A Beginner's Point of View 620-621

Day 620:

In Iaido, I got through three sets of kata and then finished with a few Iaido stretches.

I asked sensei between classes why the Kendo teaching guide stated that chudan-no-kamae meant you aim the ki-saki at the opponent’s left eye instead of the throat. He answered that proper chudan is individual and a range between left eye and throat. The one you wind up doing depends on your sensei and koryo.

In Kendo class, we went through a standard set of kihon waza drills. We also kept teaching the beginners advanced waza such as kote-men-ouchi. We finished with a few round of ji-geiko.

I was corrected several times today. A friend and I fist-bumped before we did rei-hou but while we were standing in line. Apparently, that’s disrespectful. I think it’s because it breaks the discipline.

I also got corrected by the same sensei by not taking the center very definitively. I would seme into issoku-ittou-no-maai and then launch right into the waza. He said (loudly) that I need to establish my control of center first and then attacking second.

The other sensei corrected me by stating that often time when I strike men I raise too high and pass by into jodan. He’s right but it’s hard not to when using tenouchi.

Day 621:

In Iaido class, I did 3 sets and a few stretches. I noticed that during the 5th kata, my metsuke follows the ki-saki instead of the opponent. I need to break that habit.

In Kendo we had a hard day’s practice. After kihon, we practiced kote-men-ouchi, harai-men, kote-suriage-men-ouchi, and then some keiko before finishing. It was a good practice.