Jodo - The Way of the Stick

The jo is a short wooden staff, 127cm in length, used in Jodo against an attacking swordsman armed with a wooden sword (bokuto).

Jodo is a kata based art which pairs two practitionrs togather, partly in partnership and partly in combat. The use of solid wood weapons without protective armour would make free sparring a dangerous activity, so training centres around technique practice and set forms. However Jodo is much more than choreographed moves, it is Budo and each person is involved in a fighting situation. The essence of the art is not just in executing correct techniques, but in performing them with spirit, concentration and awareness.

There are three main aspects to Jodo training:

Tandoku Dosa: individual practice of jo techniques.
Sotai Dosa: paired practice of jo techniques
Kata: set forms where jo and sword train against each other.

Jodo practitioners wear a blue hakama and keikogi and men and women can practice together safely in this semi-contact art using wooden jo and sword.

What To Expect
A typical Jodo session will start with individual technique practice, repeating the movements as an instructor observes and corrects. Then people will make pairs and practice techniques together, before moving on to kata training.

Beginners in Jodo must at first learn the twelve basic techniques which include striking, thrusting and blocking. Jodo practitioners need to be able to perform these techniques left and right handed, and also to understand the role of the sword (tachi) in each one. Paired practice help in this, with the jo and swordsman working together and learning through repetition.

Once a person is comfortable with the basic techniques they will begin to learn the seitei kata, twelve standard forms matching jo against tachi. Both sides of the form must be learned and practiced equally, and the progressive complexity and subtlety of the forms mean there is a lot to study. Classical forms following the Shinto Muso Ryu school are also part of the Jodo curriculum; most of these follow the usual jo versus sword format, but some replace the jo with the shorter tanjo while others are traditional kenjitsu sword v sword kata.

While it is not essential to be familiar with basic sword techniques this is half of the art, so Jodo practitioners are often also Iaidoka. Using the Jo with the sword teaches awareness of distance, timing and fighting a real opponent, and Jodo and Iaido complement each other very well.

Seminars and Competitions
Seminars are an important part of Jodo training and these are held around the UK in places such as Brighton and Darlington. Many seminars are based around grading, and participants will usually train with people of a similar level under the tuition of a high grade, usually 6th or 7th dan, before attempting an examination. Other seminars focus purely on particular sets of koryu Jodo kata.

Jodo is not a sport but there is a competition side to it which many people enjoy through both paired and individual events. Competition (shiai) is not essential, but it does give a focus to training that is different from weekly keiko and grading. All full BKA members are eligible to attend UK Jodo Squad training events and train with many of the most experienced Jodoka in the country.

Both grading and competition are important aspects of training as they put pressure on the person and on their Jodo. They are similar in that kata are performed in front of judges who assess performance against a number of criteria including technical correctness, fighting spirit and depth of understanding. In gradings people are judged against the level required to pass the examination they are taking. In competitions people perform together as pairs or as individuals, but only one side will win.


Common Beginners' Questions

What Do I Need?
Equipment including is available for use by club members. Beginners should come along in track suit bottoms and t-shirt, there is no need to buy or bring anything apart from yourself. If you decide Jodo is for you then there are plenty of people who can advise on what to purchase and where to buy from. There are sometimes second hand items for sale so it's always worth asking around before spending your hard-earned cash. Jodo is a relatively cheap activity, there are no expensive swords or sets of armour to budget for. All that is required is a jo and a bokuto.

Am I too Old/Young?
We take beginners from age 16 in Jodo, although in special circumstances younger people can join in.

There is no maximum age to beginning Jodo, it's quite common for people in their 30s, 40s and beyond to begin training. Of course older people don't always move as easily or learn as quickly as teenagers, but this is understood by all instructors. Jodo is for everyone and requirements and expectations are measured against your own capabilities.

What About Fitness?
You don't have to be fast or strong for Jodo, in fact use of sheer muscle power is to be avoided. Efficient movement of the jo, sword and body take time to understand and develop, but brute strength is not good technique.

Jodo will not get you fit, although it can be a mild 'workout' and it is mentally tiring; try Kendo, running or other forms of cardio exercise to help you build stamina and speed or lose weight. Doing Jodo helps develop other qualities including patience, balance and core strength, but it won't help you run for the bus any faster!

Do You Run Courses?
No, new starters can turn up any time join in. The Jodo group is small and everyone works on the basics each week, so it is easy for beginners to join in with the more experienced people straight away.

Is It Dangerous?
No, Jodo is one of the safest martial arts you can do. It is very rare for injury to occur and the jo should only make light contact with a person. However, it is a martial art so bruises do occasionally occur when strikes or thrusts are too hard or accidentally miss the intended target.

What About Grading?
The grading stages in Jodo pass through six kyu and (potentially) eight dan grades in a lifetime of study. The low grades are quite easy to pass, the high grades are extremely difficult challenges and are the result of decades of study and dedication. The pass rate in Japan for 8th dan is less than one percent!

The kyu grades are the equivalent of coloured belts in other martial arts such as Judo, Karate and Aikido. However, in Jodo no actual coloured belts are worn, new practitioners wear exactly the same clothing as high grade sensei. Also kyu grades are not seen as stepping stones that you must pass one-by-one before becoming a 'black belt'. The lower grades (6th to 2nd kyu) can be awarded within a dojo, but for adults these are usually ignored. Most people who train regularly can expect to take their 1st kyu examination in front of an external panel in twelve to eighteen months, 1st Dan can be taken three months later. If this seems quick compared to other martial arts then it is, in Judo etc 1st dan can take years to reach so don't think of it as a direct equivalent of a 'black belt' . In Jodo 1st dan shows a grasp of the fundamentals rather than being a high grade.

All grades are awarded by the British Kendo Association and are recognised by the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei, European Kendo Federation and all national organisations affiliated to the ZNKR. Gradings are assessed by panels of high level practitioners, usually of 5th dan and above, and are awarded to those who meet the specified requirements.


If you would like to try Jodo at Ojika please email so we can plan for your first session.

Where:
Chillingham Road Primary School
Ninth Avenue
Heaton
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 5XL

When:
Wednesday 19:30 - 21:30pm

Instructor: 
Martin Chambers, 4th Dan Jodo

Sempai:
John Burn, 2nd Dan Jodo