1. Do you have any suggestions for honing the decision-making of whether to tiatari or to strike through after a cut?
That is rather hard to tell. First off, you should be able to ready to execute taiatari or a strike after your initial strike. If your lower body is left behind after your strike, you cannot either strike or execute taiatari.
It depends on how far/close you are to your opponent. This is something you need to study.
It would be difficult to pull your arms in after you miss the initial strike if that is a men strike so I would probably go towards my opponent even if I miss it. But then I will pull my hands back to tsubazeri-ai position and then execute a hiki waqze.
2. How do you measure how much tiatari to use when practising against smaller/less physically strong kendoka?
You mean how powerful your taiatari should be against smaller/less physically strong people? I would say it should be strong enough for them to receive it. And I would make it a little challenging so they can try harder. I don’t recommend to execute a full-on taiatari on these people unless they can take it.
3. Any suggestions for receiving taitari? And is it worthwhile to have some training on ukemi?
You should keep your hands at the height of your tare. Of course, it changes depending on the height of your opponent. Keep your left knee straight and as you receive you take a little step on the right foot. The tsuka of your shinai and your opponent’s will contact on the taiatari. Keep your abs tight and almost at the same time of taiatari extend your arms forward, but not fully extend just push your hands forward. If you stick your abs out too much, not only it won’t work well but also you will hurt your back so be careful.
A few questions:
1. Do you have any suggestions for honing the decision-making of whether to tiatari or to strike through after a cut?
2. How do you measure how much tiatari to use when practising against smaller/less physically strong kendoka?
3. Any suggestions for receiving taitari? And is it worthwhile to have some training on ukemi?
Thank you for your questions!
That is rather hard to tell. First off, you should be able to ready to execute taiatari or a strike after your initial strike. If your lower body is left behind after your strike, you cannot either strike or execute taiatari.
It depends on how far/close you are to your opponent. This is something you need to study.
It would be difficult to pull your arms in after you miss the initial strike if that is a men strike so I would probably go towards my opponent even if I miss it. But then I will pull my hands back to tsubazeri-ai position and then execute a hiki waqze.
You mean how powerful your taiatari should be against smaller/less physically strong people? I would say it should be strong enough for them to receive it. And I would make it a little challenging so they can try harder. I don’t recommend to execute a full-on taiatari on these people unless they can take it.
You should keep your hands at the height of your tare. Of course, it changes depending on the height of your opponent. Keep your left knee straight and as you receive you take a little step on the right foot. The tsuka of your shinai and your opponent’s will contact on the taiatari. Keep your abs tight and almost at the same time of taiatari extend your arms forward, but not fully extend just push your hands forward. If you stick your abs out too much, not only it won’t work well but also you will hurt your back so be careful.