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 personally know of instances in which an individual defended himself successfully against a potentially lethal, armed assault using classical swordsmanship techniques: In one instance using a fixed-blade knife in an iaido technique; in another a weapon of opportunity (aluminum flashlight) utilized in a kenjutsu technique.

Perhaps more pertinent to the criticisms being offered, multiple members of our iaido class are current or former military and/or law enforcement, several of whom are multi-tour combat veterans — one of whom is now deployed — and they find particular value in this art.

Read more at https://www.ittendojo.org/articles/no-toy-swordsmen. #ittendojo #japanesemartialartscenter #iaido