~~Fighting Stances~~
Traditionally, the Japanese art of kendo uses a stance where the feet are parallel, with the right foot forward, a few inches separated from the left. The weight is carried on the balls of the foot, and any forward motion is initiated by springing off FROM the rear (left) foot. (NOT by throwing the forward (right) foot out).
Now, the older art of kenjutsu often employed wider stances, with the feet at an angle from one another. This was to compensate both for uneven ground, and for the weight of large battlefield weapons.
Lightsabre users tend to use loose, rather static stances, more reminiscent of the kenjutsu style. This would NOT because of the weight of the weapon.
If the swordsman is balanced, aware, upright and hold the centre with his blade, then there will be NO need to 'bob' and 'weave'. Whenever you duck or flinch, or twist yourself out of position, you slow your techniques down and make yourself vulnerable.
~~Footwork~~
The Japanese arts employ two main types of footwork:
- The first is similar to ordinary walking, putting one foot ahead of the other alternately. The feet are kept close to the ground, sort of gliding, so that if your motion is interrupted, you are always in a position to stop and be balanced. This footwork is used when closing large distances to the opponent. - The second type places one foot ahead of the other, often the right ahead of the left, and keeps the feet on that order. The forward foot moves forward a little, then the rear foot moves up the same amount, retaining the original stance. Classical western fencing also employs a similar footwork, to keep the body in the same orientation to the opponent. This type of footwork is employed in close fighting, where distances moved are shorter, and balance is more important than speed over the ground.
Any fighting art requires balance and control. Excessive motion is kept to a minimum and the orientation of the body to the opponent is kept at an optimum at all times. Both Hollywood and HongKong film producers have often tended to corrupt fighting arts of all sorts, using deliberately big, slow and clumsily unbalanced motions, because they are easier for the untutored eyes in the audience to follow. The Japanese themselves have had a sort of 'on-stage' sword style for hundreds of years - used by actors in the common kabuki theatre. These exaggerated motions bear only the slightest relation to the real techniques, which often look disappointingly 'plain' and repetitive to the untutored viewer. I assure you however, that the smaller, faster and more controlled motions are by far the more effective.
~~En-Guarde Positions~~
All sword arts, from all cultures, have had 'en-guarde' positions. A position, a stance, an attitude, with which to present the sword in readiness. These positions provide maximum opportunity to act and react to the opponent. The nature of the lightsabre, being closest to the Japanese weapons, lends itself to their style of 'en-guarde' positions. Indeed, an analysis of the known duels demonstrates most of the classic Japanese positions in use.
Japanese en-guarde positions are called 'kamae'. They entail not just a physical position but a mental and emotional stance as well, so the word 'attitude' is a better description that just 'stance'. Force using jedi would also be highly aware of their emotional states, and those of their opponents, so the comparison with Japanese sword positions is even stronger.
They are not always static positions. Any 'kamae' can be used in transition. That is, during the fluid motions of the fight, the sword moves from one position to another THROUGH these positions. Imagine you have raised your sword above your head ready to strike, but paused because the opportunity was no-longer there, you are now in a 'high' kamae (Jodan). Imagine you have made a big downward cut, but missed. Your sword is now pointing towards the floor. You are now in the 'low' kamae (Gedan). If your sword is in Gedan, the low guard, and you turn your body to the left 180 degrees, BUT LEAVE YOUR SWORD WHERE IT IS, then you end up in the 'hidden' guard .. Waki, where your sword is held low, to your right, pointing at the ground behind you. To deliver a downwards cut, you would raise it up to over your head (the Jodan position) and then strike down to the Gedan position. See?
Chudan The basic position is the 'middle guard'. The sword is held pointing towards the throat of your opponent. The hilt is slightly in front of your stomach, and the point angles up at 30-45 degrees. All cuts may be made from this position. This is the most powerful position, as when it is correctly held, it presents the ultimate defence. Your opponent must get past your central position or he/she will impale themselves on your point. Classical Kendo techniques often revolve round methods for 'tricking' your opponent into surrendering this 'centre' position. When you see two masters jostling each others swords in this position, they are 'playing-for-centre', for the opportunity to attack. This attitude is 'level', that is there is nothing in it to indicate your emotion or intention to your opponent. We see Lord Vader and General Kenobi duelling in this manner.
Gedan The low guard. The hands are in the same position, but the sword is lowered to point at the opponents knees. This is a weaker stance, it is often used to tempt the opponent into attacking. It is a submissive position, designed to look weak. Classic Kendo has no upwards cuts to make from here, and so this stance is rarely used (the only direct technique available is an upwards strike with the back of the blade to knock the opponents weapon aside). Older Japanese techniques might rotate the grip and generate a slightly diagonal upwards cut at the opponents hands. Lightsabres, of course, have no edge, and they can be used to cut in any direction, so an upwards strike is just as dangerous, although it would not be as powerful. Lord Vader severs Luke's wrist with an upwards cut, using the 'back' of his blade.
Jodan The upper guard. The sword is held over the head at about 45 degrees. The bottom of the handle points to the opponents eyes. This is a very aggressive stance ... there is very little time required to launch a downwards attack. It takes advantage of the MASS and MOMENTUM of the physical blade. However, this stance limits the techniques available, and makes your movements more predictable to your opponent. Lightsabre users NEVER seem to employ this stance as a static enguarde ... the massless blade is too quick to use, and a crossways slash across the belly could be used before the Jodan-player could react. As a result, Jodan is only seen in transition, in a split-second pause before a downwards attack. Luke Skywalker makes use of this technique. Lord Vader rarely uses this attack, as his large helmet and stiff shoulder armour make an over-the-head stance very clumsy.
Hasso The shoulder stance. In ancient times, Japanese Samurai wore very ornate helmets and large shoulder pads. As a result it became almost impossible to hold the sword over the head in Jodan. An alternative kamae was developed in which the sword was held upright, NEXT to the head, over the shoulder. The hands were held beside the jaw, and the elbows pointed downwards. Hasso is as aggresive a stance as Jodan, but seems a little more calm, and has more options available, as the hands are nearer to the body. This stance could be taken on either side of the head, though the right side was the more common. Lord Vader employs this stance very often, as his armour similarly restricts his movements. Almost 90% of his cuts are launched from a hasso position. As with Jodan, lightsabre users tend to use this stance in transition. The exaggerated motions of the massless blade together with the clumsy 'americanisation' of the movements tends to make this classic posture look more like a baseball swing. (just look at the jokers posing on the front cover of almost any ninja video!)
Waki This is the hidden stance. The sword is held low, on the right side, with the blade pointing at the ground behind you. It is VERY rare in modern sword arts and always was! It is VERY slow to use, and requires that the opponent is in a blind unthinking rage. Even then it needs superb timing. It can be seen in the classic 1950's Akira Kurosawa movie "The 7 Samurai", used by a great sword master against the aggressive Jodan position of a very upset opponent. Whilst it is a 'standard' kamae, and is taught in the curriculum (or kata) is was almost never used except in transition. If you are in the low Gedan kamae, and turn your body 180 degree to your left, leaving your sword where it is, you end up in Waki. Similar difficulties with regard to upwards cuts apply here, as in Gedan.
