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Old 12-05-2004, 11:13 PM   #24
mfischer
Dojo: Boulder Aikikai
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1
United_States
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Re: weight verses use

Thanks for bringing this thread back to life. I have been training in Boulder for about six months now and have only spent about two years training total. For some reason I have taken on a love of training with Bokken (and Shoto). One of my first days in class for double sword I was paired up with Jun. With double swords the cuts are much different and I found myself using way too much muscle as I smacked his sword time and time again the wrong way. I could see him turning red with frustration over time as guilt seeped in to me, but I didn't know what I was doing wrong. Eventually I figured it out and am working through my guilt. Here is the amazing part. Per an earlier post by Jun:
Quote:
Jun Akiyama wrote:
These days, though, I've taken to using a very lightweight bokuto -- I believe it's the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu bokuto that Kiyota Company sells.
I am not sure that that is the bokken he was using, but it was a light bokken made of white oak. I was hitting it with all of my might the wrong way over and over again (at least 20 times, I am 6'3", 200lbs). It may have taken on a couple small dings, but I couldn't see them. That white oak is STRONG when taking and giving hits. I don't know at this point in my training what weight is best or what wood is best, but I do know that I have a strong respect for Japanese white oak.

Last edited by mfischer : 12-05-2004 at 11:15 PM.
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