Men Strike (面)

Raise the shinai in a smooth arc without telegraphing; seme with the kensaki and body weight before furi. Snap tenouchi at impact using the left hand, then immediately open distance with small tsugi-ashi while keeping eyes on the opponent — men without zanshin is only a touch.

• Ki-ken-tai-ichi: kiai, furi, and fumikomi arrive together
• Left hand leads tenouchi; right hand supports without squeezing
• Follow-through with sae — sharp, not wild

Sensei often return to the same points, because a small habit shows more clearly when the pace rises. With their permission, a side view of uchikomi can show the difference between what one feels and what the shinai does. The sensei is the person to ask.

• Dropping the kensaki before furi (debana for the opponent)
• Hitting the mengane or side men — invalid in shiai
• Over-running without turning to show zanshin

Progress from suburi and kirikaeshi into static uchikomi, then moving uchikomi and kakari-geiko. Pair each drill with a clear kiai and one-step zanshin. Return to the Waza Encyclopedia to see how this strike fits shikake-waza and oji-waza families.

• Suburi → kirikaeshi → static men uchikomi (5×5)
• Seme-men with partner holding position
• Kakari-geiko: three men per entry, full kiai

Sho-men is the centre above the mengane; sayu-men is at the temple. Strike with the datotsu-bu, the forward striking section of the shinai. Useful moments are when the opponent lifts the shinai, finishes a cut and relaxes, or steps in off balance. Cut with the hips, not the arms alone. A hit on the mengane or the metal side is not the target, and a cut without zanshin is unfinished.