Eight common stances in core kenjutsu. The stances are listed in the following:

1) Chūdan, Gedan, Waki, Hassō, Jōdan, Seigan, Seigedan, Jōdan Kasumi, Chūdan (reset)

2) Jōdan, Gedan, Waki, Hassō, Jōdan, Seigan, Seigedan, Jōdan Kasumi, Chūdan (reset)

Shaking the blood off the blade, then returning the sword to the scabbard. This is a ritual that doesn't actually shake the blood off the blade as blood was traditionally wiped off of the blade instead with cloth. The meticulous and steady pacing of each stage of the sheathing ritual is meant to maintain Zanshin, which is to constantly be mindful of your surroundings or that your defeated opponent might not have died yet.

This waza is a defense counter attack technique which shuffles the body back and forth. Hands lift the handle towards the back leg when shuffling backward (Makiuchi). Hands lift the handle towards the front leg when shuffling forward (Kaeshiuchi). The blade is lifted high overhead to block incoming overhead attacks in a Kasumi block. After the shuffle has completed, the sword is lifted from Kasumi to a Jyodan position to finish with a straight Kirioroshi cut.

This waza follows the same pattern as Makiuchi Zengo, except the body shuffles side-to-side. Again, handle is lifted in the direction of the back leg when moving in the sideways direction of the back leg (Makiuchi), and lifted in the direction of the front leg when moving in the sideways direction of the front leg (Kaeshiuchi). Blocking is similarly done with Kasumi while moving, and lifted into Jyodan to finish with a Kirioroshi cut when the body has stopped moving.

You will pivot on your front foot (right foot for this example) 90-degrees to face right into a Kasumi block, then Jyodan into a Kirioroshi finisher (Makiuchi). Next, pivot 90-degrees to face left into a Kasumi block, then Jyodan into a Kirioroshi finish (Kaeshiuchi). Now you should be back in your original stance. This exercise is meant to train your defense against incoming attacks on your right or left flank.

This pattern follows the 90-degree Shōkaku pattern in Makiuchi Shōkaku, except this time you will be switching off your leg stances, and the final cut is a 35-degree Kesa cut, not a straight Kirioroshi. If you start with your right leg forward, you should be standing with your left leg forward after turning 90-degrees to your right, followed by a Kasumi block into Kesa cut. When you turn back 90-degrees back to original stance, you repeat the same pattern in reverse, ending with your right foot forward.

This pair practice (Kumitachi) demonstrates the application of Kirikaeshi in a simulated combat scenario. Note how Gary commits his cuts into Rory's space, and how Rory engages Gary by blocking while moving to the side and forward into Gary's flank. When blocking, the goal is to move forward into the space of the attacker so you end up with a clear target to the side or the back of the attacker's head. Maintain this pressure as much as you can, as pulling back will put you at a disadvantage.

Rokudō waza contains six paired practice sets. In Rokudō Kirioroshi, the attacker attacks the defender with a straight cut, and is counter attacked by a similar straight cut. This is the fifth set of the six.

In Rokudō Kesa, the attacker attacks with a Kesa cut instead of a Kirioroshi straight cut. The defend will counterattack with a straight cut. This is the sixth set of the six.

This paired practice waza has seven sets. This is the basic version of Ippondachi.