Seitei Waza

[Jonathan Anderson]

As it is important to know the names of the kata, here they are, in order. Remember that when you test for promotion, you'll be asked to perform 5 kata, and you'll only be told the names of the kata you'll be asked to do.

Seitei Iaido Kata:
Ippon me – Mae (Frontal attack)
Nihon me – Ushiro (Rear attack)
Sanbon me – Uke Nagashi (Receive and deflect)
Yonhon me – Tsuka ate (Strike with the Tsuka)
Gohon me – Kesa Giri (Diagonal cut/Preist’s robes cut)
Roppon me – Morote Tsuki (Two handed thrust)
Nanahon me – Sanpo Giri (Three directional cut)
Hachihon me – Ganmen Ate (Striking the face)
Kyuuhon me – Soete Tsuki (Braced thrust/Assisted hand thrust)
Juppon me – Shiho Giri (Four directional cut)
Juu-ichi-honme – Soh Giri (All cuts).
Juu-nihonme – Nuki Uchi (Draw and direct cut)

[mrind001]

Let me see if I get this, the Seitei Waza (Set) is a uniformed set of waza (12 in total) that is universal for the various styles of Iaido. After those 12 are the koryo (old school ;D ) waza's that are specific to each individual style of iaido. This means you learn the seitei set first before the koryo.......

Ipponme Mae- kneeling-attack from the front
Nihonme Ushiro- kneeling-attack from the rear
Sanbnme Ukenagashi- kneeling-attack from the left side
Yonhonme Tsuka-ate- kneeling-attack from front and rear
Gohonme Kesa Giri- standing- cut the enemy's armpit, then diagonal cut on left shoulder
Ropponme Morote Tsuki-standing-attack from front and rear
Nanahonme Sanpo Giri- standing- three directional cut, similar to ropponme morote tsuki??

As for the rest (other 5), I have no clue as to what they are.....but i'm confident that I will learn them

1. I noticed that some of the waza are from a kneeling position while others are from a standing position....can they be done from either position (i.e.- ipponme mae can be done standing and gohonme kesa giri be done from a kneeling position?)

2. when going to test for promotion and you are given the 5 kata to perform, I take it you are to perform the 5 kata in the order they are given to you (i.e.- nihonme, ipponme, gohonme, then sanbonme as an example of the order)

[Jonathan Anderson]

Yes, you seem to have the general gist there.

To question 1, strictly speaking the first three kata should be done from seiza, the forth should be from tatehiza, and the rest should be standing. That being said, a person can, if they have a physical affliction, perform the first four kata from a standing start. As for numbers 5-12, the waza in question might be possible from a seated beginning, they are intended, and were created to be done from standing. Off the top of my head, kesa giri strikes me as being one that would be exceedingly difficult to do without striking the ground with one's sword, to say nothing of actually hitting the intended target. What this all comes down to is understanding the bunkai of each kata.

To question 2, yes you are to perform the 5 given kata in the order prescribed by the shinsa panel, but they will always be given in ascending order. For example, one might be asked to perform Mae, Tsuka-ate, Morote Tsuki, Soete-zuki, and Sogiri - not Morote Tsuki, Sogiri, Mae, Tsuka-ate, and Soete-zuki.

Questions?

[mrind001]

Sweet!!! This now makes more sense
This is what happens when you are a book whore and read so much....I was reading my book Iai, and I started to flip through the chapters once I saw that the first waza was just how you showed us and sure enough everyone that was shown was just as you demonstrated.....I am psyched now!!! ;D

[Jonathan Anderson]

Would that be Iai: The Art of Drawing the Sword by Darrell Max Craig by any chance?

[mrind001]

Yep.....that's one of my books.