Hey buddy! As long as you know the basic strikes and cuts ...just put them togethor in a form. Use your own creativity, but make sure you breath proberly and have fun with it. How do you think a form or kata was started anyways? Peace and good luck.
I don't think he has even learned the sword strikes from somebody qualified to teach... Basically, if you have no idea what you are doing, you shouldn't be using a sword... ask your sensei for help, never try doing sword techniques without being supervised by a sensei, on top of possibly hurting yourself or the sword, you could be picking up bad habits and doing things wrong and each time you do this it will be harder and harder to correct. Hafer, I'm sure sword forms weren't created overnight, but over years and years of revision. Cougar, if you want to learn to use a weapon or any type of martial arts, check with an instructor.
Actually this month my dojo is doing the Basic Sword class for us newbies so far we've learning stances, cuts, blocks and we've done a little free sparing. But i agree completly with JMC here playing with swords and not knowing what you're doing is very dangerous even with a bokken. Those things hurt the noggin.
Yes, I've learned a couple of sword forms - don't remember the Japanese names unfortunately So if your question was asking if there are designated 'Ninjutsu sword forms' that answer I believe would be yes
if you are looking for the basic "stances" (does not include the transition from one to the other) . they are listed below (sorry for the size, but it's a scanned image so I need it large to see the printing)
DO NOT TRY TO LEARN A SWORD ART BY LOOKING AT PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, if you just want to look at them for informative purposes or to learn about it, fine. However, learning to fight with a sword from a picture is silly and dangerous and won't teach you anything about how to do a proper strike, how to hold it, what muscles to use when you strike..etc. It will make you WORSE.
if you have nothing else then its all you have. it really does help, though, because as you practice any kinks messing you up will smooth out.(of course prior training in some combat MA is useful beyond description)-example-i was into kenjutsu before ninjutsu and couldnt find a sensei so i practiced on my own. i started with the "hammer grip" and using only the arm muscles, but after about a month i found someone to tell me the details of doing it properly and found the only thing i was missing was footwork, I had the diagonal grip,the torso movement, and reflexes, and since i didnt have formal training and it wasnt drilled into my brain completely i just changed the footwork there and never went back, and i am better for the month of training than i would have been without it so i agree with jedi to an extent, you should try to find some one who knows, but if there isnt anyone near you, you can/-last resort-\start or train on your own with books\videos\internet, but always verify the author and always be looking for a sensei. JUST BE CAREFUL you can get hurt. if it seems too dangerous find a safe way to get it right before you do it for real
Nope, gotta agree with JMC on this one. You cannot learn sword from a book. The aforementioned photos assume you have a basic grounding in swordwork and are only ONE example of what having a sword in hand looks like in any particular kamae (another shameless plug, read my article "Kamae" in the article section). You really must have a trained instructor to teach you sword. Bad ahbits are very had to drop, especially once you have gotten it into your head that you are doing it right.
yeah i agree with all your supporting statements but as drunkninja said in another post "a naked man can practice ninjutsu" if you have an available dojo this is a very bad idea compared to training under a sensei, but if you dont have one and are determined to learn it then always listen about technique and the feeling you should get (because that is sometimes the only way to know if you have it right) to people who know, look for information on technique and dojos and add to your training as your knowledge grows. as kurohana said it is very good to have a grounding in martial arts. if you keep an open mind dropping bad techniques(i dont know why this helps or if it works for everyone but it does for me and i say that from experience) is easy when you find a dojo.just dont quit searching
My sensei has a saying "practice makes perfect is wrong. Perfect practice makes perfect." There is no way you can learn sword "perfect" from a book. Sword forms and moves, specifically ones with a kanata are so refined that a book/picture can never substitute for a sensei. Books and picture are to add to the training for a existing student, not for a beginner to learn from.
I'm not sure how this thread got to the "you must teach with a Sensei", but I don't think that was the original intention.. I'm sure we all agree that the "best" way to learn is to have someone show you the forms etc. .and learning from a "Static" source as a book is not the best way.. but lets face it.. not everyone has the location near a club, or the time or money to take classes. I posted the pages so cougar could get an view of the basic stances.. (notice I did not say "understanding")
I know ckc, don't get the impression we were disagreeing with you, you were just showing him, that's fine. Just so he doesn't go around trying to be a ninja getting himself hurt or making himself worse.
My Husband (drunkninja) also has another saying, " Teaching by word will not penatrate like teaching with a sword" it means if you are just talked at you will never learn, but when shown in person you will learn a whole lot quicker!! thanks Kagebushi for my husbands quote im going to tease him about that later but for sword techniques it always good to practice by yourself, ninjutsu sword techniques has its basics, but all of them is just your body moving! Take your bokken and try to keep it close to your body and imagine it as your arm and just move!!! as you get better you will see what is fluid and what is not! if anyone disagrees with this exercise dont say anything until you have tried it!! Hatsumi said the easiest way to technique is by something really stupid, but the easier it is the harder it is todo!
