Day 531:
Today was a hard practice as one of the instructors are going away on a trip before next class. We did several rounds of kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, ji-geiko with only men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, ji-geiko with men-ouchi and kote-ouchi, kote-men-ouchi, harai-men, ji-geiko with kote-men-ouchi, doh-ouchi, and 4-man kakari-geiko.
Afterwards, both instructors gave me advice on my progress towards nidan. Sensei told me that I need to keep my arms and shoulder loose so I don’t tense my right arm before a strike. The instructor had a nice, long lecture with me with metaphysics. I like those discussions since I like to consider the philosophical side of things. He said that now I need to stop looking for new things. Instead, I need to take all the pieces that I have and make them connect more smoothly. I also need to understand the ‘why’ side of things. Why do I strike? Why do I strike now? Why did I not strike over there? Why did I not strike sooner or later? It’s starting to come together.
I’m also not doing fumi-komi right. Apparently, the example of ‘charging up stairs’ is not quite correct. I need to ‘step over a puddle’ instead. Now I need to unlearn fumi-komi and learn it all over again.
Day 532:
Today is the day before a holiday. Only Sensei is there. He sent a message to all of us in the advanced class to try to show up early so the beginner class is not empty. All of us showed up for a big class.
Sensei asked me to lead the class. I had to rely on memory to lead the class. Rei-hou, stretching, and suburi came naturally. I had to make sure to give every stretch because it was cold.
Sensei had us put on men right away. We practiced men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, doh-ouchi, and men-debana-kote-ouchi. Afterwards, we did a few rounds of ji-geiko. The last ji-geiko I fought Sensei. I’m not sure if he was taking it easy on me or if I was really fighting him evenly matched. Maybe it’s just because I know his patterns well.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
A Beginner's Point of View 529-530
Day 529:
No class today as I have a previously-made appointment.
Day 530:
No class today as I am ill.
No class today as I have a previously-made appointment.
Day 530:
No class today as I am ill.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
A Beginner's Point of View 527-528
Day 527:
We had one of our regular Guest Sensei practice with us. It was fun seeing him again. Today we did a lot of conditioning exercises. Several iterations of the same drill over and over. Kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, doh-ouchi, ai-ouchi-men, kote-suriage-men, and men-suriage-men. We finished with a few rounds of ji-geiko. It was interesting fighting against Guest Sensei. If I push myself to the limit, I could match him in the short term. I was able to speed my sword to hit his kote to beat his defense to make him smile.
Day 528:
Today was more conditioning. At the end of practice, Sensei said the drills were the shinai versions of the bokutou kihon kata being pushed by the Kendo Federation. We started with kiri-kaeshi and then did the sequence of men, kote, doh, tsuki, kote-men, kote-suriage-men, men-debana-kote, and men-nuki-men. There were a few more but I don’t remember the entire series. We finished with some ji-geiko and moved into kata.
I love kata. I teamed with a student to sharpen our first five kata. He’s really coming along. I took the time to demonstrate my seme in kata.
We had one of our regular Guest Sensei practice with us. It was fun seeing him again. Today we did a lot of conditioning exercises. Several iterations of the same drill over and over. Kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, doh-ouchi, ai-ouchi-men, kote-suriage-men, and men-suriage-men. We finished with a few rounds of ji-geiko. It was interesting fighting against Guest Sensei. If I push myself to the limit, I could match him in the short term. I was able to speed my sword to hit his kote to beat his defense to make him smile.
Day 528:
Today was more conditioning. At the end of practice, Sensei said the drills were the shinai versions of the bokutou kihon kata being pushed by the Kendo Federation. We started with kiri-kaeshi and then did the sequence of men, kote, doh, tsuki, kote-men, kote-suriage-men, men-debana-kote, and men-nuki-men. There were a few more but I don’t remember the entire series. We finished with some ji-geiko and moved into kata.
I love kata. I teamed with a student to sharpen our first five kata. He’s really coming along. I took the time to demonstrate my seme in kata.
Friday, November 8, 2013
A Beginner's Point of View 525-526
Day 525:
Today we worked on getting maai for men strike down well. Drills included kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, okuri-ashi-men, seme-men, seme-men-men, and then ai-ouchi-men. We finished with an invigorating round of four-person-kakari-geiko.
We did some kata afterwards. I practiced the first five kata with a student. He did well. I think he would have passed. I had forgotten which type of jodan was needed for the fifth kata on the uchidachi side. It turns out to be left jodan. The uchidachi needs to be careful in attacking to straighten the attack for the shidachi.
Day 526:
Today was more instructional for form and techinique. We did kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, and then ji-geiko using only men strikes. That’s new. Then we did kote-ouchi and then ji-geiko using only men or kote. We then did doh-ouchi and then ji-geiko like normal. We then concentrated on oji-waza. Kote-men-ouchi, seme-men, seme-men-debana-kote, and seme-kote-suriage-men. We finished with some three-person-kakari-geiko.
We finished with some kata. I practiced the first seven kata with another shodan. I learned that we need some precision work. For myself, I have two errors. First, I need to not jump back as uchidachi. That just makes the shidachi too far away. Also, my footwork as uchidachi in the seventh kata is wrong. It’s two steps forward for the initial cut and then slide the left foot back as you aim for the shidachi and a Kendo step backwards to pull the shidachi up.
Today we worked on getting maai for men strike down well. Drills included kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, okuri-ashi-men, seme-men, seme-men-men, and then ai-ouchi-men. We finished with an invigorating round of four-person-kakari-geiko.
We did some kata afterwards. I practiced the first five kata with a student. He did well. I think he would have passed. I had forgotten which type of jodan was needed for the fifth kata on the uchidachi side. It turns out to be left jodan. The uchidachi needs to be careful in attacking to straighten the attack for the shidachi.
Day 526:
Today was more instructional for form and techinique. We did kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, and then ji-geiko using only men strikes. That’s new. Then we did kote-ouchi and then ji-geiko using only men or kote. We then did doh-ouchi and then ji-geiko like normal. We then concentrated on oji-waza. Kote-men-ouchi, seme-men, seme-men-debana-kote, and seme-kote-suriage-men. We finished with some three-person-kakari-geiko.
We finished with some kata. I practiced the first seven kata with another shodan. I learned that we need some precision work. For myself, I have two errors. First, I need to not jump back as uchidachi. That just makes the shidachi too far away. Also, my footwork as uchidachi in the seventh kata is wrong. It’s two steps forward for the initial cut and then slide the left foot back as you aim for the shidachi and a Kendo step backwards to pull the shidachi up.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
A Beginner's Point of View 523-524
Day 523:
Today we had class in the gym as the dojo was being used for other functions. We used the long dimensions of the gym for stamina training. We started with kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, and doh-ouchi. We worked on some advanced drills that teach you to react to your opponent’s seme. Men-debana-kote and kote-suriage-men.
We finished with some kakari-geiko and ji-geiko. I think I’m really improving my stamina little by little. I never even felt like sitting out once.
Day 524:
Today we were back in our dojo. Those springy hardwood floors are really nice. We did the class lengthwise to take advantage of the space. We did kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-kiri-kaeshi, kote-ouchi, and doh-ouchi.
We then did more of those seme drills. Reacting to an approaching opponent, men-debana-kote, and men-debana-doh. We finished strong with a long kakari-geiko and several rounds of ji-geiko.
Today we had class in the gym as the dojo was being used for other functions. We used the long dimensions of the gym for stamina training. We started with kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, and doh-ouchi. We worked on some advanced drills that teach you to react to your opponent’s seme. Men-debana-kote and kote-suriage-men.
We finished with some kakari-geiko and ji-geiko. I think I’m really improving my stamina little by little. I never even felt like sitting out once.
Day 524:
Today we were back in our dojo. Those springy hardwood floors are really nice. We did the class lengthwise to take advantage of the space. We did kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-kiri-kaeshi, kote-ouchi, and doh-ouchi.
We then did more of those seme drills. Reacting to an approaching opponent, men-debana-kote, and men-debana-doh. We finished strong with a long kakari-geiko and several rounds of ji-geiko.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
A Beginner's Point of View 521-522
Day 521:
Today we went back to a regular practice. Kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, doh-ouchi, and kote-men-ouchi. My endurance seems to be getting better. I didn’t have to sit out today.
Today’s focus was on hiki-waza. We had long lectures on proper footwork. You need to use fumi-komi to stomp and propel yourself backwards. The secret is to start not to start totally face-to-face at tai-atari. You need to be half a step backwards at tsuba-zariai. Then going backwards puts you at proper maai. A good modification for balance is to discreetly slide your left foot back a bit, then fumi-komi backwards.
We finished with some ji-geiko. I really was feeling the rhythm and made a good showing.
Day 522:
No class today because I am ill.
Today we went back to a regular practice. Kiri-kaeshi, men-ouchi, kote-ouchi, doh-ouchi, and kote-men-ouchi. My endurance seems to be getting better. I didn’t have to sit out today.
Today’s focus was on hiki-waza. We had long lectures on proper footwork. You need to use fumi-komi to stomp and propel yourself backwards. The secret is to start not to start totally face-to-face at tai-atari. You need to be half a step backwards at tsuba-zariai. Then going backwards puts you at proper maai. A good modification for balance is to discreetly slide your left foot back a bit, then fumi-komi backwards.
We finished with some ji-geiko. I really was feeling the rhythm and made a good showing.
Day 522:
No class today because I am ill.
Friday, October 18, 2013
A Beginner's Point of View 519-520
Day 519:
The instructors have brought us a new way to train. They say we need to understand how to react to others pressure. We did a new set of drills.
We did kiri-kaeshi all the way down the length of the dojo and back. We approached our opponent using okuri-ashi and then strike men, kote, and then doh. The motodachi did a drill to approach us with ayumi-ashi until we were in issoku-ittou-no-maai.
We then did some more advanced drills of suriage-men when the motodachi steps into maai. We then did some kakari-geiko and then a new way. We did kakari-geiko with the receiver ‘resisting’. Resisting means stepping away, dodging, and lightly blocking. I liked resisting. I was pretty good at it. I wasn’t bad at striking a resisting opponent, either. We finished with ji-geiko. I didn’t have to step out once.
Day 520:
We started with the new kiri-kaeshi. I don’t like it much since it’s awkward to know when to stop together. We did men-ouchi normally, with okuri-ashi, and motodachi ayumi-ashi. We practiced men-debana-kote and kote-suriage-men to sharpen our technique. We then repeated the kakari-geiko and kakari-geiko with resistance.
We finished with ji-geiko and kata. In kata, I practiced the first five with a student and then I did six and seven with sensei. Sensei said that my six and seven has improved. I remembered to not rush through the footwork and turn my body to the left as shidachi in seven.
The instructors have brought us a new way to train. They say we need to understand how to react to others pressure. We did a new set of drills.
We did kiri-kaeshi all the way down the length of the dojo and back. We approached our opponent using okuri-ashi and then strike men, kote, and then doh. The motodachi did a drill to approach us with ayumi-ashi until we were in issoku-ittou-no-maai.
We then did some more advanced drills of suriage-men when the motodachi steps into maai. We then did some kakari-geiko and then a new way. We did kakari-geiko with the receiver ‘resisting’. Resisting means stepping away, dodging, and lightly blocking. I liked resisting. I was pretty good at it. I wasn’t bad at striking a resisting opponent, either. We finished with ji-geiko. I didn’t have to step out once.
Day 520:
We started with the new kiri-kaeshi. I don’t like it much since it’s awkward to know when to stop together. We did men-ouchi normally, with okuri-ashi, and motodachi ayumi-ashi. We practiced men-debana-kote and kote-suriage-men to sharpen our technique. We then repeated the kakari-geiko and kakari-geiko with resistance.
We finished with ji-geiko and kata. In kata, I practiced the first five with a student and then I did six and seven with sensei. Sensei said that my six and seven has improved. I remembered to not rush through the footwork and turn my body to the left as shidachi in seven.
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