A Class by Bob Tobe

Sept. 10, 1991

Mark J. Norton


Yesterday, Bob Tobe stopped by the dojo to practice. I hadn't seen Bob in many years, but remembered well his occasional weapons class at the old dojo on Dutton St. I had intended to continue work on the 31 step kata, but seized the opportunity and invited Bob to teach, which he accepted.

The class started with several boken exercises designed to encourage the students to extend their swords and to be solid and centered during the cut. We started with five minutes of rowing exercise. Looking around, I noticed that several students were unfamiliar with this fundamental Aikido exercise. I must take the time to show them how to perform it properly because it has great bearing on sword practice.

Next came a set of single hand sword cuts. Bob emphasized bringing the sword up over the head before cutting and extending the sword as it cuts. The body shifts off of the line during the cut to avoid ai-uchi (a mutual kill). This was done on both the left and right sides. Left side is quite difficult since most of us lack good control with that hand.

In a horse-stance, we practiced overhead, shomenuchi cuts. Again, Bob indicated that we should reach out with the sword as we cut, extending it fully. At the bottom of the cut, the body settles on bending knees to absorb the ki expended during the cut. This is a good exercise for building control, balance, and centering, as well as extension.

The rest of the class was spent developing a kumi-tachi form. This form can be broken down as follows:

  1. Partners stand in sword-read position with perhaps two inches between their sword-tips.
  2. Uke slides in and cuts shomenuchi to Nage's head (first suburi).
  3. Nage steps to the side on his left foot and raises sword to block. When contact is made, the force of the sword is absorbed by nage to deliver a cut to kote. As the cut is madel, step back on the right foot. Bob said this was a "flowing water technique". Uke's sword should flow off of nage's block like water flowing over a rock.
  4. Uke steps back on his right foot to block the cut to his hand. A low block is used with pommel of the sword at this center. There should be no clash here, but rather the force absorbed smoothly. Uke then flips nage's sword to his right. This causes nage's sword to come around for a shomenuchi cut, stepping forward on his left foot.
  5. Uke lifts up his sword from it previous low blocking position to perform and inside block to nage's shomenuchi cut. With the blow neutralized, he quickly cuts back in to nage's head, ending the encounter.