New website for Suio-ryu of San Diego

[Mad Monk]

Greetings,

I just wanted to let you know that the Suio-ryo of San Diego has a new website. Check it out!

Best Regards,

http://www.suioryusandiego.org

[Rock Ape]

Thanks for the information.. Do you train at that dojo, I'm presuming you do.

[Mad Monk]

Sure do.

Thanks for checking it out!

[Permalost]

Interesting. I've never heard the term kempo describe a sword art, usually just punch and kick type stuff. Do you guys spar? What's the kusarigama like?

[jspeedy]

Interesting site. I know nothing about JMA but JMA weapons instruction has always interested me. As a novice this site gives me the impression that they have a direct lineage to Japan and thus teach authentic weapons forms. They even have that cool ninja weapon chain thing. As a bonus they didn't spout any ninja crap.

When I read kenpo I assumed i'd see the typical mullet having guys that teach endless combinations of moves. I didn't even see any Ed Parker worship.

I have one question is the following quote true?JMA guys?: "Kenpo is the classical term for kenjutsu"

[Plasma]

Yes, I have run into term kenpo to describe Ko-Ryu Kenjustu. The confusion is fist and blade can be both pronounced "ken" but they are two different kanji. Unfortunately I am on my phone so I can't post them.

[daishi]

Nice to see Suio Ryu going a little more public. Nice, clean website void of the overbearing clutter or simple technical glitches that are common in many martial arts webpages. Give my regards to Mr. Stokes, my group knows him through our affiliation with Yamazaki Sensei.

[Mad Monk]

It does seem peculiar at first as the term kempo is commonly associated with either Shorinji Kempo or various permutations and hybridizations of empty-handed arts.

There are 2 very different kanji characters that represent ken: 1) sword 2) fist. The kanji character for po translates more accurately as "strategies and/or methods." Therefore, kenpo translates as something along the lines of "strategies and/or methods of swordsmanship." For someone who can read kanji, they can instantly tell the difference. Otherwise it can get confusing!

We don't spar as we'd be cutting our lives and/or livelihood pretty short (no pun intended). Although we commonly use bokuto, jo, and wooden naginata, we have used live blades to illustrate fine points (damn unintended puns) and it's truly amazing how easy it is to get cut even in non-combative movements. It really instills a deep respect for the severity of the weapon you hold.

I haven’t trained in kusarigama yet. It’s certainly on the roster, but there's such an exhaustive amount of kata in the Suio-ryu curriculum, that it's one of those bridges I’ll cross when I get to it. If you want to see some remarkable footage of kusarigama being performed by Katsuse Yoshimitsu Kagehiro (15th Soke), just type Suio-ryu into YouTube. If it's still up, NHK World's series Samurai Spirit: Kobudo episode features some great footage of Soke demonstrating kusarigama. It's something I really look forward to and look forward to being able to answer your question myself.

Thanks for your interest!

Regards,

Bradford Pomeroy

[daishi]

I definitely hear you on the non-combatative cutting part. It took me several weeks to smoothly be able to draw and noto. Or when your koiguchi starts to wear out and your sword begins slip in and out a little too easily (yeah, I should have paid more attention to my thumb trapping the tsuba).

Doesn't your training include kumi-iai sets? Or by 'not sparring' did you mean either with live blade or not doing jiyuwaza with bokuto?

[Mad Monk]

Doesn't your training include kumi-iai sets? Or by 'not sparring' did you mean either with live blade or not doing jiyuwaza with bokuto?[/QUOTE]

It certainly does include kumi-iai and you are right about the latter regarding jiyuwaza. For those that are unaware, jiyuwaza refers to improvisation and 'free-sparring.’ What we do is paired practice rather than just going at it full on.