How to Maintain a Strong Position in Kenjutsu

Kenjutsu is the hard version of kendo. It is the practice of sword play that is hundreds of years old stemming out of Japan. In the following article I'll explain the best position and body form to use to maintain a strong position against an opponent.

Kenjutsu is about being able to defend and strike rapidly and with the utmost control. It takes years of practice to gain that control and one of the key aspects of control is body posture. There are dozens of styles of sword play and all of them follow a basic form. Because each has their own name I'll simply refer to this as the L form. Simply put your feet, when standing properly, should form an L.

Step one: loosen your body. It should not be rigid, but rather relaxed and in a comfortable position. Tense muscles can be strained and harmed, and are less likely to react as quickly as one would want them to in a sword fight.

Step two: place your control foot, for a right handed person it's your right foot, left hand left foot, forward and lightly touch your toe to the ground. Bring your opposing foot perpendicular to the control foot and about shoulder width apart, this should look like an L from above. Make sure your knees are bent and springy, do not lock them.

Step three: lower your control foot so that it is flat on the ground keeping all your weight on the back foot. Keep your back straight and raise your bokken (wooden training sword) to cover the front.

This body form is the basis for nearly all forms of martial arts; it allows a strong position in any fight and gives you balance and control. When practicing any form of martial arts, including Kenjutsu, this form allows you to switch body weight quickly and efficiently, pivot and move, without losing your position or compromising your control.