“Those who train when they are young will rise to greatness.
Those who train in maturity will preserve their vigor in old age.
Those who train when old will live eternally.”
Issai Sato
Iaido got its origins in the ancient martial art of kenjutsu, developing into the modern do, or Way. It focuses on drawing the sword (nukitsuke), killing your opponent with a single cut (kiritsuke), flicking blood from the blade (chiburi), and returning the sword to its sheath (noto). Taken from the kenjutsu of the battlefield, iaido became an efficient method of personal combat. The intent is very simply to kill an opponent with one cut.
The first step in learning Iaido is to practice traditional forms, known as waza. Each form teaches fundamental principles of how to handle the sword correctly. Many of these waza are hundreds of years old, and tens of thousands of students have practiced these forms through the centuries.
About Seishinkan Iaido
Glenn Stockwell Kancho was trained directly by Yasuyoshi Kimura Kancho (Juudan Hanshi – 10th Dan Grand Master) in Osaka. Seishinkan Iaido was founded by Stockwell Sensei in January 1993, originally as a subsidiary of the Meishinkan Dojo, practicing Musou Jikiden Eishinryu. It is the only style of iaido practiced in the USA and Australia affiliated with the Dai Nippon Iaido Renmei (All Japan Iaido Federation), headed by His Imperial Highness Munenori Kaya. Seishinkan practices the waza (forms) the same way that they were taught by Kimura Kancho, with the objective of preserving the art.
The head of Seishinkan Iaido, Glenn Stockwell Kancho, is the first non-Japanese in history to receive the rank of Kyoshi 7th Dan from the All Japan Iaido Federation, having completed all requirements including the Japanese written examination.
Seishinkan Iaido is headquatered in Tokyo, with dojo in Australia, United States, and Poland.