I Tried the Art of Kenjutsu or Japanse Sword Fighting Want my book? Go to senseiseth.com/ Check out more of Sensei Mikes swords! profile.php?... Thanks for inviting me and cuttin it up! @KevinLeeVlog
Nice to see you dabbling in the world of swords. :) It's always neat to see how quickly unarmed martial artists adapt to the use of weapons. Every skill takes a lot of time to develop, but prior experience gives you kind of a head start.
I'm glad they showed the process of overcoming their fear of the swords! Not sure if it was the price tag or the fear of injury, but that confidence made all the difference.
I've never had to cut with a sword but it seemed like the difference was in confidence but also in speed vs forcing power. It looked like focusing on power affected the trajectory while focusing on speed helped them keep a clean line?
@@BauKim Having minor sword experience but good physics knowledge, I imagine a lot of the speed comes from pulling with the bottom hand. Rotational Speed paired with sword length is massive. Newer practitioners probably try to create speed by swinging faster. It's the same principle for racket sports, which would make sense.
There have been a lot of comments and I know this will get buried, but I have to say this guy you found is awesome. Super chill, and coaching is on point. "This is what you did, this is what you need to do," very straightforward, and appears in the video (not sure how much it was edited) that it worked. Horizontal from the left side is probably the most difficult single cut that you can do on tatami, I was surprised that you were starting with it. I've seen a lot of people try to coach cutting, and often the instruction can get bogged down in minute details about exactly what each muscle should be doing, which is frankly unnecessary, especially for someone trying to cut for the first time. I really like what I see here, and I think I would enjoy learning from him, which is not a sense that I often get. Thanks for the video.
@@papereye9736 I suppose I was thinking something more along the lines of a collaboration with Skallagrim or something. Completely forgot he'd already done one
Seeing as he's already tried unarmored HEMA fencing (Blossfechten), I think the next step for Seth would be to see if he can try out some Harnischfechten. For those unaware: it's HEMA, but focused entirely on heavy armor combat. Sparring includes: polearm fighting, thrusting into gaps, and lots of grappling. Alternatively, he would probably find Ringen very fun too. Nonetheless, I have a sneaking suspicion that either of the two would be right up his alley.
@@smol_hornet613 I only practice Blossfechten, so I have no real perspective on Harnischfechten. He did try Buhurt once, which I personally am not a big fan of, but I assume that the general pillars of HEMA, especially the safety aspect, still applies to Harnischfechten.
@@papereye9736 Yeah, Blossfechten and Harnischfecten are very similar in both roots and spirit. The difference is in application. The thing I like so much about harnischfecten is that, since the potency of attacks are generally valued with plate armor in mind, the sparring exchanges rarely stop after the first hit - or even the second and third. Instead, almost all kinds of direct hits are regarded as 'potentially fight-ending', and the participants just keep fighting like nothing happened until someone is either immobilized or consider themselves to have taken too much 'damage'. This, combined with Harnischfecten practitioners often trying for much heavier protective gear than in Blossfechten, opens up the avenue for a lot of unarmed and grappling-based techniques that you don't get to see in unarmored disciplines, *especially* not in live sparring. You can punch, you can head-butt, you can trip and throw (within reason, of course), you can ground-fight. Harnischfecten has the whole menu. I'm not dunking on Blossfechten or anything here, because I love both, but Harnischfecten does have a lot more going on aside from the weapon-play itself. Also, quick note on Buhurt. To be blunt: the main reason why I want Seth to try out Harnischfecten, or any kind of armored martial art, is because I don't want his impression to be skewed by... whatever *that* was. If you ask me, I wouldn't mind seeing him go to a more sensible Buhurt group and try again. Rest assured, finding one wouldn't be hard looking at what happened in that video. But, at the same time, what's done is done. And honestly? Given his expertise in Muay Thai, Karate and Sumo, I think Harnischfecten would fit him like a glove.
Horizontal cuts are actually quite challenging. I think diagonal cuts are easier to get started with. Once you get a feel for where to introduce the snap into the cut it'll find it's way through provided you can swing it straight. Cool vid Seth. Glad you got to have a go at this.
@@SenseiSeth yeah I noticed before you started on the tatami but the edit came across as the first cuts to the mats being horizontals. Addictive once you get going... You run out of tatami way faster than you want to don't you think? 😂
In Budo we use the term Kenjutsu more for Kumitachi-Kata, so Drills with a Partner, training actual fencing techniques against an opponent. That what you did is called Tameshigiri (Cutting to test the sword) or Suemonogiri (cutting to test the practioner's skills)
Great video , always a real pleasure to listen to Mike Yamazaki he is so knowledgeable about Nihonto and an excellent teacher, also nice to see Jeff Imada having a go , a very good weapons practitioner in Filipino martial arts and JKD. Thank you
Okay some corrections here. Other asian swords are also regularly differentially hardened. The biggest difference is the specific way in which japanese smiths apply the clay to achieve a specific pattern and the long and time consuming process of polishing. Differential hardening was done historically on many central asian swords and is still done often. As a matter of fact, due to the nature of steels in the dark and earlier middle ages in europe many central european swords were also "differentially hardened" if you will as a by product of the fact that those steels were usually shallow hardening steel. Additionally, welding multiple types of steel together is also not unique to japanese culture. Many scandinavian blades have pattern welded steels that were combined in a "hard soft" configuration. Same for the middle ages, the biggest difference is in the polishing process. Modern steels have added elements to allow for a more even hardening process.
Most impressive part of this video for me was the every end with the monkeys made by Musashi. I let out a verbal wow. 😂 Great video. You did better on your first time cutting than most people do!
I’m an Iaidoka (been practicing Musō Jikiden Eishin Ryū for nearly a decade), but I’ve only done Tameshigiri once with the tatami, a couple times with newspaper and once with sunflower storks. It’s not easy the first time, as long as you let the katana do the thing it’s made to do, it does get a little easier. It’s incredibly fun though!
It's always cool to see you make martial arts more known to people. Whenever you post a video, i always keep wanting to know more of what you do. Keep it going man!!
Always good to hear from Sensei Mike. You guys did great first time out! Glad you had fun. Cutting is addicting. If you’re ever in PA, and want to test a bunch of swords drop me a line ;-)
This is great! You both got to grips with that much faster than a lot of other people I've seen. I hope we'll see some more of this kind of thing in the near future, you've got the arms for archery 🏹
That’s awesome you got to meet and learn from Mike. He has such a deep well of knowledge and seems like such a cool dude. I could only dream of learning from him. Your cuts were pretty good overall. I find it odd how he started you off with horizontal cuts as those tend to be more difficult but you did pretty well and the kesa cuts seemed to come naturally. I actually had no idea Musashi even made menuki. That’s absolutely nuts Mike was able to find a pair. Also I like how you all were holding it in the reverse grip showing proper sword safety. This was great and I look forward to more weapon content in the future! Edit: though what he said in the beginning isn’t exactly true: differently hardened blades existed all over the world in many cultures
You made some very nice cuts there. You can tell they are particularly good when you get a very satisfying shing sound, it goes through with no resistance, and the piece you cut off just drop straight down instead of flying off to the side.
I would have guessed Sensei Seth had done sword cutting before. But this was very interesting to me seeing how a complete novice progressed within a short time from being unable to cut to being able to cut fairly well. I've been training with swords on & off since 1995 (earlier if you count larping weapons & sticks) but I admit I'm not as good now as I was due to issues with my knees. But I'm working to improve. Seeing this vid reminds me of how even with an excellent cutting sword like the katana that it's not the easiest thing to get right & one has to learn not understand how but not think about how when cutting. Congrats to all as you honestly did well for beginners & seemed to enjoy the session!
Very cool! It's nice to see traditional martial arts disciplines treated with respect in this day & age (also cool to see the legendary Jeff Imada still expanding his knowledge of the arts after all these decades!).
"That was the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life" Right there with you, Seth. I've always been fascinated by the history of the katana, and the amount of effort it takes to forge them, so this video is an absolute treat.
@@eagle162It's not a myth. Japan had only inferior iron ore deposits, they either imported iron from China or used local ironsands instead of ore. Iron sands were much harder to work with and produced inferior, inconsistent iron. All the "special techniques" Japanese blacksmiths had to use were just to overcome the problems that wouldn't even exist if they had better iron.
@@lazyman7505again no is not the case I can elaborate with some sources in a minute. Sand iron is actually a good source of iron after refinement (and in what region it was known to be top quality), that was not even the only local source there was also a solid iron ore comparable to the best in Europe, sand iron just more popular now because it's more unique. They did not do any kind of special techniques to overcome problems. Sources: Neutron diffraction study on full-shape Japanese sword" The Investigation of Establishing Time of Zuku-Oshi and Kera-Oshi with Data of Iron Image of Buddha Making Age and Old Document "Kokon-Kajibiko" Ancient and historic steel in Japan, India and Europe, a non-invasive comparative study using thermal neutron diffraction, F.Grazzi et al, 2011. The Sword and the Crucible: A History of the Metallurgy of European Swords Up to the 16th Century, A. Williams, 2012 Some Aspects of the Metallurgy and Production of European Armor OCTOBER 18, 2016 Archaeometallurgical Investigation on Historical Sword-Making Techniques in Northern Italy Between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, G.Tonelli et al, 2022 November 04, 2019 Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1 La question du minerai de fer pour la période médiévale (IXe - XVIe siècle) Home-made steel: A week at Manabe Sumihira's zuku-oshi tatara Mineralogical Study of Iron Sand with Different Metallurgical Characteristic to Smelting with Use of Japanese Classic Iron-making Furnace “Tatara” Micromorphology, chemistry, and mineralogy of bog iron ores from Poland SOME THOUGHTS ON UTSURI Posted on 2013/08/22 January 27, 2019 Iron and Steel Technology in Japanese Arms & Armors - Part 3: Bladesmithing
I loved this video! but holy shit the expert guy was waffling in the beginning. A flexible spine and a hard edge is literally characteristic of so many East Asian sword types (and outside of Asia as well). The differential hardening technique literally arrived in Japan through Chinese and Korean artisans. Differential hardening became irrelevant in the East Asian mainland because blacksmiths were able to create consistent steel grades and used softer steel inserts into harder steel shells.
Thank you for this video! I love Japanese culture and mythology! The Japanese swords are, in my opinion, the best ever made! I would love to have the honor and privilege to do that and see his collection! Great video, Sensei!
interesting point re Miomot Musashi - he was unable to write when he 'wrote' the art of war - he dictated it, and he was inspired - at least in part to write after losing a match to a man with a staff - which was one hell of a taboo, as it was seen as a peasant weapon.
Man, this was special!! Tameshigiri is how katana cuts in real life. I'm glad you wanted to try, the sword is the soul of the warrior 🥋💪💪💪👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🤗
I'd love to see you go along to a HEMA tournament with what little training you had and film the results, like you have with Judo etc! I'm sure something like CombatCon would be able to facilitate you!
awesome! But cutting mats is batto, not exactly kenjutsu! It'd be cool to see you try kenjutsu like onno ha itto or hyoho nitten ichi ryu or maybe even one of the modern arts like kendo or iaido! :)
I love the synchronicity of me inheriting the sword of my sensei who studied under Kanai one week after he retired. He practiced Aikido and kenjutsu for years. Great man hope to carry his torch so I can hand it over to the next.
I legit got chills when he brought out the menuki made by Musashi
8 месяцев назад
Enjoyed the video topic and "guest", Mr Yamasaki! Had a similar experience in Tokyo a few years ago, it was a very interesting experience. I recommend it if you have the opportunity!👍
I absolutely love the sword. Yes, it's pretty difficult to handle because you need great control and precision on a blade that is arms length or longer (unlike a knife)
Would be amazing for you to pick up a koryu kenjutsu school to get into. Also, I strongly recommend delving into Hoplology - or have a visit / discussion with the International Hoplology Society.
While you're at it your should try iaido, what you just tried was battodo. Iaido is like the Thai chi of katanas and teaches you much more about the draw, sheath, and attacks
Seeing the monkeys made my Musashi was really cool. I’ve read Eiji Yoshikawa’s “Musashi” multiple times. A really good book filled with action, philosophy, romance and many other interesting themes.
Absolutely love that you wrote the book man. Definitely love your content. It was hard to spend the $25 plus 7 for shipping for a kids book lol but That's just cuz I'm broke lol. my kids will have it forever :-) Best of luck in all your endeavors :-) Ps. Would love to have you at our club sometime if you are ever in Columbus Ohio :-)
Btw. actually you did a pretty nice job as a beginner...🤔👍🏻🙂 And had the luck of seeing and having in your hand some beautiful and historical swords. Even those you trained with have a value I never could afford...
In this day and age, we use tatami but back then, ancient Japanese used condemned criminals, cadavers...... Usually cutting them down in one, gruesome go.
When I recently wanted to get into Martial Arts (amongst others, your fault Seth :P ) Kenjitsu was really the one I was wanting to learn. Sadly I found there wasn't any school or gym near me that teaches it. I tried some Bujinkan Ninjitsu, as they also teach some Katana lessons, but it really wasn't what I was hoping or expecting it to be. There IS an Iaido class near me, and I might try that out in the future, but for now, I've decided to start with Karate. No katana's sadly, but who knows what the future brings :D
Iaido is a lot more common than Kenjutsu, but that's OK because it's more important to find a good teacher than it is to find a certain style. Just do something, then some day you might see that the journey is more fun than the destination.
@@denniswijker7162 Also check out renaissance festivals. You might live near one of the knights. Not all gyms are open to the public. I learned that from riding horses. Some of the best Jumping schools are invite only.
