Itakura Sensei came and trained with us again one afternoon the other week, and after playing with him during jigeiko, he gave me some comments on keeping kamae afterwards.
As I have been working on maintaining a strong center/chudan no kamae, it is often that my opponents will run onto the kensen or mune-/tsuki themselves. However, that said, Itakura Sensei told me that what I am doing is not effective because of two things. I move backwards as I extend, and my posture does not indicate confidence because I am attempting to avoid the incoming cut.
To hold a strong kamae, I should not be afraid of the cut coming, and my posture should be strong and upright/straight, and when I hold kamae, I should not retreat at all but hold my ground and seme forwards into them. My only concern with this is the breaking of my shinai, but I guess it is part of Kendo, and the price to pay for being a kamae user.
So, I have been trying this, and along with fudoushin, I have found that it is working but slow progression as reflexes and instinct cause me to want to duck and weave, dodge and move around when that cut comes. But, one step at a time.
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