Random #56 - Mock Grading

Today, Itakura Sensei hosted a mock grading event, with Paul Rixon Sensei, Jonathan Cross Sensei and Michael Payne Sensei attending.  It was a rather small number of attendees since there was National Squad training in Melbourne the same weekend.

We started with Kata practice after a brief talk about what we would be doing.  Twins and myself were in the Nidan category, while Chris Barbe was attempting Sandan.  Mark was going for Yondan and thus had to do kodachi-no-kata, so was taken separately to the three of us.  In addition, there were three others in the Kyu grade.

Cross Sensei took the three of us and we ran through the kata from Ipponme to Nanahonme, both uchidachi and shidachi roles.  Points that really stood out in general for me was obtaining the correct stances.  My main faults were mainly that my bokken angles were incorrect.  For jodan stances, I need to still maintain the higher angle consistently, and for my gedan, I need to lower my kensen further down.  The other stances for Hasso and Waki seemed to be okay.

In addition to this, with the five steps back after each kata, I must remember to take a sixth half-step with the right foot.  This was something I wasn't aware of, so I must remember to do it.

I know the basics for all of the kata, it's just a matter of refining the details within and putting the intent to the actions and zanshin to show it, that is the tricky part.

We then went into jigeiko component, where lucky for us we had three people to rotate through, thus emulating our two matches we would get during the actual grading.  We would get ninety seconds from stepping onto the count to finishing sonkyo after each match, so realistically, only about sixty seconds with the lead in and lead out time.  We were told not to waste it by dallying in the lead in and out.

We did this twice, with feedback after both times, and sadly to say, I 'failed' my jigeiko component both times.  That said, all three of us in the Dan group did.  Points aimed in general to all of us was that we didn't show the variety of techniques we needed to demonstrate, e.g. higher level of waza in a two-phase attack, i.e. instead of a straight seme in and strike, a seme in, apply a technique (suriage, harai, maki, ukitoshi etc) and then strike with the opening that was created.  We all needed to stop rushing into suicide strikes where we would all die from it.  Our kiai and zanshin must be paired and set appropriately with before the strike, during the strike, and following the strike until completion.

Points aimed specifically at me were:  Must relax my chudan so that my arms are not extended out, as this restricts the extension of my arms for use in creating seme.  My left foot must come forward as I step forwards with my right into seme, as currently as I inch forward into seme, my feet get further and further apart, so upon launching into a strike, they are very spaced apart.  Finally, while I have a strong chudan no kamae and my opponents get skewered upon it, it does not show my kendo, only that I have a strong center.  I must respond with an action upon my center, be it that they skewer onto it and I follow up with a hiki-waza, or if I have the timing and ability to maintain center then I must take the opportunity to strike, be it debana waza, kaeshi waza, etc.  I can not afford to just stand at a standstill as it wastes time for me to demonstrate my abilities.

It is a lot to deal with in two weeks, I'm not very sure if I'll manage it, but I guess I can only try my best and hope to meet their expectations.