Techniques
The classical form of jodo, Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo, consists of 64 kata, divided into sets, each with a different character. In 1968, the 25th headmaster of the school, Shimizu Takaji, developed a more compact form of the art, called Zen Ken Renmei Seitei Jodo, or Seitei Jodo for short, aimed at teaching kendo students and modern police forces.
Seitei Jodo, which is taught at Windsong, focuses on the study of the following concepts:
Jo Kamae — Positions with Jo
Jo Kihon — Basic Jo Techniques
Bokken Kamae — Positions with Bokken
Bokkon Kihon — Basic Bokken Techniques
As part of each class, students perform a series of twelve basic striking movements with the jo (kihon) — first as a group without an attacker, or tandoku dosa, then with a partner weilding a bokken, called sotai dosa.
Lastly, both the student with the jo (shidachi) and a partner weilding the bokken (uchidachi) work together in learning the twelve kata forms, the Seitei no Kata.
Jo Kamae
Sage Jo — neutral position
Tsune no Kamae — ready position
Honte no Kamae — normal strike position
Gyakute no Kamae — revearse strike position
Hiki Otoshi no Kamae — strike down position
Tsukizue no Kamae — first kata position
Hissage no Kamae — side position
Ichi Monji no Kamae — overhead position
Monomi no Kamae — resting jo position
Kasumi no Kamae — upward jo position
Jo Kihon
1) Honte Uchi — normal strike
2) Gyakute Uchi — revearse strike
3) Hiki Otoshi — downward strike
4) Kaeshi Zuki — low weapon thrust
5) Gyakute Zuki — high weapon thrust
6) Maki Otoshi — envelope, drop down
7) Kuri Tsuke — guide and stick to weapon
8) Kuri Hanashi — guide and let go
9) Tai Atari — crush the body
10) Tsuki Hazushi Uchi — deflect a thrust, strike
11) Do Bari Uchi — sweeping strike
12) Tai Hazushi Uchi — evade and strike
Bokken Kamae
Sage To — neutral position
Taito — ready position
Jodan no Kamae — high position
Chudan / Seigan no Kamae — mid level position
Gedan no Kamae — low position
Waki no Kamae — low side position
Hasso no Kamae — prepared position
Bokken Kihon
Shomen Uchi — straight, overhead strike
Kesa Giri — diagonal cut
Yoko Uchi — side strike
Tsuke — thrust
Seitei no Kata
1) Tsukisue — stick that reaches the target
2) Tsuigetsu — solar plexus
3) Hissage — lower and make drop
4) Shaman — diagonal
5) Sakan — pentrate from the left
6) Monomi— vision of things
7) Kasumi — haze
8) Tachi otoshi — make the sword drop
9) Raiuchi — thunderous strike
10) Seigan — right in the eyes
11) Midaredome — turbulance control
12) Ranai — harmony out of chaos