Standing Iaido?

RW · Green Belt

As you guys might remember, I was asking about Iaido not long ago.

So I went to this Iaido seminar taught by a karate instructor and I was hooked. We were taught 2 iaido kata for beginners, which are the 2 first ones you can see in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yywpiIVKioI&index=14&list=PL-dDmh9shz0Nnpd2_djFBlqUXAYqJwSe5&t=

I got so into it that I now want to find a iaido/iaijitsu school to really practice it. The issue is... everything I find about Iaido/Iaijitsu teaches these same kata but from seiza. I am not really interested on doing the techniques from seiza (I have bad knees).

Many people tell me that the first 4 Iaido katas are taught from seiza, and think that it's really odd that I was taught standing versions, but it's a real thing (look at that video... I am not crazy!

)

I don't know much about Iaido, so I was wondering, are there different Iaido styles? How come this video here and the seminar I went to teach these standing Katas? I really want to find this style so I can pursue instruction

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

As in all other Japanese martial arts, there are difference and variations in Iaido. These all depend on the traditions as well as the place(region in Japan) and time of origin. Generally speaking the kata of iaido include drawing and cutting from different positions from sitting in seiza to standing, walking and everything in between.

The basic idea is that a swordsman or samurai had to be constantly aware and train so that he could draw his sword from whatever position he was at the time. Never to be in a vulnerable position or unable to draw.

singularity6 · Pre-Black Belt

The style of iaido I was learning taught both sitting and standing forms.

Of course, they also had me doing very advanced waza on days 2 and 3 (things I'd expect wouldn't be taught until at least a year or 2 of training has been completed.)
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5th Geup Jidokwan Tae Kwon Do/Hap Ki Do

(Never officially tested in aikido, iaido or kendo)

RW · Green Belt

Saveloy · White Belt

I've only just started Iaido in January, but will offer what knowledge I have gained so far.

The style we study at our Dojo is Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.
We are in Seiza a fair bit and fortunately permitted to wear knee pads (cheating I know).
The first five forms in our school are Mae, Migi, Hidari, Ushiro & Yae Gaki which traditionally all start from Seiza.
We do perform these from standing sometimes, but it is not the norm.

For what it is worth, I struggle more with my instep and toes rather than the knees as my feet have high arches and clawed toe (stretching helps).

It's an amazing art, beautiful to watch and well worth try it if your able to.
I would discuss these issues with your would be Sensei before starting.

Good luck with your endeavors.
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Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away, and you have their shoes too.

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

Spodo Komodo · Blue Belt

The Seitei kata which are the standardised forms used for grading and competition purposes have standing variations for those less able to perform from seiza. I trained alongside someone who had both knees removed by the IRA years ago and he could do nothing once he was kneeling. He graded from standing and eventually adapted those koryu kata which were not suitable for his disability so that he could demonstrate the main technique without having to go too low down.

Wado Heretic · Green Belt

There are not many ways to avoid seiza in the practice of any traditional martial art, never mind Iaidō. The version of Iaidō propagated by the Zen Nippon Iaidō Renmei is strongly influenced by Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū. The majority of the Waza, or techniques, of said school are initiated from Seiza or Tatehiza. Similarly, all of the Koryū from which the Tōhō kata are drawn, and from which the Seitei-Gata were developed, come from schools where techniques are performed from Seiza.

The most popular form of Iaido outside of Zenkenren Iaido, so far as I know, is Musō Shinden-ryū, which is a descendent school of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and thus is similarly built around Waza from Seiza and Tatehiza.

Koryū which have an Iaijutsu or Battojutsu curriculum generally practice drawing techniques from Iai-Goshi (kneeling position) or Tachi-Ai (standing), but getting involved in the world of Koryū is another kettle of fish.

Toyama-ryū is a modern school of Battojutsu which I know to be fairly popular. It performs its techniques exclusively from Tachi-Ai, however, I am not sure how popular it is outside of California in the U.S.A.

Otherwise, there are the various Iai-Gata found within the Kenjutsu of the Takamatsu Den. However, to find those requires entering the shadowy world of Ninpō Bugei and the X-Kans, and I would not advise that in good conscious to any one.

On balance, and as mentioned by Spodo Komodo, it might be best to seek out a teacher willing to instruct specifically in the standing versions of the Seitei-Gata.
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R. Keith Williams

rhilllakefield · Yellow Belt

All Iaido forms can be done from a standing position, as a part of regular practise, and as a modification to the standard forms.

In our local school there are a few practitioners in their 70's that prefer training from standing.

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