Iaido and Biomechanics

I recently read the book, Biomechanics of Iaido: From Support to Blade by Veronika Rumynina.

Ms Rumynina is dan ranked in to different styles of iaido and actively teaches the art. Having quite an analytic mind, she questioned the basic widespread teaching methodology: the sensei saying "watch me nd copy what I do."

It would be helpful when going into this book to be familiar with both iaido and anatomy terminology, but if you don't have that background, solid explanations are provided in the appendices.

What the author does in this book, is to examine the movements and actions of the muscles and tendons, the fascia and one's breathing throughout the action of an iaido kata. 

She begins with a chapter on the feet and ankles, the moves to to the knee, the pelvis, the torso, shoulders arms, wrists and hands. This is a very thorough, step by step examination of movement.

Just how do the bones align, which muscles contract or relax and when, how does the fascia move? Again and again, these questions are answered as we move from the floor to the end of the blade. 

While this book is explicitly written to help one's iaido practice, I am convinced that the lesson can indeed be applied to the practice of any martial art. I find myself thinking about what I learned from this book as I go about my own practice of taijiquan.

She goes on to describe how this information can be integrated into one's personal practice and then in a classroom environment.

This is a well done examination of how to move in the context of iaido. I  enjoyed this book and I am sure that you will as well.

Biomechanics of Iaido: From Support to Blade is available on Amazon.