Random #57 - Return to training

Its been a while since I properly trained, and I have recently started to ease myself back into things after my hiatus focussing upon archery related activities.  Upon my return, we now have a new Sensei, a 5th Dan, from Japan.  His name is Takayama, Katsuhiro.  He is a star pupil of Chiba Sensei, and has been the former coach of 6 different Kendo teams.  He's an interesting person, quiet spoken but often has a mischievous glint in his eyes, not to mention his interest in soccer, like many Japanese people.

Training is vastly different to how training used to be when I last trained, and it is still something I am adjusting to, the structure is different and of course the exercises are also different.  Katsu-san told me that he is looking at ways of changing how Kendo is taught, that makes it more fun, less serious, but still allows the principles of Kendo, good Kendo, grading Kendo, shiai Kendo, to all be learnt and applied.

To this, we do different footwork to what you would expect to see in many traditional dojo settings, and we also run different warmup exercises.  What I do miss though is our waza/suburi rotations, though of course things can still change again as Katsu-san has some kind of plan that just takes time to implement.

In any case, my fitness is being tested, and all the muscles I use for archery aren't the ones for Kendo, so I need to re-develop and rebuild them again, but thankfully so far, my feet haven't suffered too badly.  

Grading is coming up at Picton, but I will give that a miss as I do not feel confident about it, regardless of what the others say, it is what and how I feel in the end as I need to enter the grading confident in passing to perform at my best.

Onwards with the journey.

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.

#76: Suriage Kote

Paul Rixon Sensei visited the other week during Womens Training, and took us fellows left.  We worked on Suriage kote.

The principle of the suriage is to deflect the opponents shinai away from the center, opening the kote for a cut.  This is achieved using a circular movement while maintaining your own center.

The break-down of the steps, as I understand it from the exercises we practiced were:

1. Seme into striking distance on your ura side
2. Duck your shinai underneath to your omote side and re-establish shinai-shinai contact
3. Sweep your monouchi in a clock wise direction a full circle
4. Strike the kote

Points to note

• When seme is applied, you must move in firmly/decisively, like any other cut
• It is vital to maintain the shinai-shinai contact in 2.  If this contact is not present when you make the sweep action of 3. it is easier for someone who has a soft chudan no kamae to return to center as you end up "hitting" their shinai away from center rather than sweeping it.
• The circle in 3. is a small controlled circle, it is not maki-waza as you are only brushing aside instead of binding up the opponents shinai.  The circular action generates an increased angle for the kote to cut
• After the cut in 4. ensure your footwork continues forward by rushing either into the opponent or through to display proper zanshin.  Should your footwork stop on the strike, it indicates incorrect application of footwork and followthrough for the cut.

Random #55: NYC Kendo Club Visit

Today I returned to the New York City Kendo Club to visit them again.  This trip however I didn't have my equipment with me, so I decided to just watch how a "typical" training went.  My last visit, Kataoka Sensei was away, and one of the others led the training.  Today though, he was present.

When I arrived at 3pm, the Iaido class was still going (2:30pm to 3:30pm), and there was a mix of beginner(ish) to obviously advanced (using Iaito, not sure if they were shinken or not) students.  Only one female present at the time.  I watched for half an hour as Kataoka Sensei worked repetitively with one student.  I don't know how well I would have done had I been in his place, but Kataoka Sensei certainly is patient to a degree with this student.

So, when the Beginner class (and warmup for Advanced) started at 3:30pm, a lot more people popped out of the doors and were moving around.  There wasn't really any structure for the majority of it at all.  People did their own thing, the most of them working on men cut without fumikomi and kiai, though the people in bogu were doing other things, but still no kiai.  Towards the end, just before their time was up, Kataoka Sensei then proceeded to do two footwork drills, just regular suriashi, and then kihon fumikomi footwork, this went for about fifteen minutes before the Advanced started.

At lineup, I was pretty surprised to see the number of "motodachi" lined up.  I'm not entirely sure at what grade you count as a motodachi in the club, but I know from situational positioning, there was at least four 6th Dan and higher, but to finish why I was O_O, there was 12 of them lined up at line up.  Mokusou and Rei as usual.

So, Advanced bogu, they certainly use kiai, and the clack clack of shinai is deafening.  The space they use is equal to a small basketball court.  From when I could count them, there was 38, but more people did pop in afterwards, including someone from Columbia (University, club) and even someone sporting a Canadian Zekken.  Exercises wise, it was a bit disappointing to me to see what they did.

Kirikaeshi, Men (your choice of what kind), Kote (your choice), then two exercises of seme/debana waza.  The first was shidachi seme, then motodachi did a men cut.  The shidachi then has the option of an auichi men, or dou cut (of their choice, nuki, kaeshi, debana).  The second was the same except that the motodachi does a kote and the shidachi can do kote or men as desired.  After this was geiko.

Of course this is all personal opinion, but for me, I feel that how their training is conducted, there isn't a great amount of feedback during exercises.  There is a large geiko component, and there is feedback given during it.  I think that it probably would not provide me with the best learning environment for my style of learning, but thats just me.  At the moment, it's not a big issue since I'm not training there as my dojo, but should I ever end up here on a more long term basis, it might, and I guess I would have to adapt to it somehow.

But other than that, it was interesting to watch Kataoka Sensei's teaching style, he's very laid back, and I sense that one of his favourite expressions is "[something done wrong], if you do that, it shows you know nothing".  Oh, and the $100/month fee... -_-;  I guess it's a bit early still to tell if I'll end up here or not.

Random #54: SKC video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No6yZY3AICU

Random #53: Post Grading

So, it is now a few weeks after my grading in Picton, where I obtained my Shodan grading.  Does it feel any different now than before?  I am not sure.  I spoke to another Shodan in our club and for him, he felt different, that he had much more to acheive and that he would have to train hard to advance.  For me, I haven't really felt that fully, though on Saturday, I became rather frustrated at one aspect of my training, in that there was a problem, I knew what it was, I knew what I should be doing, but I just couldn't seem to put it into action.

Now, as a Dan grade, I think there is some expectation that I am putting upon myself to do good Kendo.  But, at the same time, I still need to enjoy my own Kendo, a tough balance at times I think.  Being a Dan, you have a sense of being a role model, and at my club, I am now in a position that at times, I am being asked to take warmup, and lead basic training if no-one else more senior above me is present (vs other Shodans present).

I want to continue to develop, but, I think it will be a much harder road now than before.

#75 Kata Concepts

As I alluded to in the previous Random post, Master Choi taught us some points about Kata.  While it really isn't possible to write or describe about it on my blog, what I can do is replicate some written material he gave us in regards to the first 7 kata.  The source appears to be from Kendo, by Jinich Tokeshi.

Benefits of Studying Kata

1) Body and Appearance

• Refine your composure and mannerisms
• Imrpove good and proper posture
• Cultivate grace, refined character and dignity

2) Mind and Mental

• Become agile - mind and brain action
• Become aware of the thoughts and actions of others
• Develop spirit and energy

3) Kendo Techniques

• Lose undersirable technical habits and get proper or right skills
• Understand the proper ma'ai
• Develop attack and defense skills
• Learn opportunity and moment

As a basis of shinai keiko, Kata practice is valuable for learning the various waza, such as the nuki, suriage, kaeshi and ukenagashi.

Comprehend the principles of Kendo.

There are five stances to understand

• Chudan no kamae
• Jodan no kamae
• Gedan no kamae
• Hasso no kamae
• Wakikamae

The ponme

Ipponme

Ipponme teaches gi (honestry, virtue, conviction, faith, justice, truth and power) and sen (fore).  Therefore ipponme is performed with large all out waza without apprehension.

Nihonme

Nihonme teaches jin (benvolence, endurance, and practice).  Thus, although the shidachi is capable of fatally striking the uhcidachi, he strikes the kote instead and spares the uchidachi's life.

Sanbonme

Sanbonme teaches yu (courage) and how the win without injuring the opponent (kuraizume)

Yonhonmen

The hasso no kamae (eight-faceted stance) represents wood or trees.  The wakigame (hip stance) represents gold or metal, which can smash wood.  Yonhome teaches large auichi waza (simultaneous striking technique).  Kirimusubi (chaffing) relates to a sense of proper tsubazeuiai (hand guard fight) in shinai kendo.

Gohonme

Jodan no kamae represents fire.  Chudan no kamae represents water, which can put out the fire.

Ropponme

Chudan represents water and gedan represents earth, which can cover up the water.  When the uchidachi takes the Jodan (fire) stance, the shidachi responds with the chudan stance.

Nanahonme

(blank)

How to improve Kata

• Keep eyes on each other from start to finish
• Uchidachi always iniates the movement, from front foot and retreat from the back foot.  Shidachi is always the follower and the same as uchidachi.
• Do together - finish by a nice harmony
• Open Kiai and Close Kiai [Opening kiai is Yaaaah, close Kiai is Tooooh!, so that it becomes Yaaahtoooh! so that the Toh follows as soon as possible and finishes strongly]
• Use your body when walking - suriashi (abdominal) and ayumiashi (shoulder)
• Show zanshin
• Back foot up to the proper distance after a datotsu so that the feet are not wide apart
• On datotsu, strike through the datotsubui with the monouchi (cutting zone)
• Em lyu kyo jaku (slow fast strong weak) [e.g., a fast cut is not necessarily stronger]
• Abdominal breathing
• Consider the opportunity and right moment for attack
• Ma'ai