What is Seme-ashi?

Some notes on footwork

by Michael Gratzke, dojo leader in St Andrews, Scotland

The feet of a kendoka can be described as seme-ashi and jiku-ashi. Seme-ashi is the attacking foot or pressure foot; jiku-ashi is the supporting foot. In the standard chudan position, the right foot is in front and the left is at the back. Here the right acts as seme-ashi and the left as jiku-ashi. (For a person fighting from hidari jodan no kamae, the roles are obviously inversed.)

Put simply, seme-ashi (the front foot) puts pressure on the opponent whilst jiku-ashi (the back foot) supports the body and propels it forwards during attack. Hence the alternative name for jiku-ashi, which is chikara-ashi (power foot).

This ashi-sabaki (footwork) should not be seen in isolation and throughout we have to keep the four fundamentals in mind: ichigan-nisoku-santan-shiriki

Eyes first; footwork second; spirit third; and power last.

Before we look at practical examples of seme-ashi, we need to ask what seme means. Seme is sometimes translated as ‘attack’ or ‘offence’ but it would be more accurate to differentiate it from shikake-waza (attacking techniques) by focussing on translations such as ‘invasion’, ‘intrusion’ or ‘threat’. The physical and mental space between two opponents is finite. By moving forwards or projecting your spirit you reduce the distance and effectively invade the space in between and pose a threat to your opponent. Your opponent is hereby put under pressure to react either by yielding or attacking. It – therefore – makes sense to use ‘pressure’ as shorthand to describe seme.

It is important to understand that seme is not a technique in itself. Although there are numerous ways of applying seme in conjunction with techniques, seme is more an attitude than a movement of the body.

Gary O’Donnell (Rokudan kendo, Doshinkenyukai) explains this by linking seme and kigurai (noble bearing, pride in attitude):

’You can only unbalance an opponent by applying presence. If you step in and he is threatened your seme is successful and you will be able to cut. If he is not threatened you will have stepped into cutting distance giving your opponent an opportunity. If you then find yourself unbalanced by his presence you will of course be cut. Sumi sensei talks about mind contact, I think that this is what he means. It is not the physical act of stepping in that makes a chance it is the effect that your presence has on your opponent that makes a chance. Kigurai is about the way that you present yourself. Musashi talked about not being misled by exterior show: flashy postures or waza, expensive armour, mixing with the right people etc. does not make you strong. You must look to the heart of the matter.’ ¹

When we look at seme in the context of san sappo, the three things to kill, seme kills the opponent’s ki as much as it kills their sword - or technique for that matter. Another Japanese saying helps to illustrate this point: Katte ute; utte katsuna (win, then strike; don’t strike to win)². Seme plays a crucial role in this winning before the strike.

The practical aspects of using seme-ashi were described in detail by Honda Sotaro sensei, who was then the British national coach³. Firstly, he stresses good posture and balance. In chudan no kamae, your jiku-ashi (left or back leg) must form a line connecting the left foot, leg, hip and left side of your body, ready to push forwards and to move up again quickly (fumikiri) after an attack. The front or right foot (seme-ashi) must move ‘freely’ and ‘smoothly’ to apply pressure and to invite the opponent to attack. From my own experience as kendoka and coach, I can tell that it is very easy to lose posture when you are trying to apply seme-ashi. People who have a stance that is too narrow or too wide or feet that are too close together or too far apart, will find it very difficult to perform this footwork. You should under no circumstances lift your toes while sliding your seme-ashi. It is also common to lean forwards when only the foot or the foot and kensen should be moving in. Honda sensei emphasises in his article the importance of small and effective movements of the body and the sword. These will be a safeguard against losing posture and balance.

Let me summarise Honda sensei’s main points:

You will need to be focussed and ready to attack throughout. Maintain mind contact with your opponent (em) from rei to rei.
Seme-ashi only works when you have control over your feet. Improve your footwork and your kamae improves. When your kamae improves, so does your seme.
Use your seme-ashi as a ‘radar’ to explore your opponent’s style and attitude.
Maintain a straight posture and move your seme-ashi forwards to put pressure on your opponent.
You can use harai or osae waza to unsettle your opponent. Slightly raise or dip your kensen. Try stamping your foot to elicit a reaction.
If you want to move in more closely, you can discretely draw up your back foot and then slide forwards with your seme-ashi.
If there is an opportunity to strike, take it immediately.
If the opponent moves back, follow and strike or increase the pressure.
If the opponent strikes, use debana or oji waza.

At the 2007 Kodokan summer seminar, Sumi Masatake sensei, too, stressed the importance of seme. We were asked to build up a feeling of pressure before each attack. As a rule of thumb, the pressure should last your grade plus 2 seconds (5 seconds for a third dan).

‘Our last practice on the theme of catching or changing the opponents feeling involved the use of seme ashi to cause the motodachi to attack and give a good chance for a counter. First we must build up a feeling of pressure. When sufficient pressure has built up, advance the right foot towards the opponent as though you mean to attack. Keep the body upright and give the impression that you are moving in to a real attack, but subtly open a line of attack for the opponent. This should elicit an immediate response from the opponent (Men or Kote) hopefully along the line that you have offered. Use an appropriate oji waza: suriage Men, suriage Kote, kaeshi Do, kaeshi Kote etc.’ ⁴

To summarise, we can say that there are three options, if your use of seme and seme-ashi was successful:

Your opponent ‘freezes’ giving in to one or more of kyo-ku-gi-waku (surprise, fear, doubt, confusion). Your action is to cut them.
Your opponent retreats. Your action is to cut them while they are moving backwards or to apply more seme.
Your opponent attacks. Your action is to apply debana or oji-waza.

Footnotes:
1. http://www.doshinkenyukai-kendo.org.uk/html/kendoworld.html
2. Jinichi Tokeshi, Kendo: Elements, Rules and Philosophy. University of Hawaii Press, 2003, p. 210
3. http://www.kendo.org.uk/pmwiki.php/Main/Tacticsinkendo
4. http://www.kendo.org.uk/pmwiki.php/Main/Articles07KodokanSeminar (Gary O’Donnell)