Last night was iaido night. I got there early, opened the facility, and cleaned up the floor. We had a total of 4 iaidoka as well as Stroud sensei. After warm up drills we worked through a number of the seiteigata. Stroud sensei said that you need to use merihari when doing kesa giri cuts (and in other forms). He explained it in the same terms he used to describe it on the Kendo World Forum:
Merihari is used in kendo and iaido to explain how to not only use a variety of techniques but to commit fully to what you are doing. Do not do it "half way" Make your movements either fast or slow but don't muddle along with something in between. If it needs to be strong do it clearly strong, if it needs to be soft do it soft.
Merihari is what keeps you from getting in a rut!
--start--
めり張り、Merihari
「めり張り」とは、特に「剣道」や「居合道」だけに使われる言葉で はありません。
Merihari is not only applied to kendo and iaido.「めり張り」という言葉は、「剣道」以外でも、一般的に使われています。
Merihari is a phrase commonly used outside of kendo.「めり張り」の意味は、「中途半端になってはいけない」ということです。
Merihari’s meaning, is explained as ‘don't do something halfway’.つまり、「強い_弱い」、「早い_遅い」、「大きい_小さい」、「打つ_防ぐ」、「攻める_守る」というこ とを、はっきり行うことが 大切だということです。
In other words you can say that it is important to perform clearly, ‘strong or weak’, ‘fast or slow’, ‘big or small’, ‘strike or protect’, ‘attack or defend’.また、「稽古」についても、休息が必要な時はしっかり休み、稽古をする時は集中してやることが大切というこ とです。
In the case of, ‘keiko practice’, it is important that you really rest when it is breaktime, and really concentrate on keiko when you are practicing.例えば、「野球」の「投手」と同じです。
It is exactly the same for a ‘baseball pitcher’.いくら優秀な投手でも、早いボールだけを投げ続けたのでは、いつか 打たれてしまいます。
Against a great pitcher, who throws only fastballs, you can eventually get a hit.「早いボール」と「遅いボール」、「直球」と「変化球」、「外角と内角」を織り交ぜながら投げることが大切 ということです。
It is important that one throws with a mixture of ‘Fast balls’ and ‘slow balls’, ‘straight balls’ and ‘change ups’. ‘outside pitches’ and ‘inside pitches’, all woven together.--end--
Note: translation errors are all mine. If someone can improve the English or correct a mis-understanding I welcome your comments.
As part of the discussion in class Stroud sensei discoursed on what the men target is. Interestingly enough, to cut men is not to cut the crown of the head, to cut men is to cut the face of the teki.
On another note, I've really been trying to study Stroud sensei's footwork and have picked up a couple of things that I think I can incorporate into my game. First example, ippon mae, mae. No details to follow.
Finally, a new koryu Omori ryu kata last night, Ryu Toh 流刀.
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