The technical level of Kendo worldwide is constantly rising.
I am pretty sure about this statement, since I could appreciate how new nations are joining the international community of the kenshi - and differently from what happened to the pioneers, the quality and the quantity of information, equipment and practice available are incredibly high.
Nowadays the average practitioner has access to high level sensei who are more than happy to share their experience and who are extremely encouraging with the most talented kenshi. The results, even in terms of self-confidence, are amazing. The variety and the complexity of the waza that can be observed even in very local tournaments is constantly growing: in particular, tsuki waza became more frequent than in the past.
It is already history, that some of the WKC finals have been decided by a well executed tsuki (in Glasgow, the unforgettable katate tsuki of Eiga against Kim, or the morote tsuki in the WKC in Novara). Actually, even on the internet, tsuki attacks are the most "liked", for their fearsome effectiveness and sheer spectacularity.
Inevitably, in every dojo comes the time to start teaching how to strike correct tsuki. And as any teacher knows, any technique takes time to be perfected. Unluckily, in the case of tsuki, mistakes can be pretty painful for motodachi - and also the simple awareness of this risk impairs the confidence of kakarite. It is difficult to practice tsuki on a mechanical dummy - on the long, it can even be counter-productive, since the the dummy cannot give a feedback regarding the strength of the strike, that has to be controlled, but sharp. The dummy would never complain and it could be dangerous to have the student develop an unncessarily violent attack.
The answer could be the human motodachi - with a twist. At least for tsuki oriented practice, the IBB Safety Guard is really a valid support.
Developed by high level sensei, on the basis of their wide teaching experience, it can be fastened to the menbuchi (buttons must be applied) and provides and extra layer of padded protection. It works wonders both for motodachi, who is well protected and can receive the strike without fear, and kakarite, who can develop the right amount of strength in all safety.
It could even be possible that in the future all Men will be provided with the buttons just out of the hands of the craftsman who assembles the bogu: I had my Men adapted by Tozando (who patented it) and I tried the IBB Safety Guard during a normal keiko session.
The protection is really effective, it really absorbs the hit comfortably. I would not recommend wearing it at all times though, since it obviously reduces the room between the Ago and the throat - it might feel awkward at the beginning. However, since the IBB Safety Guard is removable with ease, it would be ideal for teachers and senpai when they offer their students the opportunity to practice intensively all possible tsuki waza.
It is a simple device, but it might be responsible for making tsuki more precise, more frequent and, surely, safer.
Demo video by Tozando
I am pretty sure about this statement, since I could appreciate how new nations are joining the international community of the kenshi - and differently from what happened to the pioneers, the quality and the quantity of information, equipment and practice available are incredibly high.
Nowadays the average practitioner has access to high level sensei who are more than happy to share their experience and who are extremely encouraging with the most talented kenshi. The results, even in terms of self-confidence, are amazing. The variety and the complexity of the waza that can be observed even in very local tournaments is constantly growing: in particular, tsuki waza became more frequent than in the past.
It is already history, that some of the WKC finals have been decided by a well executed tsuki (in Glasgow, the unforgettable katate tsuki of Eiga against Kim, or the morote tsuki in the WKC in Novara). Actually, even on the internet, tsuki attacks are the most "liked", for their fearsome effectiveness and sheer spectacularity.
Inevitably, in every dojo comes the time to start teaching how to strike correct tsuki. And as any teacher knows, any technique takes time to be perfected. Unluckily, in the case of tsuki, mistakes can be pretty painful for motodachi - and also the simple awareness of this risk impairs the confidence of kakarite. It is difficult to practice tsuki on a mechanical dummy - on the long, it can even be counter-productive, since the the dummy cannot give a feedback regarding the strength of the strike, that has to be controlled, but sharp. The dummy would never complain and it could be dangerous to have the student develop an unncessarily violent attack.
The answer could be the human motodachi - with a twist. At least for tsuki oriented practice, the IBB Safety Guard is really a valid support.
Developed by high level sensei, on the basis of their wide teaching experience, it can be fastened to the menbuchi (buttons must be applied) and provides and extra layer of padded protection. It works wonders both for motodachi, who is well protected and can receive the strike without fear, and kakarite, who can develop the right amount of strength in all safety.
It could even be possible that in the future all Men will be provided with the buttons just out of the hands of the craftsman who assembles the bogu: I had my Men adapted by Tozando (who patented it) and I tried the IBB Safety Guard during a normal keiko session.
The protection is really effective, it really absorbs the hit comfortably. I would not recommend wearing it at all times though, since it obviously reduces the room between the Ago and the throat - it might feel awkward at the beginning. However, since the IBB Safety Guard is removable with ease, it would be ideal for teachers and senpai when they offer their students the opportunity to practice intensively all possible tsuki waza.
It is a simple device, but it might be responsible for making tsuki more precise, more frequent and, surely, safer.
Demo video by Tozando
