Last evening I was reminded (again) that I take certain basic knowledge for granted. So I’d like to go over some footwork basics for sword.
With Respect to the Sword
This footwork is done the way it is done because of the way the Japanese sword is worn (and held). It’s on the left side and drawn with the right hand. If you try this you realize that it’s easier to draw with the right foot forward. A lot of what follows comes from that. Including how to move into seiza and which hand goes down first when you bow (some other time OK?)
This stuff makes sense.
So we stand with the right foot in front of the left. How far apart? It depends on your art, for Kendo the left toes are in line with the right heel, a pretty short stance. Other sword arts are slightly longer.
The width apart? I’ve been taught: 1. A fist width, 2. 1.5 fist widths, 3. the outside of the feet under the outside of the hips, and 4. when doing stupid sensei tricks, the outside of the feet under the outside of the shoulders.
That last is so you know where the outside of your body is, if you place the outside of your foot where the sword cut is not, you’re good. It will miss.
So length and width depend on what you’ve been taught. Feet straight ahead? Yes for kendo, and is that the inside line, outside line or the line from your middle toe to the middle of the heel? Those are three “straight” possibilities.
Duck feet? Feet splayed out, or pigeon feet, toes angled in? Do what you’re taught.
Foot movement. Suri ashi is sshhh sshhh, sliding your feet. Okuri Ashi is widening your feet and then bringing them back to the original position. That’s what I was taught in boxing and it’s how you move forward and back in most sword arts (Japanese). Right foot forward means: right foot forward, bring the left up. Left foot back, right foot comes back. Side to side is the same.
So no more need to ask which foot moves first yes? Well, there’s tsugi ashi, which is to bring the feet together for a big spring forward, so usual stance, left foot comes up to right, then right goes forward. Sneak a shorter stance in there so you can blast further forward. Still, left foot doesn’t go in front of right, that’s called Ayumi ashi, normal way of walking, or chidori ashi, pick your feet up like a bird. So not suri ashi then.
Really? Hey terms are useful, jargon saves a lot of descriptive writing.
So what if your left foot is forward? Normally, front foot moves forward first, rear foot moves backward first. Wide means more stable, bring the feet together and you’re not stable (can get shoved over the heels) Ayumi ashi (normal walking) means you go through that square forward “can get shoved over the heels” position with each step.
Fine. What about feet together? Move forward from the right, back from the left (sword, remember). Side to side? Think about it, can you move the right foot to the left first if your feet are together?
Right Mr. smarty pants, slide your feet and try it.
Why in the world would I ever stand feet together? Because you’re told to do so. Now, here is my “feet together”, don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret, but I don’t want to get shoved over. Try this with a friend.
Exactly feet together, toes touching the same line, now have your friend push on your chest. You go over your heels eventually.
Put your right foot about an inch forward, if you bring them together and touching, your left big toe fits into your right big toe, see that? Now back to your usual width and have your partner push your chest. Do you see that you have an easier time resisting? When he pushes too hard, can you turn your chest?
Let’s say he’s running at you and you have to get off the line. Do you spent time trying to decide which foot goes first? No, the right foot goes first because it’s not really even, it’s an inch ahead.
Now keep that to yourself, top sensei have given me hell for cheating like that. I don’t care, feet together is stupid, I’ve said so for 30 years.
Right, we’re done. Oh wait, what about the timing of moving forward and back? Well from my boxing days I was taught that moving forward was one movement, not two steps. Same for back. Kendo too.
Drive your hips forward and lift your front foot. When your front foot lands (often with a stamp) your rear foot follows instantly, the hips bring the left foot along with the right. You do not clomp forward with the right, then bring the left forward. It’s all the same movement. Yes?
Right, Iwami sensei, soke of the Niten Ichiryu had an entire class spread out across the floor. We all linked arms, brought the right foot up high, dropped it and the hips surged forward bringing the back foot up. No one-two about it.
Get into your stance. Do not lift your right foot up and place it down in front. That means the back foot is dragging behind like a boat anchor. Instead, drive with the back (left) foot and when your hips start to move forward, let the front foot float a little, it slides forward. As your hips move, your left (rear) foot comes along for the ride, ready to push again.
Use your hips!
These are some of the things I forget to tell folks, and so I shake my head when folks say “which foot?” Or when they look like Quasimodo as they drag that back foot up behind them. Yeah, things like that run through my brain during a class.
Pay attention to your footwork first, then your hips, and only then, look at what the hands and arms are doing. I know sensei is doing amazing things with that sword of his, but without knowing what his feet are doing, you’re going to be lost. Forget his sword, watch his feet first. In Aikido it was four demonstrations, two on each side. We learned to watch the feet for the first two times and ignore the fancy hand-stuff. Sensei didn’t like explaining endlessly, and we could tell, he had certain ways of letting us know, so feet twice, hands twice.
Footwork first right?
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