“What an amazing, life transforming weekend! The evidence was in the dojo Monday night. After an entire weekend training outdoors, grappling with sticks, being thrown in the mud, the classes were packed and everyone was super motivated! Thank you An-shu for a wonderful weekend!”

An-shu Stephen K. Hayes comments:

“I always get a charge out of training with the super students at the SKH Quest Center Chapel Hill. I truly enjoyed everyone’s determined participation and enthusiasm for getting the most out of our training together.

Congratulations as well to the newly graduated Black Belts. I was so happy to be there and see the demonstrations celebrating attainment of this meaningful milestone on the martial path.”

[Editor says: Visit An-shu's Hombu Dojo member forum for some notes from Winter Quest 2012 Kuki Shinden Ryu training. Not a member yet? It’s easy and only pennies per day.]

Check out the full graduation on ustream.tv!

Most of our classical ninja martial arts weapon training takes place in our special seminar series classes on Thursday evening. Here is a description of a fight training exercise from the Advanced Long Saff set. For coaching and personal instruction in this set, you can attend our next bojutsu class (check our schedule), study it on DVD, or take a private lesson on Skype.

The principle is to open him up for strikes; cause him to move in ways that leave him vulnerable

1. From left-forward ten-chi-jin no kamae, holding the bo in spear-grip, step forward with the right foot and reach towards the aggressor’s head with the bo to attract his attention; he has to defend or move or he will be hit.

2. The first move was just a ruse to distract his attention upward; you then execute a surprise do uchi strike to his right ribs from the left with your right foot still forward – no foot step in there at all.

3. Step back with your right foot to a left-forward gedan no kamae position with lowered bo extended behind your right leg.

4. Step forward with your right foot and hit the adversary’s left shin with a sune uchi ashi barai strike.

5. Without changing your footing, use your right hand to throw the bo over and downward with a tento men strike to the top of his head.

6. In conclusion, pull your right foot back to end up in left-forward ten-chi-jin no kamae, maintaining your awareness on possible next attacks from the field.

Lesson 1

From left-forward ten-chi-jin no kamae, holding the bo in spear-grip, step forward with the right foot and reach towards the aggressor’s head with the bo to attract his attention
Step forward with left sune-uchi ashi barai to his right shin
Step back with left and strike down with right men uchi downward strike to the head
Let go with right hand and roll the bo with the left hand to position diagonally across the back with upper end over the right shoulder
Grab upper end with right hand and execute a downward right men uchi head strike
Immediately step back with left foot and pull the bo to position along left side
Left suso hane-age rising strike to groin; pull right hand back, lift bo with forward left hand
Pull back to left-forward ten-chi-jin no kamae

This is about Kuji no Bo #3.

Lesson 1

Unarmed contemporary adaptation
From left-forward Ward-off posture, step forward with the right foot and reach towards the adversary’s face to attract his attention and force him to lift his hands in defense
Left kick to his shin or groin
When he folds forward to get away from the strike, pull the left foot back and punch with a left cross and right leading hand punch or palm-heel
When he grabs for your right arm, turn to your left counterclockwise and pull your arm away while pivoting around to strike down on his face with a left hammer-fist
Step in with right foot and grab his head with both hands
Swing your left shin up with kicks to aggressor’s groin or knee to lower abdomen
Push adversary back and take control or escape

Lesson 1

Step-by-Step

Lesson 1

“Shove Feint”

An aggressor grabs your left lapel and right sleeve and twists you into place for a forward shoulder throw. In old Japan, the right arm was usually the more dangerous one, and so getting inside and taking control of the arm was a common goal in any form of hand-to-hand combat. That prevents you from being able to grab or use your short sword carried at the left hip or across the stomach. Today, it could work as well to keep you from drawing a knife or pistol, and this “grab right sleeve and left lapel” is a standard start-up position for judo players. You must quickly interrupt the aggressor’s momentum and leverage to get him under control. Koto Ryu kata O-Kyo teaches you one very effective secret to use your attacker’s positioning to find openings for painful knock-down strikes.

Lesson 1

Step-by-Step

Stop and lock up the aggressor’s throwing movement and turn it against him.

1. The aggressor grabs your lapel and sleeve and attempts a judo-style forward throw.
2. Stop him by sinking with your knees to drop your hips. Keep your spine erect.
3. From his right side, drive his hips forward and down with left boshiken thumb-tip to his back just right of his spine.
4. Follow with a right fudoken punch to his sternum to knock him straight down to the ground.

Lesson 1

Principle is to open him up for strikes; cause him to move in ways that leave him vulnerable

1. From left-forward ten-chi-jin no kamae, holding the bo in spear-grip, step forward with the right foot and reach towards the aggressor’s head with the bo to attract his attention; he has to defend or move or he will be hit.

2. The first move was just a ruse to distract his attention upward; you then execute a surprise do uchi strike to his right ribs from the left with your right foot still forward – no foot step in there at all.

3. Step back with your right foot to a left-forward gedan no kamae position with lowered bo extended behind your right leg.

4. Step forward with your right foot and hit the adversary’s left shin with a sune uchi ashi barai strike.

5. Without changing your footing, use your right hand to throw the bo over and downward with a tento men strike to the top of his head.

6. In conclusion, pull your right foot back to end up in left-forward ten-chi-jin no kamae, maintaining your awareness on possible next attacks from the field.

“Kuji-no-Bo-2″

Unarmed contemporary adaptation

From left-forward Ward-off posture, step forward with the right foot and reach towards the adversary’s face to attract his attention and force him to lift his hands in defense

Left uppercut hook punch to his solar plexus or right ribs

When he folds over or tries to wrestle, step back with right foot to left-forward stabilizing posture

Shift right foot to position for left knee or shin to aggressor’s groin or lower abdomen
Left upward elbow strikes to his head

Push adversary back and take control or escape