Iaido Explained, part 1: Metsuke
Iaido isn't exactly your average hobby. Most of my friends don't know anything about it other than the fact that it's got something to do with swords. The usual reaction is "Sweeeeet!". That's usually about as far as the interaction goes. If I played football, golf or tennis I'm sure people would come up with all sorts of interesting jargon-riddled chit-chat. Most people know, to some extent, what "off-side", "handicap" or "back-hand" mean. Well, martial arts too come with their own jargon. I'll try to explain a key term/concept on something of a regular basis.
Metsuke, or 目突, is an essential concept of many martial arts. It's not to be confused with 目付. That particular kind of Metsuke refers to some kind of government official back in the Tokugawa era. The one I'm referring to translates roughly as "eye thrust", and as such it refers to making eye contact and making sure your gaze is locked onto your target. This is not as easy as it sounds. When you're pairing up with someone, it's easy enough to keep an eye on them. When you're doing solo kata however – which is most of the time in iaido – things get a bit more complicated. Looking at something that isn't there isn't easy. Looking at a moving target that isn't there is down right hard. The distance has to be right, the timing has to be right. If you look to the left while cutting to the right, something is definitely wrong. These kinds of mistakes aren't as obvious as making a wrong step or cutting the wrong way, but they're still mistakes. Knowing where your enemy is and what you're doing to him is at least as important as being able to make nice cuts.
It's said that advanced iaidoka can not only visualise their own imaginary opponent, but also those of their students. Who knows, maybe one day...
