Chanbara
What is Chanbara? The simple definition is a padded weapon. Almost everyone has swung a stick or has pretended to be a knight, a villain or even Robin Hood. This sport lets anyone live the dream and learn to be a better swordsman with out the fear of injury. As with any sport, safety is our first priory. All students are required to wear safety gear. There is no exception to this rule. Classes are both educational and fun.
Classes usually are broken up into 3 parts. The basics are Kihon and blocking drills. These take minutes to learn, but years to master. Kihon is a kata (prearranged form) which utilizes the five basic strikes. Blocking drills teach proper technique and teach muscle memory. This portion is the same every class to teach and reinforce the basics.
Then on to intermediate and advanced skills, these skills are more active can also be a lot of fun. These could be target drills, 60 second sparing or many others drills. This part of class is usually different every class. There is no boredom in these classes. These drills teach the students focus and accuracy.
The final part is games or sparring. This is the reward part of the class. This portion of the class can be lengthened or shortened as needed. This is high energy time. Skills thought in these games are team work, strategy, timing, and concentration. Some students do not want to compete due to embarrassment and the possibility of pain or injury. Looking bad in front of others can deter the strongest. Chanbara has changed all that by safe applications of the weaponry through action games and mini-tournaments.
Some days as a reward we may just play games or have a mini-tournament. This gives the instructor time to analyze students’ progress in a fun environment.
