The Water Book – Two Swords

Author and martial artist Kris, although owning a few swords and some shinai, knows little about swordplay. Lawrence Kane, also a martial artist and frequent co-author, has over a decade of European broadsword experience. To present us as experts in Musashi’s two-handed fighting system would be duplicitous. However, there are universal ideas that apply. One is under the heading of stance and strategy

Stance

“Adopt a stance with the head erect, neither hanging down, looking up, nor twisted. Your forehead and the space between your eyes should not be wrinkled. Do not roll your eyes or allow them to blink, but slightly narrow them. With your features composed, keep the line of your nose straight with a feeling of slightly flaring your nostrils. Hold the line of the rear of the neck straight: instill vigor into your hairline, and in the same way from the shoulders down through your entire body. Lower both shoulders and, without the buttocks jutting out, put strength into your legs from the knees to the tips of your toes. Brace your abdomen so that you do not bend at the hips.”

You will find that throughout The Book of Water, the use of the two swords is directly spoken about. Musashi tells you how to wield both swords for greater versatility and adaptability on the battlefield.

Efficiency

The Book of Water has an underlying current of avoiding unnecessary movements of flashy displays. One way to look at it is that most of what you see in the movies doesn’t do that, its all about flash.  Musashi is about being powerful and precise with his strikes. He counsels us to make no wasted motion. This is consistent with a quote by Wyatt Earp, the Old West gunfighter and lawman. “Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything…”

Spacetime

Musashi believed in creating opportunities through timing and distance. Today, instead of talking about time and distance, a physicist talks about spacetime. The idea is from Einstein’s former math professor, Herman Minkowski.  The idea combines the three dimensions of space, length, width, and height, with the fourth dimension of time. These four elements are combined into a single, unified structure.

We suggest you adopt the idea of spacetime as well. When we have used the idea of spacetime in the dojo, the techniques have become faster and more fluid. Yes, more water-like. How do you do this combination?  See the distance between you and your opponent as all four elements put together. Do not see the distance that I need to cover but spacetime that is covered instantly.

Advantages of The Water Strategy:

1. Spacetime: By compressing time and space into one, you gain swiftness
2. Employing the Counsel: by using Musashi’s ideas in battle preparation you increase focus

You may enjoy this past posting: https://www.martialjournal.com/the-ground-seeing/

You can reach Kris Wilder here: https://linktr.ee/KrisWilder

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Kris Wilder

Kris Wilder is a martial artist, author, and life coach. He holds multiple black belts in various martial arts disciplines, including Goju-Ryu Karate, Taekwondo, and Judo. Kris is known for his deep understanding of martial arts and his ability to connect with students on a personal level.
He has authored several books on martial arts and self-defense, such as "The Way of Kata" and "The Little Black Book of Violence". Kris also runs the Wilder Karate Academy, where he teaches classes and conducts seminars.

Latest posts by Kris Wilder (see all)

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