Shinobi have often alluded to this technique when they refer to the sheer power of the samurai, as a practitioners of this style have often shown themselves capable of traversing large distances of area in a short amount of time while using the technique. While this art does not have a set name, many users of the technique have titled their own variants of the fighting style, such as Iwamato Junko's variant titled A Bird Pauses in Silence which utilizes a twist of the blade near the end of the attack to inflict a wider area of damage. Most if not all Samurai are trained in the art of the quick draw. Utilizing the art of the quick draw requires a firm stance, unwavering concentration, and a desire above all else to finish the fight with one swift attack.

Practitioners of iaido are often referred to as iaidoka. Few, more experienced, iaido practitioners use a sharp edged sword. Iaido is associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard or saya, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. While new practitioners of iaido may start learning with a wooden sword depending on the teaching style of a particular instructor, most of the practitioners use the blunt edged sword.