, frequently shortened simply to ''gedan'', occasionally shortened to ''gedan-gamae'', is one of the five stances in
kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords ( shinai) as well as protective armor ( bōgu). It began as samurai warriors' customary swordsmanship ex ...
: ''
jōdan'', ''
chūdan'', ''gedan'',
hassō, and ''
waki''. ''Gedan-no-kamae'' means "lower-level posture." This position is adopted when the sword is held out in front of the body pointing at the waist in kendo, or at the knee or sometimes the ankle in ''
kenjutsu
is an umbrella term for all ('' ko-budō'') schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. Some modern styles of kendo and iaido that were established in the 20th century also included modern forms o ...
''.
It is considered a variant of ''chūdan-no-kamae'' and therefore appearing as a defensive posture, but instead it is used to deflect blows and create striking opportunities. This stance is used as a transition from ''
chūdan-no-kamae
, sometimes shortened to ''Chūdan-gamae'' or simply ''Chūdan'', is a basic weapon stance in many Japanese martial arts. The name translates literally to "middle-level stance," as the sword is held before the user at chest height. Chūdan-no-ka ...
'' to a ''
tsuki'' (突き; thrust). It is called the {{nihongo, Kamae of Earth, 地の構え, chi-no-kamae in
Yagyū Shinkage-ryū
is one of the oldest Japanese schools of swordsmanship (''kenjutsu''). Its primary founder was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, who called the school Shinkage-ryū. In 1565, Nobutsuna bequeathed the school to his greatest student, Yagyū Munetoshi, who ...
.
[上野 靖之 (1966) 剣道教典 (Educational Model Fencing) 尚武館刊. p.317]
European schools of swordsmanship
The
German school of fencing refers to this stance as ''alber'' "
Fool's guard"; as it serves to bait the foolish with apparent weakness.
''Gedan-no-kamae'' is called ''porta di ferro larga'' ('wide iron door' or 'wide iron gate') in the
Italian school of swordsmanship. Iron gate refers to postures where the sword is held above the forward knee. Larga postures have the point down, while stretta (narrow) postures have a raised point.
References
Kendo stances