Japanese Sword Art 101. Feedback.

[Ravin]

This is my eventual lesson plan for JSA (Japanese Sword Art) Please review it and let me know what you think!

Japanese Sword Art 101

What is needed. A Training Uniform; A Kimono or Gi (Traditional. Nothing over Fancy or flashy.),a Bamboo or Wooden Sword(Training), and Patience. These are required. If you do not show up with a Uniform or a Training sword, you will not be allowed to attend the lesson. OOC I will be handing out training swords. However the Gi and Kimono you have to find on your own. Sorry.

What to Expect Basics in Japanese Sword Training, then to branch off into other styles of Japanese Sword Styles. This Class will not teach you anything overly fancy. Instead, it will teach students proper discipline, patience, concentration, and focus. You will not be getting a sharpened sword in this class. You will however get credits and marks for JSA if you decide to pursue advanced courses in JSA or other Japanese Sword Techniques around the world.

Lesson Plan

The JSA Lesson will stick close to a traditional lesson plan with some small variations added. As every Dojo is different you may visit, lesson plans may vary from Dojo to Dojo.

Keep in mind, your training swords can be stored at the Dojo or your lockers, but can only be used IN the dojo and must be carried to or from your home and lockers and put away. Students who linger with their equipment are subject to punishment and should put them away immediately. Multiple infractions of this rule will result of being expelled from the class...and individuals who use their equipment to purposefully harm others will be removed from the class on the first infraction. You may practice on your own in the dojo.

The list below will expand over several weeks. Including some safety lectures. You won't be given a training sword right away and new students will be brought in and different levels. Some will be learning bowing, some breathing, some already in Kendo.  When a student enters is where they will be in the lesson plan. Some will be further along than others. However, the end will be the same for everyone. Practice and Kendo. Battoho and Tachiushi.

• Bowing In and Out Ceremonies
• Breathing, Relaxing, and Meditation
• Morals – Restraint, Power, Focus, Mind and Body
• Bokken/Shinai
• -Suburi- Basic Techniques: Overhead Cut, Side Cut, Diagonal Cut.
• -Kata- Explanation of Iaido and Kenjustu.
• -Battoho- Practice, Practice, Practice
• -Tachiushi- Free Sparring – Kendo
• Summery.

March 16th, 2013 6pm SL.
Location, Dojo.
Uniform - Specified Above.


Bowing In and Out Ceremonies.

Once the Class has started. Every Student or Staff Member who is participating in the class will take a moment to bow to their Sensei out of respect for the lesson. Then the training sword will be removed from the Obi. (The sash around the hips) Held with both hands; the right hand supporting the blade, the left hand on the handle, they will bow their heard to their sword to show respect to the weapon they are learning to use. Depending on the lecture or lesson, this maybe done sitting or standing. If the lesson does not include a sword lecture or training. The training sword is returned to the Obi. The reason the left hand is holding the handle this shows respect to the Sensei as everyone is trained to use a katana with their right hand, regardless of their dominate hand. This shows that the blade will not be used against the Sensei.

Once the Class has Ended. The sword is then held in the right hand by the handle, the left hand along the 'blade'. The training sword is then bowed to and returned to the Obi.  Once the weapon is returned, a second bow is followed to the Sensei. He or She will then in turn bow to the class and dismiss them.

Breathing, Relaxing, and Meditation


Before any training is to take place, one must have a calm state of mind. Breath exercises are to be taken through the nose and out the mouth slowly to help the body cycle their air and Chi, promoting a natural flow through the body.

Breathing can take place while standing in a fight, as a natural exhale to help one strength their body to defend a blow or attack, as well as exercise shouting or intimidating when fighting. As many people who fight are not all 'quiet' but rather loud to expel their Chii and intimidate their foes. This isn't required, but you can see how it helps.

While breathing, it is natural to feel relaxed. Finding your center is not difficult and is different for everyone. It could be your heart, your belly, or even your mind. The point is to find that state you feel most relaxed and breath, focus on it, and  slip into that calm state of Being.

Once your center is found, it is often here we slip into meditation. Meditation is used to further become one with the body and control our Emotions and Chi. Guiding the person to their morals through personal revelations and thoughts. Sometimes, Meditation may reveal a problem to us, and is not always so relaxing or easy going. This is normal as this means there is an inner turmoil within our body we need to correct. If we do not, We may not find our balance and not reach our full potential.

Morals. Restraint, Power, Focus, Mind, and Body.

In this class, Our strikes are guided by morals. Without Morals or Purpose for our strikes, they mean nothing. A Katana or Training weapon should never be used against someone in hate or anger. This taints our Chi and shows lack of restraint.

This is our First Moral of the JSA Class. Restraint. Never using the equipment out of anger or hate. Negative emotions will taint you. If you feel you are unwell, emotional, and unable to clear your thoughts of negative influences after the meditation exerises. You may bow out and the Sensei will allow you to leave. There is nothing wrong with needing to clear your mind some more.

Focus is needed. Without a guiding Purpose or Goal, we lack Focus. We should never take more than we can handle, but always better ourselves. It is important to remember no matter your skill level, there will always be someone better than you.  You should always better yourselves and focus on your personal purpose. If you feel you lack a purpose. Meditate on it or ask you Sensei and talk it over.

With Restraint and Focus, There comes Power. Those who exercise themselves properly with focus and restraint, find themselves easily able to learn faster and adapt. This shows the morals of Restraint and Power go hand in hand. Using Power without Restraint or Focus, is a negative influence. Doing such things will taint our Chi and naturally cause inner turmoil.

Our Minds can often be very conflicting places, between our Morals and our Desires. Many people will think and act differently than you would.  The Mind Moral isn't about just ourselves, but others as well. Keeping an open and thoughtful mind is important to our Chi, as well as personal well being.

The Body is possibly the most important aspect. Without it, None of this would be possible. It can be said all the morals are needed to each other to make a proper Samarui or Sword's Master, but if one of the morals are conflicted, It effects our body, and in turn, maybe even those around us. This can be seen physically, as well as emotionally or even mentally. If you -feel- like something is wrong, you should listen to your body and yourself. It never hurts to ask questions.

Bokken, Bokuto, and Shinai

These are the three main training equipment that we may use. Each of them really has one purpose, to train with. I will be handing out a Bokken or a Shinai. Students may bring their own, if they want. No REAL swords or sharpened blades will be brought in to THIS class. If you wish to train with a real Katana or blade, you may do so after the Dojo is empty. Please follow school rules and the Island law about weapons or you could be seriously punished.

Suburi – Basic Techniques. Overhead Cut, Side Cut, and Diagonal Cut.

Will be more indepth in class. So you should come!

Kata - Explanation of Iaito and Kenjustu.

There will be explanations of these fighting styles as well as demonstrations to help encourage students to further specialize if they want in certain sword styles.

Battoho- Practice, Practice, Practice

You will be practicing...a lot. In Class, Outside of Class, and pretty much in the dojo as often as possible. Swinging a training sword isn't easy, nor is the real thing. You will be building up muscles you have likely never used before.  Repeating the same motions from the side, overhead, and diagonal cut constantly to keep in shape and keep the moves fresh in mind.

Tachiushi- Free Sparring – Kendo

Outside of Practice, in some classes you will be set up with sparring partners. These will be simply spars and will not be overly fancy like you have seen in your movies or anime. Most sword duels last mere seconds. The purpose of sparring is to react to a specific attack and counter attack. Defend and block. The motions will be slow at first, but over time a person can get faster and in time react and pick up heightened reflexes and senses. Even Masters and your Sensei still Practice and Spar with others to keep in shape.

Possible Advancement Class - Chi

Those students who desire to learn more about Chi, may do so in the class might be down the road and lead into the advanced fighting style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū lit.  This is Ravin's fighting style and uses Chi displacement on a sword to project energy as attacks in an advanced form of Chi and Energy.

Advanced JSA.
To be discussed.

[Rena MacPherson]

This could be something I could get into ^^

[Annika]

*looks at her Mother's katana, sitting on the polished wood rack upon her small dorm dresser*

I will be there.





(and yes, its already been approved to be there)

[Alistair Leighlin]

Might go. Might be interesting.

I dunno, can we hold it on my porch? Or move my porch to the dojo?

[Angelica]

So it's Kendo practice, with a buncha fancy names......

[hinamoriburleigh]

I've actually made a modification of the fencing game with a shinai and kendo animations if you want to try any of that. Currently in works of a nito ryu style but the typical kendo set is done and ready to use. :3

[Ravin]

So it's Kendo practice, with a buncha fancy names......

Its a bit more than that, considering I have thrown in a bunch of other things. But yes, Most JSA/Sword classes are actually just the same thing repeated, over and over again, with practice from other people. Even learning variations of Japanese sword styles is mostly practice. The fancy names are actually traditional Samurai words for those types of training. (Give or take a push here and there.)

I've actually made a modification of the fencing game with a shinai and kendo animations if you want to try any of that. Currently in works of a nito ryu style but the typical kendo set is done and ready to use. :3

I was actually thinking of something like that. Though, I tend to stay away from En-Guard and SL games, because it can take away from the RP.  I was considering a Rock, Paper, Scissors Kind of game. Between the three main slices, Top, Side, and Diagonal.

[Serenity Semple]

Sounds like something worth checking out. ^ ^

[Katrina]

Hm.  Do you have any eta on dates/times?  That'd actually be interesting for Kat to go to..  Not that she'd have much interest in the swords (lolseewutididthar) but the mental training is always a plus.  :: Nods.::

[Matsuri Yoshikawa]

This looks fun, and yes adding some functionality to this that involves a game, or competition or whatever to get the students interacting would be a good idea.  IRL a kendo practice is mostly just doing the same set of moves over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, and at the VERY end a bit of free sparring.  Obviously for RP this will need to be jazzed up.

One does have to wonder how Ravin plans to see if the students are employing proper technique.  I suggest letting them hit him over the head and then he can be all like "no, no...that angle is all wrong.  See this lump on my forehead?  It is pointed the wrong way!"

[CeciliaMox]

I absolutely adore swords so yes I would attend this everyday. I would be your best student hands down! Any who challenge that would have to fence me, muahaha!

[Su Shi]

*looks at her Mother's katana, sitting on the polished wood rack upon her small dorm dresser*

I will be there.





(and yes, its already been approved to be there)

When it comes time to spar and if I'm expected to use a practice weapon against someone using a real weapon I might have to IC refuse the match for safety reasons.

[Annika]

When it comes time to spar and if I'm expected to use a practice weapon against someone using a real weapon I might have to IC refuse the match for safety reasons.

Uhm Su, if you read the terms, the practice and use of weapons for the class and practices are limited to a wooden bokken or a bamboo shinai.  Do you really think Annika is capable of breaking The Rules?

Her katana is for one purpose and one purpose only; as a shrine initiate without any magic, she needs something to protect folks when in the Maze.  Her permission to carry the blade is very limited and well defined (by the HHPD).

[Su Shi]

If you bring a real weapon to the dojo then others will want to as well.

[Matsuri Yoshikawa]

Hah, Suri would totally agree to take on someone who had a real sword when he only had a bokken himself.  He'd try to pass it off as if he's trying to show off, but actually he is just BETTER with a bokken than a metal sword. 

Anyway I think Annika's point is that she wouldn't bring her metal sword to practice, only that she'd want to.

[Angelica]

* Angelica bursts in, swinging lightsabers about wildly. "Wut?"

[Annika]

Actually, historically, there is someone in Annika's family that was famous for dueling with a bokken!

Of course she would not bring her mother's katana to classes or to practice.  Though Suri's only half right! She doesn't want to bring it... she wants to practice and learn so that when she does need to use it she can bring it honor and not shame the blade!

as for lightsabers ...

EEEEEEPS! (suddenly finding herself in the Dojo rafters)

[Ravin]

Updated with Bowing In and Out Ceremonies.
Updated with Breathing, Relaxing, Meditation.
Updated with Morals. Restraint, Power, Focus, Mind, and Body.
Updated with Bokken, Bokuto, and Shinai