Man... I remember learning the 31-Jo Kata. This brings back many memories of my Aikido training.

Saito-Sensei is awesome.

As a side note, the Jo was developed to defeat Musashi's two-sword technique, or so the legend goes. The Bo staff was too long to get close enough to Musashi in a duel (this was when Musashi was using wooden swords to duel). The Jo, on the other hand, was shorter, and quicker to setup a defense and counter-attack in the rematch.

Wish I could upvote, but we're both probationary members...

>> ^Kagenin:
As a side note, the Jo was developed to defeat Musashi's two-sword technique, or so the legend goes. The Bo staff was too long to get close enough to Musashi in a duel (this was when Musashi was using wooden swords to duel). The Jo, on the other hand, was shorter, and quicker to setup a defense and counter-attack in the rematch.

This is true, at least as passed down in legends since there are no documents from the time. However it is false to think that there is a connection between Shinto Muso Ryu, developed by Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi after his defeat against Musashi, and the Jo developed by O-sensei. O-sensei's Jo is an amalgam of yari (spear), bo and bayonet techniques. It is said O-sensei was so good with the bayonet he became chief instructor not six months after entering the army. For an example of Shinto Muso Ryu: http://youtube.com/watch?v=H_wv6JdY2lI. Notice the starting position, the overhead strikes and the thrust at the end which is made without sliding the hands on the jo at all.

What is called Jodo by the way is a dumbed-down version of Shinto Muso Ryu for Kendo practitioners.

beautiful

*dead

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