INTRODUCTION

The bokken is a wooden sword traditionally made from white oak and weighing around 700g. Training with the bokken is important because many of the empty hand (or tai jutsu) techniques are derived from sword techniques developed over centuries.

1.ICHI NO SUBURI

Start in migi kamae. Raise the bokken straight up, keep the left arm as straight as possible and the bokken will end up lying down the spine. This position is known as centering the weapon. At the same time, draw the front foot to the back foot and open the hip. Step forward with the front footand cut straight down, turn in the right hip and clear the back foot round off the attack line as the cut finishes.

2.NI NO SUBURI

From migi kamae, raise the bokken so that the hands end up just over the headwith the bokken pointing up and back at about 15 degrees. At the same time, step back with the right foot and open the hip (This stance is called HASSO KAMAE). The whole body should now be off the attack line. Look forward past the inside of the left elbow, do not allow the left arm to obscure your view. Extend the left arm up so that the bokken ends up centered down the spine, step forward with the right foot and cut. Finish by clearing the back foot as in ichi no suburi.

3.SAN NO SUBURI

Start in migi kamae and perform ni no suburi until you reach the Hasso Kamae position with the bokken pointing up and the right foot back. Move your centre back slightly and bring the bokken down so that both hands are by the right side and the bokken is pointing backwards and slightly down. Move your centre forward and bring the bokken up to the centered position, step forward with the right foot and cut. Clear the back foot.

4.YON NO SUBURI

(Step cutting) Raise the bokken straight up by extending the left arm and center it. Step forward with the back foot and cut straight down, remember to clear the back foot at the completion of the cut. Raise the bokken again, step forward with back foot and cut on the other side. Continue walking forward and cutting.

5.GO NO SUBURI

Start in migi kamae. Bring the hands up to just in front of the face while keeping the bokken pointing forward and slightly to the right (NB the bokken is angled toward the side of the front foot). Step forward with the left foot and center the bokken. Cut toward the side of the opponents head and at the same time clear the back foot. To cut on the opposite side, bring the hands up in front of the face with the bokken pointing to the left. Step forward with the right foot, center the bokken, cut "yokomen" and clear the back foot.

6.ROKU NO SUBURI

Perform go no suburi as described but add a tsuki off the front foot at the end of each cut. Thus the exercise becomes: cut on the right foot, tsuki off the right foot, cut on the left foot, tsuki off the left foot. Make sure you do not retract the bokken between the cut and the tsuki.

7.NAN NO SUBURI

Start in hidari kamae. Wind up as in go no suburi and cut yokomen on the right side. Step across the attack line and forward with the left foot and tsuki. Remember to clear the back foot. Repeat the exercise: cut right, tsuki left.