PDA

View Full Version : Nagamaki - Learning the new weapon.


Please visit our sponsor:
 



p00kiethebear
03-04-2004, 01:02 PM
Our aiki dojo (which also teaches sword) is going to be teaching nagamaki jutsu to specific students. I can find lots of information on the naginata, but the nagamaki turns up barely any results when i search for it. Here's what I've inferred from a small collection of websites.

Nagamaki pre dates the naginata.

it is slightly shorter than the naginata.

It's use began to die out around the year 1200 as the longer naginata proved to be more popular.

does anyone here have any experience with the nagamaki specifically? If so what are your thoughts on the art?

willy_lee
03-05-2004, 11:24 AM
I can find lots of information on the naginata, but the nagamaki turns up barely any results when i search for it. Here's what I've inferred from a small collection of websites.

Nagamaki pre dates the naginata.

it is slightly shorter than the naginata.

It's use began to die out around the year 1200 as the longer naginata proved to be more popular.

does anyone here have any experience with the nagamaki specifically? If so what are your thoughts on the art?
I don't have any personal experience with the nagamaki. Ellis Amdur goes into some discussion of nagamaki in his book "Old School" -- and I've seen some other references in online forums.

I'm not sure it actually predates the naginata. I think it was actually the other way. I don't have the book in front of me so I'm not sure. Mr. Amdur makes the point that there is no general agreement on what exactly a nagamaki is. Generally my impression is that it seems to be sort of midway between a naginata and a big sword (tachi rather than katana). Some of them seemed something like a very large and heavy naginata blade mounted on a very long sword handle.

Anyway, it seems like a very interesting weapon. I'm curious, what kind of nagamaki techniques does your school teach?

=wl

ze'ev erlich
03-05-2004, 01:50 PM
isn't it a nice nagamaki warrior?

I should invite him to give us a seminar here in Israel.

p00kiethebear
03-05-2004, 03:26 PM
From what i understand the techniques are extremely similar to the naginata, which is a weapon our sensei has experience with. Since it's also about the length of a jo (5 feet on the ones we've ordered) the tecniques also incorporate movements from there.

I'll let you guys know what we've learned after we've had a few classes.

George S. Ledyard
03-05-2004, 03:42 PM
Our aiki dojo (which also teaches sword) is going to be teaching nagamaki jutsu to specific students. I can find lots of information on the naginata, but the nagamaki turns up barely any results when i search for it. Here's what I've inferred from a small collection of websites.

Nagamaki pre dates the naginata.

it is slightly shorter than the naginata.

It's use began to die out around the year 1200 as the longer naginata proved to be more popular.

does anyone here have any experience with the nagamaki specifically? If so what are your thoughts on the art?
I'd be inetersted to know what style the nagamaki training you are going to do comes from. What is the instructor's background?

p00kiethebear
03-05-2004, 05:24 PM
I'd be inetersted to know what style the nagamaki training you are going to do comes from. What is the instructor's background?

Honestly, I'm really wanting to know too!

The instructor is Soke Russel McCartney. I don't know all of his credentials but I know he holds over 20 upper level dans in different martial arts. I believe his main training is in Toyama ryu battojutsu, and yoshinkan aikijujutsu. He isn't my exclussive sensei, he mostly teaches sword to our dojo. But apparently he has some naginata experience. I don't get many chances to speak with him (our dojo is associeted with his about 10 miles out of the city) but apparently he does have some experience with the naginata. I'll let you know more when i have more info.

willy_lee
03-05-2004, 06:13 PM
First two hits on Google.

His biography is here:

http://www.mararts.org/biography/mccartney.shtml

and here:

http://www.ishiyamaryu.com/RMprofile12-1-2k.htm

Interesting quotes from the above cited pages:

"There was also a period of 8 months prior to leaving the Los Angeles area spent studying with Haru[sic] Matsuoka sensei and Steven Segal[sic] Sensei at TenShin Dojo in Los Angeles, (this was pre 'Above the Law' days). At this time McCartney also enjoyed some important conversations with Don Angier soke of Yanagi Ryu..."

"From his beginnings to date he has accumulated the equivalent of twenty seven degrees of black belt in five styles of swordsmanship and six degrees of black belt combined in Karate, Aikido and Aikijutsu."

"From his beginnings to date, the process he has developed is a specific teaching method, which are the techniques of IYR Battojutsu. This uniquely American Japanese style of sword technique is based in human virtue and self-improvement."

"This past April 22, 2000 became a dramatic milestone in the career of this mans pursuit of excellence. At the Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural festival IYR founder McCartney successfully broke the existing Guinness Book World Record for target test cutting of ‘igusa’ goza (the ‘sanctioned target material for USSA tournament competition)."

At least, I thought they were interesting.

=wl

p00kiethebear
03-05-2004, 08:21 PM
Yes he did break the existing senbongiri record, and is only the second person who has performed the 1000 cuts (he did 1161 to be exact).

The teaching method he gives is a very thought out step by step way of learning sword technique. And it's always changing and being refined, if we go without contact from him for a few months our dojo misses out on tiny details and improvements he's made. He is definitely dedicated to making his art better which is something i admire very much.

If you ever get a chance to see him perform or speak with him i would seriously recomend NOT passing it up. He is pretty amazing and is currently working toward another world record (cutting through 6 goza.)

Watching him cut or do kata is mesmorizing, and when he kiai's it makes you jump and you can feel it work it's way through your body.

Thanks for those links!

George S. Ledyard
03-06-2004, 12:53 AM
Yes he did break the existing senbongiri record, and is only the second person who has performed the 1000 cuts (he did 1161 to be exact).

The teaching method he gives is a very thought out step by step way of learning sword technique. And it's always changing and being refined, if we go without contact from him for a few months our dojo misses out on tiny details and improvements he's made. He is definitely dedicated to making his art better which is something i admire very much.

If you ever get a chance to see him perform or speak with him I would seriously recommend NOT passing it up. He is pretty amazing and is currently working toward another world record (cutting through 6 goza.)

Watching him cut or do kata is mesmorizing, and when he kiai's it makes you jump and you can feel it work it's way through your body.

Thanks for those links!
Ah! McCartney Sensei and I are old acquaintances. He has been a guest at my dojo. Very nice fellow. I didn't know he'd done any naginata or nagimaki...

arderljohn
05-14-2004, 12:58 AM
Sounds great to me, perhaps, we should learned that too. Anyway here in Manila, Philippines we just pratice the Jo, and Bokken and slide of arnis.

Good luck to your newly experience. :)