David Scott © 2016

 

Ni No Ken

Ni No Ken is essentially the same sequence of movements as performed in Ichi no Ken, except for the beginning which incorporates mikiri (watching the cut and moving back out of reach) and, it is done according to a slightly different timing. The idea is for oshiete to observe manabite’s attacking kiri tsuke carefully and move back away from their attack and outside the reaching point.

Clip 6. Ni No Ken (with Jikou Sugano observing)

 

The beginning of the sequence is as follows:

Manabite
Breaks maai extending in with a “not tsuki” like movement and pointing their kissaki into oshiete’s space at kote level. (An alternative is to use a kiri sage like movement to break maai.)

Picture 5. Ni No Ken – Mikiri (Oshiete watches the cut)

 

Oshiete

Moves back as they receive this movement, lowering their kissaki to the kote height and offers their face as a target.

Manabite
Executes kiri tsuke striking as cleanly as possible and stopping the strike on completion with their kissaki still at oshiete’s face level.

Oshiete
Oshiete’s weight is slightly more on their front foot which allows them to watch the cut and continue to raise their hands up and back into a jodan position and move back beyond the reaching point of manabite’s kiri tsuke so that manabite’s strike will miss (by “three or four inches is best”). Oshiete then replies with a kiri tsuke.

Manabite

Responds to the kiri tsuke coming from oshiete so they can defend against it by moving back omote in hanmi.

The exercise then continues as for Ichi No Ken.

 

Ni No Ken variation

In order to give us an idea of what is expected; Sugano Sensei had us practice this exercise offering the wrist at jodan as a target. This practice was performed slowly and with precision. Thus after manabite has broken maai; oshiete raises their bokken to almost a jodan level to offer their left wrist as a target for manabite’s kiri tsuke. Manabite has to wait until oshiete’s wrist is almost at jodan, before striking toward it with kiri tsuke. Oshiete’s left wrist at jodan gives manabite something to aim for and is held on the same line as the usual target for kiri tsuke (the face). Manabite makes contact with oshiete’s left wrist. Oshiete then continues to raise their bokken to a full jodan and “moves back” so that the contact with the wrist is broken. Oshiete then returns kiri tsuke. Manabite parries omote with hanmi. However, Sensei said this was only an exercise to help give people the idea. The attack by manabite should actually be kiri tsuke and not really a strike to the wrist.

 

What is Ni No Ken about?

Manabite is learning to cut correctly and practicing responsiveness. Oshiete is giving this lesson on responsiveness and practicing mikiri – watching the cut and moving just outside the effective range of manabite’s kiri tsuke. Oshiete is moving as if manabite is on a leash (see Dave Lowry) and cannot advance any further.

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter: San No Ken

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