A Beginner's Point of View 616-617

Day 616:

In Iaido class, I was really focused. I completed three sets but I noticed that my saya was scraping on the 12th kata. I tried to use more saya-biki and it made less noise.

In Kendo, we had two beginners, so it was a less intense class. It was actually taught by my fellow early-dan Kendoka. It was an intro to him teaching. We went through the basic set of kihon, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, and doh-ouchi. We then moved into harai-waza, ai-kote-kote-men-waza, kakari-geiko, and ji-geiko. After class, we took some pictures of myself and a sensei practicing the first 10 kata for advertising purposes.

I asked sensei about the difference between harai and suriagi, because they seemed the same. He confirmed that the motions are similar but the initiative is different. You attack with harai but you react with suriage.

Day 617:

WORST TRAFFIC EVER!!!

I was 30 minutes late to class, with only 15 minutes left. Still, I went in and practiced a full set of kata and another 6 kata.

In Kendo class, we only had one beginner so it was a normal class. We practiced suburi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, doh-ouchi, and then right into ji-geiko. We then practiced harai-men and hiki-men wazas. Moving slowly to get the footwork right makes it really hard.We finished with multiple kata and then into kata.

I love kata. This time I got to practice with the shoto. I got to practice both uchidachi and shidachi.

For shidachi, you have to step out and set down your bokuto using three backward diagonal steps and kneel with your left knee. Step back and take chudan. First kata is block with uke and step to the right, strike men, and back into jodan. Reset. Second kata starts with pressure the uchidachi and then uke to the right. Strike men, shoto at the hip and grab the arm. Reset. For the third, the shidachi is in gedan. Surprise block and flip the uchidachi’s sword down and left. Immediately block doh and pressure the sword. Slide your shto to clack with the tsuba. Grab the uchidachi’s arm and push them three steps diagonally. Reset.

For uchidachi, you mirror the shidachi when putting your shoto down. For the first kata, you are in jodan. You strike men and then you are done. Match the shidachi when they step back and follow when they reset. For the second kata, start in gedan. Try to come up but when the shidachi preassures you, swing back into waki-gamae and then rise up to cut men. Then you’re done. For the third kata, start in chidan. Surprise the shidachi by raising up on the second step and swing down on the third. When you are parried, swing around into waki-gamae and then swing up and around for doh. Let the shidachi grapple you and step back three steps. Best to lead with the back foot.

The rei before and after the sword picks is counter-intuitive and best left to practice.