Also posted on the Samurai Sword Practitioners Forum.
This is a subject that has sparked a bit of controversy over the years. I would be interested to find out what others here do prior to a training session.
Our warm up session comprises of exactly ....nothing! I have seen, and practiced with, groups that have extensive warm-up sessions prior to starting their practice proper. As a result there are students sweating profusely who then start their practice and are cooling down in the process. A sure fire way to contract a cold or flu! I don't follow the logic behind this as all Iai kata were designed to be performed as a result of an un-expected attack. You wouldn't have the time to say to your enemy "Hang on a mo, I need to do a warm-up.) you'd be dead!
Similarly there is Suburi (the meaning behind this is basically "arm waving"), there are many places that will incorporate a hundred cuts into their warm-up, this would be OK I suppose if all 100
were cuts, however after the first 10 or so the body starts to tire and the cuts become sloppy. The result is that muscle memory remembers the bad cuts, as that was the greater part of the practice, you have now just gone back down the skill ladder 3 months worth of training! You now have to work extra hard at getting rid of the bad habits and technique that you have just taught your body to do.
Tags: Sword Warm-up Iai Kenjutsu Comments Ideas
