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Learn The Sword with Shihan Dana Abbott

Japanese Sword Training with Shihan Dana Abbott

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Tutorial

All the content on this site is copyrighted. Please do not download, copy or share the content with people who are not students on this website. As students of the Samurai sword we hope you will live by the Bushido Code. Thank you!

“Bushido teaches that men should behave according to an absolute moral standard, one that transcends logic. What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong. The difference between good and bad and between right and wrong are givens, not arguments subject to discussion or justification, and a man should know the difference.” Tim Clark, Soul Shelter

Please read the Course Overview before working through the Tachi-iai: Toyama-Ryu Iai Batto Do Japanese Swordsmanship Tutorials.

We have added Daily videos under Workouts to supplement your course training. These short videos can be viewed in any order and will answer many questions, while providing tips that will improve your training. If you have questions please email Shihan Abbott at shihan (at) samuraisports (dot) com and he will answer those questions.

Section One:
Learning Objectives 01-11
Performance Requirements 12-21
Section Two: Wood 22- 58
Section Three: Steel 59-76

 

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Japanese Swordsmanship

Training Content Links

  • Samurai Sports Training Center 

    A decade and half after mastering martial arts in Japan, Shihan Dana Abbott returned to Scottsdale, Arizona and opening Samurai Sports, Inc. and the Samurai…

  • 21 - Performance Requirements - Brown Level - 1st Kyu 

    The brown level 1st kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 20 - Performance Requirements - Brown Level - 2nd Kyu 

    The Brown Level 2nd kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 19 - Performance Requirements - Brown Level - 3rd Kyu 

    The brown level 3rd kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 18 - Performance Requirements - Purple Level - 4th Kyu 

    The purple level 4th kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 17 - Performance Requirements - Blue Level - 5th Kyu 

    Blue Level - 5th Kyu The blue level 5th kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must…

  • 16 - Performance Requirements - Green Level - 6th Kyu 

    The Green Level 6th kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 15 - Performance Requirements - Orange Level - 7th Kyu 

    The Orange Level 7th kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 14 - Performance Requirements - Yellow Level - 8th Kyu 

    The Yellow level 8th kyu student is required to perform the following sword techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 13 - Performance Requirements - White Level - 9th Kyu 

    The white level student is required to perform the following sword training techniques demonstrated in the videos below. You must duplicate each of the…

  • 12 - Performance Requirements 

    If you diligently follow the Learning Objectives and practice the techniques in the Wood Section and Steel Section you will be ready to pass the Performance…

  • 59 - Introduction to the Katana - Steel 

    The Steel Section offers a realistic view of Japanese swordsmanship. Up until this point you have been learning the basics in the Wood Section and…

  • 31 - Footwork Exercises - Wood 

    Footwork and their patterns consist of lines and angles. Footwork is an important part of the sword since most all-combative efforts are processed in a split…

  • 24 - Introduction to the Bokutou - Wood Bokken 

    The natural safe way to study Swordsmanship and the dynamics of the sword is to use a wooden sword known as a bokutou or bokken. That is why all masters of the…

  • 51 - Form Six - Roppon Me - Step by Step - Wood 

    Form six (Roppon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements, transitions and techniques that are important for this…

  • 76 - Form Eight - Happon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Stand in front of a stack of material to be severed. Assume a wide/astride kamae. Simultaneously draw the katana and proceed with a…

  • 75 - Form Seven - Nanahon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Attack the opponent’s front by entering into their circle of influence. Simultaneously draw the sword with a one-handed migi-kesa-giri…

  • 74 - Form Six - Roppon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Defend against an opponent using a right-handed overhead block to the rear. Immediately counter attack the opponent’s front by entering…

  • 73 - Form Five - Gohon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Attack the opponent’s front by entering into their circle of influence. Simultaneously drawing the katana and proceeding, from a migi…

  • 72 - Form Four - Yonhon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Attack the opponent approaching from your rear by first turning around into their circle of influence. Simultaneously drawing the katana…

  • 71 - Form Three - Sanbon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Attack the opponent to your left of by stepping along the side boundary of their circle of influence. Turn left into their circle…

  • 70 - Form Two - Nihon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Attack the opponent to your right by stepping along the side boundary of their circle of influence. Turn right into their circle as you…

  • 58 - Form Eight - Happon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form eight explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this practically applied Japanese military pre-arranged…

  • 57 - Form Eight - Happon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form eight (Happon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements, transitions and techniques that are important for…

  • 55 - Form Seven - Nanahon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form seven (Nanahon Me) explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this practically applied Japanese…

  • 54 - Form Seven - Nanahon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form seven (Nanahon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements, transitions and techniques that are important for…

  • 52 - Form Six - Roppon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form six (Roppon Me) explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this practically applied Japanese military…

  • 49 - Form Five - Gohon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of kata five explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this practically applied Japanese military pre-arranged…

  • 48 - Form Five - Gohon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form five (Gohon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements, transitions and techniques that are important for this…

  • 46 - Form Four - Yonhon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form four (Yonhon Me) explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this Japanese military pre-arranged form…

  • 45 - Form Four - Yonhon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form four (Yonhon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements and techniques that are important for this particular…

  • 43 - Form Three - Sanbon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form three (Sanbon-me) explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this Japanese military pre-arranged form…

  • 42 - Form Three - Sanbon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form three (Sanbon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements and techniques that are important for this particular…

  • 40 - Form Two - Nihon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form two explains in detail many of the subtitles that are incorporated into this pre-arranged Japanese military form. https://lear…

  • 39 - Form Two - Nihon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form two (Nihon Me) is broken down into stages to easily practice and understand the various movements and techniques. https://learnthesword.s3.amazonaws.com…

  • 37 - Form One - Ippon Me - Summary - Wood 

    The summarized version of form one explains in detail many of the subtleties that are incorporated into the pre-arranged form. https://learnthesword.s3.amazo…

  • 36 - Form One - Ippon Me - Step-by-Step - Wood 

    Form one (Ippon Me) is broken down into steps so you can easily practice and understand the various movements and techniques. Wooden bokken are not to be…

  • 29 - Stances and Foot Placement - Wood 

    The basic stance is standing straight up at "attention" with your feet off at an angle. Stand on the corner of any rectangle or square with your heels…

  • 26 - Triangle Guidelines - Wood 

    A triangle is formed by placing your elbows to your sides and bringing your hands together for an isosceles or equal sided triangle and is an essential…

  • 68 - Pre-Arranged Forms - Steel 

    Toyama Iai-batto-do training is designed to help the student understand the complexity of the Japanese katana and how to manipulate it effectively, which leads…

  • 11 - Learning Objectives - Brown Level - 1st Kyu 

    The Brown 1st level student will learn, practice and perfect Brown 1st level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve SHODAN or…

  • 10 - Learning Objectives - Brown Level - 2nd Kyu 

    The Brown 2nd Level student will learn, practice and perfect brown 2nd level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve Brown 1st…

  • 09 - Learning Objectives - Brown Level - 3rd Kyu 

    The brown 3rd level student will learn, practice and perfect brown 3rd level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve Brown 2nd…

  • 08 - Learning Objectives - Purple Level - 4th Kyu 

    The Purple Level student will learn, practice and perfect purple level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve Brown 3rd…

  • 07 - Learning Objectives - Blue Level - 5th Kyu 

    The blue level student will learn, practice and perfect blue level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve purple level. Revie…

  • 06 - Learning Objectives - Green Level - 6th Kyu 

    The green level student will learn, practice and perfect green level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve blue level. Holdi…

  • 05 - Learning Objectives - Orange Level - 7th Kyu 

    The orange level student will learn, practice and perfect orange level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve green level. Gr…

  • 04 - Learning Objectives - Yellow Level - 8th Kyu 

    The yellow level student will learn, practice and perfect yellow level curriculum. At the end of this period the student will test to achieve orange level. B…

  • 03 - Learning Objectives - New Student - White Level 

    Learning Objectives - New Student - White Level 9th Kyu The new student will watch, learn, practice and perfect the new student curriculum. At the end of…

  • 02 - Learning Objectives - Overview 

    New student through Brown Belt 1st Kyu preparing for Shodan 1st Degree Black Belt The following guide contains the Learning Objectives from each level from…

  • 01 - Learning Objectives - Introduction and Guidelines 

    Learn the Sword's Samurai Training Program is a structured ranking and training system that allows you to learn the sword in an efficient manner using a…

  • 67 - Cutting Patterns - Katana - Steel 

    The forms provided in this tutorial are pre-arranged forms demonstrating draws, cuts, sheathings and techniques as recognized in all Japanese long sword kata.…

  • 34 - Pre-Arranged Forms - Wood 

    Toyama-Iai-Batto-Do Pre-arranged forms instruct, teach and hone your ability to understand basic and intermediate concepts within the long sword. Some forms…

  • Training2 

    On Line Training Program Click here to watch Cyber Sensei in action! Test Cutting Package You will be able to cut your teeth and discover your mettle on…

  • 69 - Form One - Ippon Me - Steel 

    Application Overview Attack the opponent to your front by first walking into their circle of influence. Simultaneously, draw your sword and proceed with a…

  • 66 - Stances and Posturing - Steel 

    The stances you learned training with wood employ almost the same foundation as the stances you will use with the steel katana. Please take extra care with the…

  • 65 - Sheathing the Katana - Steel 

    Sheathing the katana is another important aspect of learning the sword. There are many ways to sheath a sword and you may have some ideas of your own. Feel…

  • 64 - Drawing the Katana - Steel 

    The art of drawing the Japanese katana requires practice and finesse. It is a crucial phase of your training and the most challenging aspect of the katana. You…

  • 63 - Handling the Katana - Steel 

    Handling the katana correctly is a necessity. You do not want it ejected or flung from your hands. It should be held tightly, but do not let the force of your…

  • 62 - Sageo Cord - Steel 

    Most all-Japanese swords have a sageo which is used to keep the handle tied to the sheath when not in use. There are many ways to tie the sageo. (BTW, the…

  • 61 - Art of Bowing - Steel 

    There are many aspects to holding and bowing with a sword. When you are standing or walking you should carry (Teito) the sword in the left hand by gripping the…

  • 60 - Anatomy of the Katana - Steel 

    For centuries Japanese sword makers have striven to get their steel katanas to have perfect weight and balance. There are less expensive stamped or constructed…

  • 56 - Form Eight - Happon Me - Wood 

    The application of form eight tells how a stack of material can be severed vertically. Assume a wide stance while lifting the bokken over your head and execute…

  • 53 - Form Seven - Nanahon Me - Wood 

    The application of form seven (Nanahon Me) illustrates two diagonal downward cuts followed up with a thrust to the chest. A one handed right downward diagonal…

  • 50 - Form Six - Roppon Me - Wood 

    The application of form six (Roppon Me) teaches a deflection technique, followed up with a downward diagonal cut and a vertical cut with full arc. A left…

  • 47 - Form Five - Gohon Me - Wood 

    The application of form five (Gohon Me) illustrates a three cut form consisting of downward diagonal cuts. A left diagonal downward two-handed cut followed by…

  • 44 - Form Four - Yonhon Me - Wood 

    The application of form four shows you a spinning foot pattern necessary for a reverse right diagonal downward cut to be followed by a left diagonal downward…

  • 41 - Form Three - Sanbon Me - Wood 

    The application of form three familiarizes you with pivoting and executing a right-handed thrust plus a two handed diagonal cut in real time. The first…

  • 38 - Form Two - Nihon Me - Wood 

    The application of form two introduces you to a right-handed horizontal cut plus a two handed diagonal cut in real time. The first cut performed is a one-handed…

  • 35 - Form One - Ippon Me - Wood 

    The application of form one introduces you to an upward and downward diagonal cut in real time. The first cut is a right diagonal upward cut. The second cut is…

  • 33 - Focal Points - Wood 

    The Toyama Iai-batto-do kata series was created to be applicable in all conditions and situations. Learning these focal points will allow you to be more…

  • 32 - Kihon Form - General Concepts - Wood 

    The four basic strikes and the thrust provide the swordsman with a strong arsenal of attacks that cover all targets. The four strikes plus a thrust can be seen…

  • 23 - Warm Up Exercises - Bokutou - Wood 

    Warm Up Exercises - Bokutou - Wood Combative warm up exercises, stretches and movements have been used for centuries. Below are exercise videos which are…

  • 30 - Eight Basic Stances - Wood 

    In Iai-batto-do there are eight basic stances that must be learned. They consist of right and left versions providing ambidextrous movements in chudan, jodan,…

  • 28 - Drawing and Sheathing Bokutou - Wood 

    Wooden swords (bokken/ bokutou) were designed to further enhance the instruction of combative sword technique and evasive action and do not require a sheath…

  • 27 - Cutting and Striking Bokutou - Wood 

    If the grip of the Japanese sword is held with the right amount of pressure your hand, elbow and shoulder can move simultaneously creating downward, upward,…

  • 25 - Gripping Grasping Holding Bokutou - Wood 

    Whether it is kenjutsu, kendo, tameshigiri, iaido, batto-do, or gumdo gripping and holding the sword is one of the most essential aspects of study no matter…

  • 22 - Introduction/Overview - Wood 

    Bokutou - Wood Bokken The Japanese long sword known as the katana was used by the Japanese military throughout history and this tutorial is a detailed,…


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by Mark Beljaars

About Dana Abbott

Shihan Dana Abbott is an expert in Kenjutsu, or Japanese Swordsmanship. He has earned the rank of Shihan 7th Degree Black Belt.

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