1999-08-10

PRESENTATION AT ITC 99
KAMAE: THEORY AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Lars Larm 5 Dan Kyoshi

INTRODUCTION
Once I heard Saiko Shihan say: Taido is study. From these words we can
understand that theory is important. However, he also said that there should be a
mixture of theory and practice. My interpretation of Saiko Shihans statement is that
it is important to combine theory and practice, that is, both are necessary. With this in
mind I have prepared this presentation, and my purpose is to present one part of Taido
theory that I think you can actually use in your training.
My intention is to give you information about what I have read or heard about Taido
theory. Whenever I simply tell you what I think then I will try to make it clear that I
am only telling you my own opinion.
In this paper I will explain some basic aspects of Kamae. That Kamae is important
is easy to understand if we consider that Saiko Shihan wrote in Shinkaratedookyoohan
(an excellent book written by Saiko Shihan) that Kamae is the source of techniques.
Many of you might think that Kamae is just a fighting stance or a basic posture in a
physical sense. In other words, you might think that it is something that we perform
only with our bodies.
I will not tell you that you are totally wrong. Kamae is, from one point of view, a basic
posture, but that is not the whole story. In the following lines I am going to explain
why.
KEYWORDS
Y U U K O O N O K A M A E ( P H Y S I C A L ) -------------M U K O O N O K A M A E ( M E N T A L )

THE MEANING OF THE WORD KAMAE

First of all, the word Kamae is not only used in Budo. It can be used in daily life, too.
The meaning of the word itself can be structure or posture, but the best explanation I
have found for the purpose of this paper is preparedness of the body and the mind. In
Japanese there is also a word Kamaeru that means get ready or be ready.
P O I N T 1 : I n T a i d o , w e c a n c o n s i d e r t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e w o r d Kamae to be:
PREPAREDNESS OF MIND AND BODY

P H Y S I C A L K A M A E-------M E N T A L K A M A E
In Shinkaratedookyoohan Saiko Shihan describes Kamae in detail. He explains, for
example, the meaning of Yuukoo no Kamae and Mukoo no Kamae. The following
explanation is based upon this book.
What is Yuukoo no Kamae?
Yuukoo has shape physical(body) Preparedness of the body
What is Mukoo no Kamae?
M u k o o n o s h a p e m e n t a l ( m i n d ) Kokoro no Kamae (the Kamae of the mind)
P O I N T 2 : K a m a e i s n o t o n l y a p h y s i c a l f i g h t i n g s t a n c e . I t c a n m e a n :
PREPAREDNESS OF TH E BODY ----YUUKOO NO KAMAE
PREPAREDNESS OF THE MIND ----MUKOO NO KAMAE
Now, when the keywords are presented, let us discuss Yuukoo no Kamae and Mukoo no
Kamae and go into details.
YUUKOO NO KAMAE
In order to explain the physical Kamae we should first consider two basic points.
Firstly, with our hands we can choose to protect either the lower(gedan), middle
(chuudan), or upper(joodan) part of our body. Therefore, the Kamae will change
according to what part of the body we are protecting. As you know, we have gedan,
chuudan, and joodan Kamae in Taido. Remember that gedan, chuudan, and jodan are
referring to the p o s i t i o n o f t h e h a n d s .
Secondly, we can not be sure that we have only one opponent. Maybe we will have one

opponent, maybe two or more (think about tenkai). This means that if we have many
opponents then we have to adjust our stance (legs) to be able to move and perform
techniques in A N Y D I R E C T I O N .
For instance, Ryuunen dachi is effective when you have many opponents.
( In Taido there are eight basic stances, Tachikata hattai ).
POINT 3 : Basic functions of Yuukoo no Kamae :
1. To protect the three areas gedan, chuudan, jo odan by adjusting the position of the
hands according to the circumstances.
2. To be able to move in any direction a ccording to the circumstances by adjusting your
stance.
However, Saiko Shihan writes that even if you have a perfect Kamae, like a statue, and
you are protecting the three areas of your body, and even if you adjust your stance in
order to be able to move in any direction, that does not mean that your Kamae is
perfect.
It is also important that your Kamae is very flexible . Sometimes you can on purpose
destroy your own Kamae , because you want the opponent to attack you (you can use it
as a tactic). To invite the opponent like this, or in other similar ways control the
opponent is called yuudoo in Japanese. Maybe a good translation is lead.
You can also change the form of your Kamae in order to come in a better position than
your opponent. Maybe you must dodge or find a way to escape.
I think that what Saiko Shihan means is that it is important to have a flexible
Kamae, and with this Kamae in combination with changes in the body axis and the
usage of unsoku we can be one step in advance compared to the opponent. That is, we
can control the opponent, and we will not be controlled (I think that this is one way of
explaining Seigyo).
MUKOO NO KAMAE=KOKORO NO
KAMAE=THE KAMAE OF THE MIND
As important (maybe even more important) as the physical Kamae is the mental
Kamae. The mind and body are closely connected. Saiko Shihan writes that the mind is
the source of movements. In one of the five teachings of Taido (Taido Gojookun) it says
that the mind should be clear as a mirror, and I think that this is an explanation of
Mukoo no Kamae.
In Shinkaratedookyoohan there is an interesting sentence:
A Kamae that forms stillness during movement.

This means that the Kamae should be such that even during movements there is a
harmony between stability and free (control over) movements. This sentence can also be
applied on the mental state, and then it refers to the harmony between the peace of
mind and self-confidence. Therefore, if your physical state is such that you have
stability and freely control your movements, and if you at the same time have peace of
mind and self-confidence then you have A Kamae that forms stillness in movement.
If the mental and physical Kamae are in harmony you will have this stillness even
when you are performing hard movements or even if you are in a situation that is
mentally hard (shocking).
POINT 4: The mental Kamae (Mukoo) and the physical Kamae (Yuukoo) are BOTH
important. They are dependent on each other.
This last remark takes us to the next section.
MUTAIMUKOO NO KAMAE IS THE ULTIMATE
(BEST) STATE
The best Kamae is when there is a complete harmony between the physical Kamae
and the mental Kamae. If your Kamae is like this you can remain cool even when you
are under pressure. You will be naturally calm and full of dignity, elegance and your
appearance will look majestic. This perfect Kamae is called Mutaimukoo no Kamae in
Shinkaratedookyoohan. Saiko Shihan writes that this is the true Kamae. What the
word Mutaimukoo means is a little bit difficult to say. My personal opinion, based upon
how I interpret what Saiko Shihan writes, is that it means something like this:
Not body and not shape Not only body and not only mental

combination of both

A perfect harmony between the mind and the body.

Please keep in mind that this is my personal interpretation and I am of course willing to
discuss the exact meaning of Mutaimukoo no Kamae. I also want to tell you that I have
not found the word Mutaimukoo in Taido Gairon. Of course, Kamae is described in
detail, but the terminology is more advanced. However, Yuukoo no Kamae and Mukoo no
Kamae are both mentioned in Taido Gairon.
A person who has this perfect Kamae is difficult to attack. There are no openings. A
person with this Kamae can judge things correctly and quickly according to the
circumstances, like a reflector.

Do you think that the things I have written about Mutaimukoo no Kamae sound
familiar? Actually, in Taido Gojokun we have a perfect description of this perfect state
and its effects.
Hitotsu - Tai tansei ni shite shingyo no ittai o hakari, Tai-i
tadashiki o ereba anadorareru koto nashi
(Be composed. Body and mind should be as one. Bear yourself
correctly and you need never fear insult.)
(Both the Japanese and English version is copied from Alvar
Hugossons homepage. The English translation is from WTFs
homepage).
This is, if we consider it from the viewpoint of actual training, an explanation of Kamae.
Anadorareru koto nashi is translated with never fear insult which is probably quite
okay when we are talking about the application in our daily life. Another possible
translation might be that nobody will look down on you.
However, when we are discussing techniques the translation make light of or maybe
even underestimate would be better. The meaning is, of course, as it was mentioned
above; that a person with a perfect Kamae (mentally and physically) shows no openings
(called suki in Japanese), and has a dignity and calmness that makes it very hard for
the opponent to attack. Maybe the opponent will hesitate and not even attack at all.
POINT 5: The ultimate Kamae is when the mental and physical Kamae are in perfec t
harmony with each other. There are no openings ( suki), and the appearance is full of
dignity. Such Kamae is difficult to attack.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
My intention has been to explain:
1. Kamae is as much (maybe more) mental as physical.
2. Kamae is important, it is the source of techniques.
3. Explain two basic terms. Yuukoo and Mukoo no Kamae.
4. Describe the true Kamae.
5. Show the connection with Taido Gojokun.
I hope that you have learned something from this paper.
Lars Larm 5 Dan Kyoshi

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Shukumine, Seiken. Shinkaratedookyoohan. Nihonbungei. 1964.
Shukumine, Seiken. Taidogairon. Gendaishorin. 1988.
Questions about Taido. Published in Japanese by the Japanese Taido Association.
(Translated by Alvar Hugosson)