Itten Dojo

 A recent post that included video of an old iaido form called “So Makuri” (“Complete Resolution”) garnered a number of disparaging comments on Facebook, such as: “Won’t do much against a pistol.” “Please do tell me how your ( sic ) going to use a sword in a fight with those moves.” The solo forms of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu are not really about fighting. The forms are primarily studies in physical structure and the optimal generation and application of internal power, but also include encoded tactical insights from the Edo Period of Japanese history. There are paired forms using wooden swords that preserve the actual fighting techniques of the style — in our line we also do free-sparring with wooden swords to pressure test — and there are armed grappling (jujutsu) techniques, as well. We do tameshigiri (“test-cutting”) with shinken (“live,” i.e., sharpened steel swords). Although practical self-defense in a modern context is not the focus of this type of martial art, I do person...

  The January edition of Sword and Spirit has been posted. In “The Path to Becoming,” guest contributor Edward Castillo (Salahuddin Muhammed) Sensei kicks-off a series of essays focused on taking your training to the next level. “Becoming” is a conscious process that will expand the life-benefits of martial arts training far outside the dojo. Download the newsletter by joining the Sword and Spirit group on Facebook, or directly from our website, at https://www.ittendojo.org/dbfiles/download/swordandspirit/pdf/87. All back issues of Sword and Spirit are available at https://www.ittendojo.org/articles/swordandspirit. #ittendojo #japanesemartialartscenter #iaido #jujutsu #judo #shodo

  The December edition of Sword and Spirit has been posted. In “Koryu on the Battlefield,” guest contributor Jenyer Paez Sensei provides a detailed explanation of why koryu (old-style schools of martial arts) do not typically address large-scale military doctrine, focusing instead on individual or small-scale engagements. Download the newsletter by joining the Sword and Spirit group on Facebook, or directly from our website, at https://www.ittendojo.org/dbfiles/download/swordandspirit/pdf/86. All back issues of Sword and Spirit are available at https://www.ittendojo.org/articles/swordandspirit. #ittendojo #japanesemartialartscenter #iaido #jujutsu #judo #shodo

The November edition of Sword and Spirit has been posted. In “Happo-giri,” Itten Dojo chief instructor Robert Wolfe provides insights and a link to a video addressing “Eight-direction cutting,” Suino Sensei’s precursor drill laying the foundation for bokken fencing. Download the newsletter by joining the Sword and Spirit group on Facebook, or directly from our website, at https://www.ittendojo.org/dbfiles/download/swordandspirit/pdf/85. All back issues of Sword and Spirit are available at https://www.ittendojo.org/articles/swordandspirit. #ittendojo #japanesemartialartscenter #iaido #jujutsu #kenjutsu #shodo

  The October edition of Sword and Spirit has been posted. In “Body by Bokken,” Itten Dojo chief instructor Robert Wolfe details a set of exercises targeting the abdominal and lower back muscles that we will use in iaido classes to complement the conditioning exercises we’ve received from Suino Sensei (stepping, bokken stepping, and suburi drills). Download the newsletter by joining the Sword and Spirit group on Facebook, or directly from our website, at https://www.ittendojo.org/dbfiles/download/swordandspirit/pdf/84. All back issues of Sword and Spirit are available at https://www.ittendojo.org/articles/swordandspirit. #ittendojo #japanesemartialartscenter #iaido #jujutsu #kenjutsu #shodo

  The September edition of Sword and Spirit has been posted. In “Iaido Drills & Applications,” Itten Dojo chief instructor Robert Wolfe presents examples of recent training techniques employed to better understand and integrate the primary purpose of the solo waza of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu: the development of physical structure supporting optimal generation and application of power. Download the newsletter by joining the Sword and Spirit group on Facebook, or directly from our website, at https://www.ittendojo.org/dbfiles/download/swordandspirit/pdf/83. All back issues of Sword and Spirit are available at https://www.ittendojo.org/articles/swordandspirit. #ittendojo #japanesemartialartscenter #iaido #jujutsu #kenjutsu #shodo