A Beginner's Point of View 10-11

Day 10:

Today I have to skip Kendo. My job is requiring me to work multiple long shifts close to each other. In the last 24 hours, I have worked 16 hours and only offset it by 5 hours of sleep, 2 roast beef sandwiches, 2 chewy granola bars, and 1 apple. End result: I am exhausted and hungry. With only 45 minutes to prepare, I’ve decided that I’m too overexerted and undernourished to practice today.

For a while, I felt guilty. I’m asking sensei and sempai to take time out of their lives to teach me Kendo. However, I also realize that it would do me no good to strain myself and collapse from exhaustion. Kendo is an Art that is practice as a combination of movements, like a symphony of energy and muscle. Stepping and striking. Breathing and moving. The step and strike are performed together, like having energy and spending it. One needs to be in good health to learn it.

I still have to work tomorrow, so I’m going to spend this time recovering and get ready for practice later in the week. Besides, I can just practice my footwork in the kitchen without stressing myself.

After a conversation with sensei, he told me to be ready to train harder than ever. One just gets done from a tournament only to start training for the next. Always go, go, go. It’s like Kendo never stops. Well, maybe it doesn’t, but you can take a rest when you need one.

Day 11:

Today there was a new student who seemed to be someone who wanted to stick it out. We went through all of the first drills that I went through as a new student. I saw how he didn’t do so well. I immediately had the urge to advise him on how to stand and hold the shinai. I remembered that it was the sempai’s job to teach that, so I didn’t speak.

Still, I am no longer standing on the extreme left end of lining up. This makes me feel as if I have a responsibility to help everyone less skilled than me. I also did much better at the jumping footwork drill this time. I could keep up with the others this time without twisting my foot.

Also, today was the first day I wore my keikogi and hakama to practice. I was seriously worried that people might say that I am not wearing it properly or it’s not the right size. In the end, nobody said anything, which I understand means everything’s all right. Whew.

It was a basic day, and I think we will start over again from what was my beginning and loop around. I wonder if I’ll be in the more advanced group if the class gets segregated again. Of course, sempai had to correct my Kendo stance again, so maybe not.