"Stand and Move"
After taking Yosei on a half mile walk, I went into my session. The walking was a good way to loosen up and knock the sleep off. His sudden bursts of puppy play energy also leads to a lot of shuffling, stepping and pivoting, regardless of the terrain!
The knee and neck felt better and stance training followed then progressed into footwork. I do both of these a lot because they are just as, if not more important, than the thrust or cut.
If you have a weak stance, you will not have the proper alignment, balance or power to deliver a proper attack (or defense, for that matter).
If your footwork is clumsy (slow, poor timing, etc.) you will also have bad stances and be more of a threat to yourself than your opponent.
Finally, you will, ultimately, injure yourself with poor body mechanics that can end your ability to train with the sword.
Giovanni dall'Agoccie writes:
"With reason and the art of movement and in finding your adversary in all the guards, and this starting with one or the other foot, for traversing, as with the pushing of one foot or the other forward, according to the time and the need.
Nevertheless, the movement should be with steps that are neither big nor small and the most useful: because going forward and back without disordering the person, accompany always the hand with the foot. But there is a need to admonish that the leg that is forward is bent a little at the knee and remains strait towards the enemy. The leg to the rear should be a little curved and the foot always in a traverse; in the manner that every movement is full of grace."
~Opera Necessaria
~Opera Necessaria
Translation: William E. Wilson
While the entire body must be in concert, the foundation for everything is in the stance and footwork.
Artist Unknown
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