | |
| 8 | Gyakuto | |
| 9 | Seichuto | |
| 10 | Gyaku inyoshintai | |
| 11 | Todome | Helmet cutting |
IPPON ME
Shohatto
Scenario: Two opponents facikng each other both in seiza, you react to a threat.
The left hand rises from the thigh and takes hold of the tsuka, at the same time the right hand slides down the length of the tsuka and grips, and turns the sword slightly over approx. 30 degrees, the left thumb breaks the grip of the koiguchi on the habaki. As you start to rise, without leaning forward, extend the right foot to wards your opponent, drawing the sword, at the point of saya binari, turn the sword completely over horizontal, and cut nukitsuki to the facial area, at the same time slide the left knee forward sufficiently, so that your right knee ends up at a 90 degree angle, your kissaki should be pointed at your opponents face, the right arm should be extended but not locked out, holding your kissaki in place, thereby forcing your opponent backwards, extend the right foot again, as if you were trying to step on to your opponents hakama, at the last second , perform kiritskuki, and again at the same time slide the left knee forward, so that the right knee is again at a 90 degree angle, the kissaki should be below the horizontal, as you have cut through your opponent, down to his navel area, at this point maintaining zanshin, perform O-chiburi, and then noto,
Common mistakes that are made during this form are as follows,
When extending the right foot there is a tendency to overstretch oneself, this is unnecessary as your opponent is right in front of you, do not go hunting for him. Also the kissaki after nukitsuki is taken to far to the right and no longer poses a threat, and allows your opponent to slip away, another common fault is that when sliding forward the left knee moves in a straight line so that when you stand for O-chiburi you have not narrowed your stance and will be stable. The noto for koryu forms changes slightly from the noto of zen ken ren iai, and should be done as follows, as the right hand is brought towards the left, the left hand holding the saya moves earlier, so that as the sword meets the saya six inches further down the blade, and not at the habaki, once the kissaki and the saya meet there is a smooth transition and not a hooking motion, also the sword enters the saya for at least two thirds of its length, before the sword is turned so that the cutting edge is vertical, do not turn the sword, turn the saya, the left hand should be covering the mouth of the saya, so that the tsuba stops at your hand, and the left hand is slid backwards slightly to allow your left thumb to lock the sword into place, the right hand then relinquishes its grip and may be allowed to cover the tsuka for half of its length and then taken off of the sword and allowed to fall naturally at your right hand side, no movements throughout this form should be forced and should all appear natural .
TopNIHON ME
Sato
Scenario: Two opponents in seiza, you perceive of a threat to you from your right facing you.
To start this form, you must turn to your left, and by dropping your left foot behind you, take up the position of seiza, perceiving of a threat from your right hand side, turn your head and look at your opponent in his eyes, and move the hands as per the last form, as you start to rise, this time extend your right leg, to your right to turn towards your opponent, ensure that when you complete the 90 degree turn, your rear left leg is directly behind and in line with your left shoulder as this will help you to maintain correct balance, at this point the form is completed exactly as the previous form.
Common errors for this form are similar the previous form, be aware that on all koryu forms, a degree of zanshin should been seen, also be aware that when you turn at the start of these forms, you must endeavour not to turn your back to kamiza, be aware of your position in the dojo.
SANBON ME
Uto
Scenario: Two opponents in seiza, you perceive of a threat from your left facing you
For this form you must turn to your right and by dropping your left leg behind you take up the seiza position, perceiving of a threat from your left, your hands move onto your sword in the manner described as for the previous form, extend your left leg towards your opponent and draw your sword and cut nukitsuki, this form is then carried out as for Sato but of course on the opposite leg.
Common errors for this form are as Sato
YOHON ME
Atarito
Scenario: Two opponents both in seiza, you perceive of a threat to you from the rear.
For this form, you must turn 180 degrees before you take up the seiza position, make sure that when you turn, always turn towards kamiza, perceiving of a threat from behind you, turn your head to look at your opponent, at the same time as the hands come on to the sword, start to rise and turn to your left and then complete this form as per Uto
Common errors in this form are as in the last three. But with the addition of the following, when looking behind you at your opponent, do not look passed your shoulder but over it, also do not lean forward at this point, slide your right knee to your left to facilitate the turn.
GOHON ME
Inyoshintai
Scenario: Two opponents both in seiza, you react to a threat.
After taking up a position of seiza, you receive of a threat to you, with zanshin, take hold of your sword and start to rise and draw the sword as for the last four forms, until you have completed the nukitsuki, at this point, rise and step forward with the left foot at the same time complete kuritsuki, drop gently on to your right knee and perform Yoko chiburi, perform noto, do not relax but as the tsuba of the sword touches your left hand, draw your sword and carry out nukitsuki, and at the same time step back with your left leg, maintain your balance, from this point drop on to your left knee but slide your left foot forward as well, cut kiritskuki, perform o-chiburi, and noto.
Common errors made during this form are as follows,
As you rise and step forward to cut nukitsuki, there can be a tendency to overstep,
Also when performing the first noto do not collapse but remain alert and aware. The main error is when you have to drop on to the left knee, the feeling is not so much as dropping, but, as gliding forward as a duck landing on water, do not hurry this form,
ROPPON ME
Ryuto
Scenario: One opponent attacking from your left, you are in seiza
For this form you must first turn to your right and take up a seiza position, becoming aware of an opponent approaching from your left, as you look at your opponent the hands take hold of the sword, as your opponent commits himself, turn to your left and drawing the sword, block his downward cut, your also rising on to your feet, step back with your right foot and at the same time place your sword horizontally in line with your shoulders, either before or after your opponent has tried to cut you again, turn your left foot towards him and at the same time cut your opponent down with a cut that should strike him with the blade angled up at approx. 30 degrees, dropping the right foot towards the rear, perform Sakate noto.
Common errors made in this form include, as you turn and rise do not step forward too much but rather catch your opponent's sword over your head. This is not a deflection, as you turn to cut your opponent, ensure that you incorporate the hips in the turning motion and that you end up with your heels together and your knees apart. This is most important, after the final cut the tsuka should in line with the middle of your body and the kissaki is in line with your left hip.
NANAHON ME
Junto
Scenario: You are in Kaishaku nin.
For this form you are in seiza facing forward. Seated to the side and slightly to the rear of the person committing seppuku so as to be out of his direct line of sight, Both hands come onto the sword together as there is no threat in this form, turning your head slightly to look at the person, as he moves to pick up his wakazashi, so you rise on to both knees and draw the sword to your right. At the same time extend your right foot to your right and wait a moment, the left leg has now been bought behind and in line with your left shoulder, after a short pause stand up and bring your left foot to your right and at the same time complete the draw and move the sword in a circular motion from left to right over your head until your right hand is at approx. hip height, in pause for a moment, then extend your right foot forward and diagonally to your right, perform kiritskuki but stop the blade a fraction below horizontal, with a small pulling action complete the cut, lift the sword up and to the right slightly and then drop slowly down to a gedan kamae position, perform Sakate noto,
Common errors made during this form include the following,
This form must not be done with speed, all the actions should be performed with quiet dignity, never forget what you doing, when moving the sword after drawing, ensure that the right hand goes over the head from left to right and not in front of the face, when the left hand rises to meet the right in preparation for the cut, ensure that it does not move in a circular motion, but rather goes straight up. So as not to interrupt the concentration of the person committing seppuku, whilst carrying out this form you must not attract attention to yourself.
HACHIHON ME
Gyakuto
Scenario: One opponent attacks from the front, you are in seiza
You are in seiza facing forward, becoming aware of an opponent, your hands take hold of the sword and rising slightly, start to draw downwards towards your right foot, once your opponent has committed himself, stand and deflect his sword by drawing upwards, so that your sword is covering your left shoulder and head, (uke nagashi), at the same time the right foot is drawn back so that the feet are together, immediately step forward with the right foot and cut to your opponents head, step forward with your left foot to force your opponent backwards, and cut kirioroshi, to waist height, step forward and assume left jodan no kamae, lower your sword, as if pushing your opponent down, lower yourself onto your right knee, reverse the grip of your right hand on your sword, swivel on your knee to the right and turn your sword over so that the cutting edge is facing out, your left hand is then placed on the back of your sword, fingers together and thumb against the mune, draw up the blade so that the right elbow is shoulder level and stab down and back up quickly, swivel back to your left to straighten up and perform noto.
Common errors made during this form include the following, after taking hold of your sword and preparing to draw, the initial draw is made too far out, this must be made downwards. Also do not extend the right foot at this time, ensure that the uke nagashi is actually covering both the head and shoulder and is angled enough to deflect your opponents blade. The draw, deflection, initial cut, and second cut, should all be as one movement with no hesitation. The action of lowering the blade on to the opponent must be done with seme and zanshin. After turning the blade over the right hand should be trying to pull the blade towards yourself and the left hand is pushing the blade away from you, this will ensure that when you stab the sword does not wave about, when the stab is made make sure that the elbow does not rise higher than the right shoulder at any time, ensure that when you swivel back to perform noto, you leave enough room between yourself and your sword. There appears to be no chiburi in this form, but the action of drawing the sword up after the stab, is a chiburi.
KYUHON ME
Seichuto
Scenario: One opponent attachs from your right, you are in seiza
For this form you must first turn to your left and take up a seiza position, becoming aware of an opponent attacking you from your right, looking first and take hold of your sword, start to draw and at the same time turn to your right, as your opponent commits himself, complete the turn, step forward with your right foot, draw upwards to cut through both of his arms, holding the sword point on your opponent step through with your left foot and cut kirioroshi, perform O-chiburi and then noto.
Common errors made during this form are. Before turning, the initial draw should only be a few inches of your blade so that your opponent does not become aware of your intentions, after cutting the arms, the point should be held on, so that your opponent is forced backwards.
JUPPON ME
Koranto
Scenario: This is a standing form of Shohatto
You are faced with an opponent attacking you step forward with your right foot and then your left, your hand come onto the sword and prepare to draw, draw and cut nukitsuki with the right foot forward, hold the point on and step through with the left foot and then cut kirioroshi, perform O-chiburi and noto.
Common errors during this form are, do not allow the kissaki to pass your opponent but keep the point on him to force him backwards, also after performing O-chiburi, but before noto, the left foot slide up to the right, the right foot only slides back a short distance, so as to maintain optimum balance and poise.
JUIPPON ME
Gyaku inyoshintai
Scenario: This is a variation of Inyoshintai.
This form starts exactly like inyoshintai until the first noto is performed, at this point instead of sliding backwards and cutting nukitsuki, the sword is drawn out and down to block a cut to your right leg. You then continue as before with kiritsuki and O-chiburi and noto.
Common errors are as for inyoshintai, but be aware that when you draw the sword to block the opponents sword to your right leg, ensure that you turn your blade slightly inward, so that your opponents sword is caught on your mune, this block should be outside of your leg.
JUNIHON ME
Todome
Scenario: This form could be used for helmet cutting. You are in seiza
If helmet cutting, both hands come onto the sword together, start to draw and rise onto both knees, complete the draw so that the sword is horizontal on front of you cutting edge facing away. Bring both knees together and cut kiritsuki, splitting the knees as you cut, perform Yoko chiburi, and noto, after noto the left knee and then the right are slid from their extended positions towards each other so that you end up in the seiza position.
Common errors made in this form are as follows, the knees only move together as the sword is taken above the head to cut kiritsuke, after this cut, yoko chiburi and noto do not collapse, but maintain zanshin.