Seishinkan Dojo - UK - Iaido and Jodo

Jodo is a powerful stick art in which a Jo (a four foot wooden stick) is used against a swordsman. The Jo ends could be used, unlike the single point of a sword, and its Ma-ai (fighting distance) could be varied according to the hand grip take. Because of its speed and changeable Ma-ai distance, it is a formidable weapon in the hands of a skilled master.

Students begin with single practice, in which the basics are performed solo. This is followed by practicing in pairs, in which one person assumes the role of using a wooden sword.

Training of the mind

With the practice and study of any marital art, it must be acknowledged that the individual is training both the mind and the body. Through this process the character of the trainee develops and the following benefits begin to manifest themselves:

Courtesy, Truthfulness, Sincerity and Patience
By regular training, the body becomes stronger and more active
Through practicing the techniques, posture and attitude are improved
You gain confidence and a better sense of judgment is achieved in everyday life
Understanding of relationships with others develops

Any form of activity that has at its base a noble and caring ideal will nurture and bring out the best qualities in any human being. However, combine this with the unique attention that Budo emphasizes in its outlook to aspects like: Kindness, Justice, Politeness, Wisdom and Trust (Jin, Gi, Rei, Chi and Shin), then you will be looking at a transformation of the individual.

Throughout Budo's long history the Japanese have held the belief that to truly excel you must truly give your all. This concept is called SEIHIN TANREN (literally to take the heart, mind, soul, spirit and discipline to forge, harden and tamper). This was how important it was felt to develop the correct balance within the individual and achieve a state of perfection in the art practiced.

Of course perfection is impossible, but if the process was deemed noble, than the level of achievement would also be deemed likewise.

To this end, those that enter into the martial arts would on any level have been touched by this essence and motivated accordingly. This is our objective: to perfect the technique of our art and develop our humanity to higher levels.