槍術 SŌ-JUTSU / Bujinkan spear fighting basics

There is four kamae in this technique. I start from 流水之構 RYŪSUI NO KAMAE and advance close enough to reach him with only one explosive step.

I bring my right hand down to my hip and lift the left hand up and knock his sword to the side assuming 征眼之構 SEIGAN NO KAMAE. Don't over do it (1), the tip of the spear should stop pointing directly towards the opponent. The movement must be powerful enough to knock away the sword creating an opening.

Then I thrust in with 中段之構 CHŪDAN NO KAMAE to his Suigetsu (2).

Finally I push him down with my knees (3) as the Yari comes down to 下段之構 GEDAN NO KAMAE (4).

1. Don't twist the hip, just move the right hand powerfully to your hip. If you don't knock his sword away you are not positioned correctly.

2. For those that have been to trainings with Noguchi Sensei when he teach Bōjutsu, he often tell us to keep the front hand with the thumb pointing towards yourself. If you hold as I do in these pictures but knuckles facing down, as you push down only the thumb is pushing and this is weak. Therefore you should turn your hand in Ura-direction. This is the way to do it correctly. If you have the armour and Kote on you are protected with the steel from above, and the Yari from under. If your hand is reversed your arm is targeted from a Gyaku-kesagiri from below.

3. You could withdraw and do another thrust, but if he has Yoroi he is very protected. Instead as you hit, push him down and as he falls he will be totally exposed. Of course he knows that and will try to avoid getting on his back.

4. If the spear is pointing down and your rear hand is below the shoulder it is Gedan no kamae. If the rear hand is above the shoulder it becomes Jōdan no kamae.