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Bruce Baker · 12-06-2002, 09:24 AM

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

There is a mental attitude that goes along with the physical manifestation of bringing the swing of a the bokken to an appropriate end, but there is also a simple physical exercise that allows it to happen.

Fishin rod cast.

Too simple?

Well, when you cast a fishing rod to send out the line so the hook will go into the water, do you cast it to the ground to go out into the water? Into the water right? Do the same with the Bokken!

The mechanical support mechanism of your final stopping point or stop position of your hands has a lot to do with it too. There is almost "no strength" involved in this process. It is all technique.

Where ever the tip of the bokken ends up, that is where you are casting to.

Pay attention to your hand motion, as the wrists do most of the casting even though the arms are moving to accomondate the final destination of the strike, you still need to add more body control, less arm control.

Just as you remove an axe from a stump, you would use your body to raise and remove, or use your body with a bokken to carry the energy.

Try the rocking chair exercize. Sit in a rocking chair as you practice with your bokken, rock back and forth, using the motion of the rocking chair as your body motion, and see if you can strike gently, as if you were cutting a cube of jello half way through without cutting all the way through.

Try this and get back to me.

Either this, or maybe with those Popeye arms you need to get 2000 -3000 cuts to get the feeling of no strength, all technique?

Eventually, you will see the pivot motion contained in the left hand, and the casting motion contained in the right hand.

At that point, it is a matter of relaxing to let the practice of repetition teach you what you need to know.

12-06-2002, 09:24 AM	#9
Bruce Baker Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ Location: Barnegaat, NJ Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 893 Offline	Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! There is a mental attitude that goes along with the physical manifestation of bringing the swing of a the bokken to an appropriate end, but there is also a simple physical exercise that allows it to happen. Fishin rod cast. Too simple? Well, when you cast a fishing rod to send out the line so the hook will go into the water, do you cast it to the ground to go out into the water? Into the water right? Do the same with the Bokken! The mechanical support mechanism of your final stopping point or stop position of your hands has a lot to do with it too. There is almost "no strength" involved in this process. It is all technique. Where ever the tip of the bokken ends up, that is where you are casting to. Pay attention to your hand motion, as the wrists do most of the casting even though the arms are moving to accomondate the final destination of the strike, you still need to add more body control, less arm control. Just as you remove an axe from a stump, you would use your body to raise and remove, or use your body with a bokken to carry the energy. Try the rocking chair exercize. Sit in a rocking chair as you practice with your bokken, rock back and forth, using the motion of the rocking chair as your body motion, and see if you can strike gently, as if you were cutting a cube of jello half way through without cutting all the way through. Try this and get back to me. Either this, or maybe with those Popeye arms you need to get 2000 -3000 cuts to get the feeling of no strength, all technique? Eventually, you will see the pivot motion contained in the left hand, and the casting motion contained in the right hand. At that point, it is a matter of relaxing to let the practice of repetition teach you what you need to know. Last edited by Bruce Baker : 12-06-2002 at 09:29 AM.