Instructional Videos of Aikido of Gainesville
20 Jo Suburi Basic Movements of the Walking staff Aiki Jo
These are not all exactly as Saito Sensei taught. I have personalized these according to past experiences.
The movements are very close to what Saito Sensei taught, just not exactly the same. There are endings which allow you to make the practice a continuous movement with the return to the beginning usually being another strike.
Here is a video of Saito Sensei teaching the 20 Jo Suburi. Compare what I am showing to what Saito Sensei teaches. I'm confident that you will find I am pretty faithful, but added some things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9U04EU_Qp8
The 31 Movement Jo Kata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESbKw5r1MJk
This video is the original version. Saito Sensei did say, "Never change this". I have made some changes in what I am teaching now so I'm somewhat sacrilegious. On movements 7 & 8, when I gave demonstrations of the Kumi Jo for this kata, at movements 7 and 8 the kids would all yell, "Hit him! Hit him!" because the aggressor is just standing there as the defender does 8. In my opinion, they're right. So I made some American philosophy changes. My #8 is an Ushiro Tsuki (thrust to the rear). It's very surprising and more realistic for the Uchi Jo (striking stick, the aggressor role).
t# 1 Choku Tsuki Move off the line a little left and move the Jo to your right hand with the thought of a block
(which it will become in various waza, exercises), catch the Jo with your right hand just below
the left hand, slide your right hand to the back end of the Jo and thrust to the front.
# 2 Kaeshi Tsuki Move off the line a little left while catching the top of the Jo with your right thumb down, draw
back and return forward to thrust.
# 3 Ushiro Tsuki Catch the top of the Jo pushing forward with the web of your right hand bring the Jo horizontal
just under your left elbow. (Don't bring the Jo up towards your arm pit. The position is weak
and there will be too much friction.) Step back with the left foot. Look to the rear and target
the thrust to the rear.
# 4 Tsuki Gedan Gaeshi Start in Tsuki Kamae (thrust ready position). Thrust forward, withdraw the jo back to your
right side causing it to disappear. Step forward with the right foot and strike forward and
low to the knee.
# 5 Tsuki Jodan Shomenuchi Start in Tsuki Kamae. Thrust forward, block up then then step with the right foot and strike
from overhead.
# 6 Shomenuchi Komi Start in Chudan Kamae (middle ready position). Step back with the right foot and raise the
jo overhead. Let the Jo drop back to your backbone, roll your elbows in and pull down with
the left hand while stepping right foot forward and strike forward from overhead. (The power
of the cut is in the left hand. When you touch your backbone, the only hand that can be
effective at that point is the left hand.)
# 7 Renzoku Uchi Komi Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step forward in two
continuing strikes.
# 8 Menuchi Gedan Gaeshi Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step forward, strike down,
withdraw the jo down to the left, step forward with the left foot and strike forward and low to
the knee.
# 9 Menuchi Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step forward, strike down,
and thrust the jo to the rear.
#10 Gyaku Yokomen Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Roll a block as you step forward in an angling side strike from high left
to middle right, then thrust to the rear on the opposite (right) side.
#11 Katate Gedan Gaeshi Start in Tsuki Kamae. Pull the jo back to "disappear" the jo to the rear, then right step forward
and return forward in an upward strike towards chin level from below. Catch the Jo with your
left hand sliding up and above your left ear.
#12 Katate Toma no Uchi Start in Tsuki Kamae. Draw the jo back and over your shoulders. Right step and strike forward
from the back as you step forward. Relax your wrist and let the back end whip forward. Catch
the Jo and let your hand slide back and down to your left side rearward.
#13 Hachi no Ji Haso Gaeshi Start with the Jo verticle in front of your right toe. Step right foot forward and strike with the
bottom of the jo from high right to low left while greeting the Jo with your left hand and
guiding it up even with your left ear, then step right foot back while striking forward again from
high left to low right ending in an upward position with right foot back and upward position
called Haso Kamae.
#14 Haso Gaeshi Uchi Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward with
it while stepping right foot back into Haso Kamae, then right step forward and strike down
from overhead while stepping forward.
#15 Haso Gaeshi Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward
with it while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then slide up to the end of the Jo while
bringing it horizontal and thrust forward.
#16 Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward
with it while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then laying it horizontal forward, reaching
forward to the forward end and pull back to thrust to the rear (left palm up).
#17 Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Uchi Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward
with it while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then turn back while striking downward
circularly towards a knee strike behind you turning clockwise.
#18 Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Barai Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your ear and strike forward with it
while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then step back again while turning clockwise and
striking outward in a big circle ending with the jo back to your right rear low corner. You
end facing 180 degrees from where you started. Barai means to clear out, so the movement is
more through the center of the body instead of around at knee level.
#19 Hidari Nagare Ushiro Uchi Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step and strike forward from
overhead, open the left hand and send it to the front of the jo while you are turning left or
counter-clockwise to the rear and blocking up (left hand palm up low forward, right hand
palm down up to right), then turn the jo end for end while raising it up strike down from
overhead.
#20 Migi Nagare Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Roll a block (to the right) as you step forward in an angling side
strike from high left to middle right, then opening the left hand step back with the right foot
as the left hand reaches to the front of the jo while you turn back clockwise ending in a
block up similar to the #19 block up. Slide the back hand up to the end of the jo then thrust
forward. To set this up for continuous movement treat the end as a part of Tsuki Jodan
Shomenuchi. When you raise the Jo and roll the block and step cut, you will come down in
a position ready to repeat the suburi again and again.
The 21st Suburi Drill I put the last two flowing movements together to make a flowing movement drill which
Hidari Nagare, Migi Nagare Drill alternates flowing left then right. As the movement progresses each sequence causes you to
end one step back from where you started. The video will demonstrate this.
(which it will become in various waza, exercises), catch the Jo with your right hand just below
the left hand, slide your right hand to the back end of the Jo and thrust to the front.
# 2 Kaeshi Tsuki Move off the line a little left while catching the top of the Jo with your right thumb down, draw
back and return forward to thrust.
# 3 Ushiro Tsuki Catch the top of the Jo pushing forward with the web of your right hand bring the Jo horizontal
just under your left elbow. (Don't bring the Jo up towards your arm pit. The position is weak
and there will be too much friction.) Step back with the left foot. Look to the rear and target
the thrust to the rear.
# 4 Tsuki Gedan Gaeshi Start in Tsuki Kamae (thrust ready position). Thrust forward, withdraw the jo back to your
right side causing it to disappear. Step forward with the right foot and strike forward and
low to the knee.
# 5 Tsuki Jodan Shomenuchi Start in Tsuki Kamae. Thrust forward, block up then then step with the right foot and strike
from overhead.
# 6 Shomenuchi Komi Start in Chudan Kamae (middle ready position). Step back with the right foot and raise the
jo overhead. Let the Jo drop back to your backbone, roll your elbows in and pull down with
the left hand while stepping right foot forward and strike forward from overhead. (The power
of the cut is in the left hand. When you touch your backbone, the only hand that can be
effective at that point is the left hand.)
# 7 Renzoku Uchi Komi Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step forward in two
continuing strikes.
# 8 Menuchi Gedan Gaeshi Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step forward, strike down,
withdraw the jo down to the left, step forward with the left foot and strike forward and low to
the knee.
# 9 Menuchi Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step forward, strike down,
and thrust the jo to the rear.
#10 Gyaku Yokomen Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Roll a block as you step forward in an angling side strike from high left
to middle right, then thrust to the rear on the opposite (right) side.
#11 Katate Gedan Gaeshi Start in Tsuki Kamae. Pull the jo back to "disappear" the jo to the rear, then right step forward
and return forward in an upward strike towards chin level from below. Catch the Jo with your
left hand sliding up and above your left ear.
#12 Katate Toma no Uchi Start in Tsuki Kamae. Draw the jo back and over your shoulders. Right step and strike forward
from the back as you step forward. Relax your wrist and let the back end whip forward. Catch
the Jo and let your hand slide back and down to your left side rearward.
#13 Hachi no Ji Haso Gaeshi Start with the Jo verticle in front of your right toe. Step right foot forward and strike with the
bottom of the jo from high right to low left while greeting the Jo with your left hand and
guiding it up even with your left ear, then step right foot back while striking forward again from
high left to low right ending in an upward position with right foot back and upward position
called Haso Kamae.
#14 Haso Gaeshi Uchi Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward with
it while stepping right foot back into Haso Kamae, then right step forward and strike down
from overhead while stepping forward.
#15 Haso Gaeshi Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward
with it while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then slide up to the end of the Jo while
bringing it horizontal and thrust forward.
#16 Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward
with it while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then laying it horizontal forward, reaching
forward to the forward end and pull back to thrust to the rear (left palm up).
#17 Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Uchi Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your left ear and strike forward
with it while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then turn back while striking downward
circularly towards a knee strike behind you turning clockwise.
#18 Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Barai Start in Chudan Kamae. Bring the back end of the Jo up by your ear and strike forward with it
while stepping back into Haso Kamae, then step back again while turning clockwise and
striking outward in a big circle ending with the jo back to your right rear low corner. You
end facing 180 degrees from where you started. Barai means to clear out, so the movement is
more through the center of the body instead of around at knee level.
#19 Hidari Nagare Ushiro Uchi Start in Chudan Kamae. Step back and raise the jo overhead then step and strike forward from
overhead, open the left hand and send it to the front of the jo while you are turning left or
counter-clockwise to the rear and blocking up (left hand palm up low forward, right hand
palm down up to right), then turn the jo end for end while raising it up strike down from
overhead.
#20 Migi Nagare Ushiro Tsuki Start in Chudan Kamae. Roll a block (to the right) as you step forward in an angling side
strike from high left to middle right, then opening the left hand step back with the right foot
as the left hand reaches to the front of the jo while you turn back clockwise ending in a
block up similar to the #19 block up. Slide the back hand up to the end of the jo then thrust
forward. To set this up for continuous movement treat the end as a part of Tsuki Jodan
Shomenuchi. When you raise the Jo and roll the block and step cut, you will come down in
a position ready to repeat the suburi again and again.
The 21st Suburi Drill I put the last two flowing movements together to make a flowing movement drill which
Hidari Nagare, Migi Nagare Drill alternates flowing left then right. As the movement progresses each sequence causes you to
end one step back from where you started. The video will demonstrate this.