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Iwama Bokken Awase
described by Mark Jackson
Revision 1.0, 29-April-2003 
 
News & Events
Methuen Aikido Photos from the recent Ikeda Sensei Seminar are now here
Northeast Aikikai Chelmsford Congrats to all who tested this past week at Northeast Aikikai. Photos soon.
3/28/04 Mitsunari Kanai Shihan passed away in Toronto, Canada.
Northeast Aikikai Chelmsford Sensei Hiroshi Ikeda Seminar May 14-16th, 2004.
Methuen Aikido New discounts program at the Methuen Aikido!
1st Awase Right Side
Attacker: Perform the 1st suburi. Advance the right foot forward and perform shomen uchi.
Defender: Slide forward and to the right with the right foot, fix the left foot into hanmi and perform shomen uchi. Cutting down the center of the attacker's body. Your right foot should point between the attacker's feet.

1st Awase Left Side

Attacker: The same as above.
Defender: Step to the left with the left foot, align the right foot behind the left and perform shomen uchi in left hanmi. The left shoulder needs to drive forward a bit more to make a complete cut because you have your left foot forward but your right hand is forward on the bokken.

2nd Awase Right Side

Attacker: Perform the 2nd suburi. Step back with the right foot and then advance the right foot forward and perform shomen uchi.
Defender: Step to the right, fix the left foot into hanmi and perform shomen uchi. The defense can also be done on the left side, as in the 1st awase.

3rd Awase

Attacker: Perform the 3rd suburi. Step back with the right foot into waki gamae and then advance the right foot forward and perform shomen uchi.
Defender: Perform the same movement as the attacker. Stepping slightly to the right when cutting shomen uchi. Cutting down the center of the attacker's body.

4th Awase

Attacker: Perform the 4th suburi. Step forward with the right foot and cut shomen uchi, as in the 1st suburi. Then step forward with the left foot and cut shomen uchi.
Defender: Start in left hanmi. Step back with the left foot and parry the attacker's first cut with a fairly vertical cut of your own. When the attacker steps forward with the left foot, step back with the right foot and parry the strike with a fairly vertical cut. Continue to step back as the attacker steps forward.

5th Awase

Attacker: Step with the left foot and strike defender's right shoulder as in 5th suburi.Rotate the bokken overhead, as in the 5th suburi and strike shomen uchi on the defender's left side.
Defender: Step back with the right foot and parry strike. Then step back with the left foot to parry the attacker's next strike.

6th Awase

Attacker: Perform the 6th suburi. Step back with the right foot and then forward with the right foot and cut shomen uchi, as in the 2nd suburi. Then slide forward and thrust. Rotate the sword over your head clockwise, step forward with the left foot and cut shomen uchi. Slide the left foot forward and thrust.
Defender: Start in left hanmi. Step back with the left foot to parry the attacker's first cut. Slide back to parry the thrust, keeping the bokken fairly vertical. When the attacker steps forward with the left foot, step back with the right foot and parry the strike with a fairly vertical cut. Slide back without stepping to parry the thrust.

7th Awase

Both start in right hamni stance and then change to left hanmi while raising sword tips slightly.
Attacker: Step with right foot to strike defender's left shoulder.
Defender: Defend by stepping back with the left foot to parry as in the 5th awase and then pin attacker's sword.
Attacker: Drop the sword beneath defender's sword and step with left foot to thrust.
Defender: Step back with right foot to parry the thrust. Repeat