Essay: The Benefits of Kirikaeshi

Kirikaeshi is regarded by the ones who practice the Art of Kendo as containing all the necessary basic elements of kendo. Kirikaeshi, meaning continuous cuts, helps one to practice and better understand the basic movement, coordination, tounochi, striking distance, timing, and breathe control. All of these elements are important in becoming a skilled kendoist.

Commonly kirikaeshi is the first and last exercise of every practice. Some basic movements used in kirikaeshi are large men strikes, strikes with fumikomu and strikes with sliding step footwork. Initially when beginning kirikaeshi at issoku itto no maai position. For this initial strike fumikomu foot work is used with a large men strikes. Doing so helps to develop good posture with striking at the furthest distance possible. Following are nine sequential cuts, 4 forward and 5 backward using a sliding step type of footwork. Practicing sliding step foot work helps increase speed and cutting sharpness. Large men strikes are used for all cuts in kirikaeshi helping to develop a range of solid and full cuts. The cuts with fumikomu are straight and the cuts with sliding foot work use sayu-men which help to practice variances in strikes.

Coordination is developed in all actions that are in kirikaeshi. The initial bow and greeting becomes more fluid and coordinated. The knowledge of how far away or close to get to modochi comes with more practice and changing the various types of footwork becomes more coordinated with practice.

Tenouchi is practiced during every cut in kirikaeshi. Properly practicing tenouch helps to develop a sharpness and firmness with all strikes in kendo. Also more control is gained by increasing tenouchi strength. Each strike is ended with tenouchi and practicing kirikaeshi helps to release and grip the shinai in a repeated fashion.

Striking distance in kendo is extremely important. Kirikaeshi provides an excellent opportunity to better understand the importance of these distances. The cuts with fumikomu are at far distance and the cuts using sliding step foot work are at a much closer distance. Kirikaeshi practice helps one to realize variable distances and how to compensate appropriately. After the first two cuts with fumikomu the shidachi uses tai-atari to place modachi in the appropriate distance to continue striking. Knowing where an opponent needs to be is important in making valid cuts and kirikaeshi provides adequate practice for evaluating the appropriate distance. It is also necessary on the final strike that shidachi passes through and turns to modachi after the appropriate distance has been traveled. Making enough distance while passing through is important so that an opponent is out of striking distance while turning around.

Striking at the timing of the fumikomu is an important technique. This is practiced on three occasions in kirikaeshi. Just as important though is the basic footwork used in the nine sequential cuts. The timing for each strike must be correct. Doing so helps to make strikes strong, sharp and accurate. Timing of the kai-ai must also be correct to keep fluid amount of energy through all of kirikaeshi.

The appropriate amount of kai-ai is necessary in all the cuts through kirikaeshi. If shidachi expels too much kai-ai in the first cut then there is none in reserve for the next nine sequential cut and all energy flow will be wasted. If not enough kai-ai is used then the first cut will seem empty and the next sequential cut will not have enough energy and they will be seem like empy cuts as well. Kirikaeshi should be completed with 2 breaths and practicing this will build a stronger kai-ai. Also, in practicing kirikaeshi this way it helps to build a stronger sense of urgency and how quickly one is recovers to keep on striking.

There are many benefits in practicing the basics in kendo. Everything in kendo seems to have a basic movement that it relates to. There are even benefits of receiving kirikaeshi. From helping a flow of energy pass between shidachi and modachi to improving ones coordination by anticipating strikes. The benefits of kirikaeshi continually evolve as one becomes more skilled at kendo.