Wrist, Elbow, Shoulder Cuts – Practice

Immediate Practice

• 5 minutes – Wrist Cuts.
  • Practice making the fendente cut from the wrist alone.
  • Keep the arm straight with minimal bend to the elbow.
  • Ensure your cutting path is vertical and the edge alignment is straight.
  • Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with the sword preparing to the inside and 10 reps with the sword preparing to the outside.
  • Alternate with 3 sets of the same with the sword in your opposite hand.
• 5 minutes – Elbow Cuts
  • Practice making the fendente cut from the elbow.
  • Allow the wrist to be relaxed.
  • Ensure the cut travels from the head to waist.
  • Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with the sword preparing to the inside and 10 reps with the sword preparing to the outside.
  • Alternate with 3 sets of the same with the sword in your opposite hand.
• 5 minutes – Shoulder Cuts
  • Allow the sword arm to move in a large arc.
  • Turn the torso to allow the body to power the cut.
  • Cut from the head to the feet.
  • Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with the sword preparing to the inside and 10 reps with the sword preparing to the outside.
  • Alternate with 3 sets of the same with the sword in your opposite hand.
• 5 minutes – Three rotation pattern
  • Practice the pattern from the lesson moving from wrist, to elbow, to shoulder, back to elbow, to wrist.
  • Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with the sword preparing to the inside and 10 reps with the sword preparing to the outside.
  • Alternate with 3 sets of the same with the sword in your opposite hand.

Ongoing Practice

• Practice all of the 8 cuts as wrist cuts, elbow cuts, and shoulder cuts.
• Practice patterns where you move between cuts from different point of rotation, noting how they change the power, time, and rhythm of cuting.
• Try the three rotation pattern with different cut angles.