This interview was published in December 2007

Since I started writing these articles for MAI a lot of people have asked me about weapons.  Often they’re martial artists who are concerned about getting attacked by someone armed with a tool; either a blunt one or, god forbid, a sharp one.  Any situation, even one involving a weapon brandishing idiot, especially now-a-days, is not to be taken lightly.

The mental and physical preparation for an ‘armed experience’ should not be undertaken in a perfunctory manner.  There are times when it’s good to have fun whilst training – and there are other times when you must be as serious as possible.  However, before I go through some of my experience, I think it’s important that we look at the whole question of self defence.

In an interview in August 2006 with Jamie Clubb, I talked a little about self defence.  I took a particular position on the subject and believe it’s relevant to this article:

It’s natural to try and get through life without any hassle.  At Seni 06 when I did my seminar, I noticed how many people listened to me talking about street fighting.  Some people just want to know how to knock someone out easily; where to hit and how hard etc.  There are a million techniques and lots of clever ways of doing things, but street fighting is very simple.  To be good means lots of hard purposeful training and ‘bottle’ and an experienced teacher that’s understands this; will help you no end. 

The Yo Yo was the latest fad with the kids in the Club.  All the kids came in playing with them in the reception area and whilst they were training, rows of parents were left holding them.  In fact there was even an unofficial parents Yo Yo competition in the changing rooms whilst the kids were training! 

All this could not go by without comment from Sensei……

As training came to an end it was time for Sensei’s little “chat”…….

“OK kids, who likes to Yo Yo?”

All hands shot up without exception.

“Who knows its history?”

No hands came up this time

“Did anyone know that it was a Martial Arts weapon? 

Again, no response, but this time considerable interest.

“Did you know that it was supposedly invented in ancient China?”

A gamut of “Kung Fuey”, howls and screams combined with Yo Yo “whizzing noises”….

Sensei whipped out his Yo Yo……  The kids screamed with delight.  He called over one of his assistant Instructors and told him to make an attack, as he did so Sensei sent the Yo Yo out with blinding speed hitting him in the chest, pulling it back and then catching him on the knee and once again returning it to his hand.

“What do you think of that?”

I love the whooshing sound that a shinken blade makes as it cuts the air.  The soundless drawing of the blade as it unsheathes with the skilled use of both hands that allows it to slip seamlessly from the saya, the rapid expansion of the body causing the blade to power through the air and the way that the Iaido practitioner slides along the Dojo floor on knees or feet with the suriashi (gliding step) movement, utilising the hakama sabaki to prevent tripping over the divided trousers gives a beautiful feel to this deadly art.

It’s spellbinding watching Sensei practice, his perfect erect posture with straight back and hakama folded neatly around him as he sits in seiza.  The pregnant stillness before movement, the slight narrowing of the eyes as he identifies the opponent, the way he uses powerful thigh muscles to rise up with his head moving directly upwards as opposed to leaning forwards.  I love the explosion of movement with the nukitsuke as he draws and cuts with one fluid move, the contraction and expansion of the kirioroshi, the major cut, the different swish of the chiburi to shake the blood off the sword and the smooth co-ordinated noto to return the blade back to the saya.