Weapons

Horizontal cut

Names by art: HEMA: Zwerchhau · Kendo: Dō · Iaido: Nukitsuke

Appears in 3 arts.

⚠ Train with an instructor. Learn and practise this technique only under a qualified instructor, on a suitable surface and with a cooperative partner. This page explains; it does not replace a teacher.

Biomechanics: what the body does

The blade travels flat across the target at head or body height. Rotation of the hips and the turn of the wrists keep the edge aligned; in the German school the hands stay high so the hilt protects the head during the cut.

Appears in 3 arts

Art	Name used in this art
HEMA	Zwerchhau
Kendo	Dō
Iaido	Nukitsuke

More in this category

Vertical downward cut Diagonal descending cut Cut to the hands / wrists Thrust Lunge Running attack (flèche) Parry Riposte / counter-attack after a parry Feint High guard Middle guard (point at the opponent) Fan strike (abanico) Double-stick weaving (sinawali) Sword (or stick) and dagger Draw-cut (cutting from the scabbard) Two-handed staff strike

All techniques across the arts →

Sources

Cite / use this content

You may quote short excerpts with a visible link to this page. Suggested citation:

Wabukan (2026). “Horizontal cut”. https://wabukan.com/tecnicas/corte-horizontal (accessed 2026-10-30).

Full rules, ready-made link code and press kit → · Updated: 2026-10-30