Moving to Prepare an Attack – Practice

Immediate Practice

5 minutes – Practice moving between the defensive and offensive posture. Always begin the movement forward by extending your arm first. When going back into the defensive posture, leave the arm extended until your head and body are safely pulled away. Practice with the sword in both your right and left hand.

5 minutes – Practice the offensive posture and have a partner examine you, or use a mirror or video to examine yourself. Check:

• hand in front of head,
• full extension of arm,
• profile of shoulders,
• weight over bent back leg,
• mostly straight front leg,
• alignment of feet to the line of direction.

Ongoing Practice

Practice moving between the defensive and offensive posture each day. This simple transition should be able to be done quickly, efficiently, and without error.

Practice holding the offensive posture for an extended period of time. Start with putting on a timer for one minute, then extend it to two minutes, three minutes, and beyond. Practicing holding a posture can help you develop strong stabilizer muscles and in the long run will make these athletic positions feel not only comfortable but powerful.