The Katana Workout

Most people look for an excercise program that is enjoyable and that they can stick to. I think that one of the best ways to stay fit and flexible, as well as keep your mind sharp, is through Bokken and Katana training. A Bokken is a wooden training sword shaped like a Katana. It is heavier than a Katana, but not so heavy that anyone should have trouble using it. The training for a Bokken is something like tai chi in it's slow repetitive movements, and like tai chi it helps to clear the mind as you perform the forms, or kata, of Bokken training. Below are some instructions on basic Bokken training.

#1. The Grip
Use your right hand to hold the bokken at the top of the grip, thumb placed above the fingers. Your left hand grips the bottom of the grip in the same fashion with about a handwidth of space between them.

#2. The Line
The line is the first thing you learn in Bokken training, there is an invisible line that extends from your belly outward, holding the Bokken outward at an angle away from you place your hands so that they are on this line. Position your feet so that they are solidly planted without fulling extending either calf your right foot forward and your left behind and to the left. Make sure both heels are planted firmly on the ground. Your feet should straddle the invisible line. This is your rest position, the position from which all other moves are done.

#3. The Vertical Cut
This is the first move and most practiced of Bokken training, lifting your arms till your hands are at your forehead and bringing the sword back to it's rest position. It should be your goal to not deviate from the line extending from your belly. As you progress through your workout the full move is a step forward with right foot as your Bokken comes up, and your left foot moves to follow as the Bokken comes down.

#4 The Circles
After you feel you are comfortable with the verticle cut you may build onto it. Imagine around you circles of all sorts, a Bokken or Katana is curved to take advantage of these circles. For an improvision in example. Using the forward movement of the verticle cut, bring your hands up to the side of the head and cut toward the left or right, moving your wrists in a circular pattern to arrive back at rest. The variations of circles that can be used in your workout or training program are endless and discovery of something newly mastered is part of what makes this so much fun

#5 The Footwork
The footwork of the Verticle cut is the basic footwork from which all other foot work is based. Your footwork like that of the Bokken is dependent on circles. The right foot leads the left follows, in your mind you should always know where the next step is going to lead you. You will also find that some cuts as you branch out require new footwork to match them. Once the basics have been mastered many moves can then be improvised.

This workout is both cleansing for the mind, and good for strengthening of the body, as well as just fun. It is both aerobic and muscle building, and after twenty minutes you will see why. The intensity of the workout will let you know you have accomplished something very different. I would like to add that, this guide is not intended to teach a person to use a Bokken or Katana to defend themselves, only to provide a fresh and different workout program. As someone who has spent years with a Bokken I am happy to introduce it to others.