Training Session on Tuesday, 29 January 2008

Well, I'm back in training. Carefully, of course. My wrist was acting up a bit after the session, but otherwise it's all good. The bad news is that I wasn't able to completely note down what was taught today. So it'll be mostly from memory...and please tell me if I missed anything important. Haha.

Training Schedule on Tuesday, 29 January 2008

• Briefing
• Benji visited! With his girlfriend too *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*.
• Certificates and DVDs from Saturday's grading are ready
• If you attended the grading and haven't sent the required reflection email, please do so to get your certificate.
  

• Warm up
• Normal
  

• -Break-

• Discussion
• Received certificates
• Anyone who graded and sent in the email but hasn't gotten their DVD can contact Omar to get theirs. Note: He doesn't actually have them...but you can ask anyway :D
  
• Beginner's Cup
• 5th of February...that's next week, folks! (and right between my essay and assignment due-dates! Gah!)
• Anyone from any of the three 2007 beginner classes is eligible
• Register to Clement, and don't forget the $20 registration fee.
• Goodwill Cup
• 12th of February - exactly one week after the Beginner's Cup!
• Will have four categories - dan grades, kyu grades, youth/under 16, female-only - if you're eligible for more than one (e.g. female, kyu-grade, and under 16) you can enter all of them if you want.
• Register to Omar, registration fee's also $20.
  

• Suburi exercises
• 100x shomen uchi to relax shoulder muscles
• Jumping suburi (not haya suburi) - similar to what we did during the Winter Camp last year.
• Type 1: Start with raised shinai and feet closed -> jump and hit men, land in normal kamae (right foot in front) -> jump, raise shinai, land with feet closed -> jump, hit men, land in reverse kamae -> jump and repeat the first step.
• Did this 4 times - hard at first, but becomes more natural after doing it for a while. Surprisingly, I could feel that having tennouchi made it easier to pull up the shinai for the next cut.
• Type 2: Same as Type 1, but add - jump, hit men, land with legs apart -> jump and repeat - after the second land-and-raise phase.
• Did this 4 times - also odd at first, but gradually became easier. - kendo calisthenics?
• Type 3: Jump as high as possible, hitting men at the highest point of the jump
• A lot harder than it looks
  

• Stamping exercises
• Stamp, follow up with jump and a few steps forwards - 6x
• Use the natural momentum from stamping to propel self forwards, landing with the left foot roughly where the right foot was when stamping.
• Don't 'add' the jump - it's more of taking a long step rather than pushing vertically off the floor.
• Fast kirikaeshi practice - 4x each, no motodachi
• No big men cut at the beginning
• Rather than taking steps, 'hop' forwards and backwards to increase speed
• Don't sacrifice correct cutting and posture for speed, though.
• When going forwards, push from left foot; when going backwards, push from right foot.
• Quite difficult to raise the shinai any higher than eye-level in order to deliver the cut fast enough, while maintaining footwork and correct posture.
• During bogu keiko, motodachi should encourage partner to be faster by moving backwards and forwards faster.
  

• - Break -

• Bogu keiko
• Small men (static) - sets of 5x each, partnered.
• Don't pull arms back or extend them too far, as it exposes kote.
• Raise shinai slightly forwards and push left hand forwards, then cut by pulling it back and letting the cut 'fall' into opponent's men.
• Small men with stamping (static) - sets 5x each, partnered
• Same points as previous small men exercise
• Raise and cut simultaneously with the stamping motion - raise shinai when going into stamp, cut as you make the stamp.
• Has to be fast and precise.
• Small kote (static) - sets of 20x each, partnered
• Same as points as first small men exercise
• Use small footwork to coordinate - when raising slightly lift right foot, when cutting raise left foot - almost stamping
• Start slowly, then gradually pick up speed
• Kind of like tapping to a metronome which is continually speeding up
• For kote cuts in general, height that shinai should be raised depends on the target - e.g. if the opponent's kote is high after blocking, shinai can start cut from the same height
• Kirikaeshi - sets of 1x each, with motodachi
• Using the same principles as earlier 'fast kirikaeshi' - hop rather than step
• Full kirikaeshi, with big men cuts.
• Sensei: Kirikaeshi should be seen as warming up - if not feeling warmed up after doing kirikaeshi, better run 100 times around dojo.
  

• - Break -

• Discussion
• On competition
• Practice so that we can win with good kendo
• Victory is only temporary and within that one moment; fortunes can change in an instant
• Remembered something Sam-sensei said last year: You can train up to become the best, but you will inevitably lose to an unknown challenger.
• The amount of real practice done is often reflected in performance during shiai
• Strengthen both mind and body
• When facing someone of equal skill and at a stalemate, having the strongest will to win could shift the balance and cost you the match.
• Especially true if moving into overtime matches - if a 4-minute jigeiko already feels like an eternity, how would a 15-minute extension to a 5-minute match feel?
• The upcoming cups will be a good place to test skills and resolve
• Tip: time in a shiai should be used to the fullest. Use the first two minutes or so to study the opponent for strengths and weaknesses, then use the remaining time to experiment whatever waza may work against him/her. Scoring ippon early in the match may not be the best thing; you may have already shown your strength and weakness in that one cut, which the opponent has had time to study.
  

• - Bow off -

Well, that's all I can remember. Thanks to Clem for reminding on some of the points. Fun session, though not as hard as we usually do. Definitely getting a bit nervous with the prospect of two shiai practically back-to-back, but looking forward to testing my own limits (at the same time realistically keeping in mind that it may take up to five years to actually start win :D). Until Thursday, then!

Almost forgot, here are some pictures of Benji (why so dark lah?)...

That's how much we love you, ya big lug.

So, best of luck in Japan, have fun, and train hard so that we can beat each other up seriously when you get back! Ganbatteyo, Benji-kun!

p.s. For some reason, my men always feels like it's somehow connected to my jaw. So when I kiai, my men slightly tips forwards, and when I finish the men moves back up. Almost mask-like. Weird.

Training Session on Saturday, 26 January 2008 - First Grading 2008

Shaving dangerously close to the deadline, here's a look back on the first grading of 2008.

Training Schedule on Saturday, 26 January 2008 - Grading

• No warm-up

• Grading
• 2 groups
• Below 6th kyu
• Ashi (Footwork)
• Forward and backward, 2 steps each until stopped
• Left and right, 2 steps each until stopped
• Suburi
• Jogeburi
• Men
• Kote
• Do
• Suburi with motodachi
• Big men, 8x
• Big kote, 8x
• Big kote-men, 8x
• 6th to 3rd kyu
• Bogu keiko - in pairs
• Big men cuts, 4x
• Big kote cuts, 4x
• Big do cuts, 4x
• Big kote-men, 4x
• Big kote-do, 4x
• Go-hon waza - only for 4th and 3rd kyu
• continuous: men - kote - do - kote-men - kote-do
• Kata
• 6th - 5th kyu: ipponme and nihonme kendo kata
• 4th - 3rd kyu: ipponme, nihonmen, and sanbonme kendo kata
  

• Jigeiko session
• from 5 to 6 pm
• Terry-senpai joined up!
  

• Debriefing
• Grading
• It's like growing up; you have to do it anyway. It means more challenges and responsibilities, as well (I assume it also means we'll be more experienced...).
• Jigeiko
• Always try to reserve some energy for sensei or senpai - don't make them wait (or give them a chance to rest :D)
  
• Homework
• Write an email to Sam-sensei regarding what we've learned since he left us in 2007.
  

Ah, and before I forget:

Results

• William: 8th kyu
• Amy, Ann, Annie, Clark, Dabao: 6th kyu
• Awa, Clem, Douglas, Kevin, Min Seong, Omar: 4th kyu
• Andrew, Ari, Darrin, Min Gi: 2nd kyu
  

Congratulations to all of us for passing! Hurrah! Now, on to the next stage!

On a personal note,

• My wrist is strong enough to do suburi, so hurrah for that.
• Do cuts still a complete mess! Argh. Might also be because I was pretty nervous.
• Note to self: try not to get over-anxious during grading. Forgot to drink before and that kind of messed me up. So don't do it. Mm'kay?
• Train some more on kote cuts. Kept missing distance (and hit my partner on the arm several times - gomen)
  

Hang on, doesn't putting this on a blog mean I'm letting people know my weak points? Hmm...

Training Session on Thursday, 24 January 2008

So, it's two days before the first kyu grading of the year, and everybody (well, mostly everybody) who's planning on doing it seems a bit on the edge. Myself included, although that may also be because I haven't been training for the last three sessions :D Just to see how far I've progressed of course, as there will (hopefully) be other gradings in the near future. Therefore, it's a good time for a review session!

Training Schedule on Thursday, 24 January 2008

Today's main course: Grading Review.

• Pre-Training Briefing
• The most important part of grading - wearing hakama and bogu correctly
• Kendogi
• Back must be flat and without creases.
• One fold only on each side to tidy up loose sections.
• Knot (for the outer tie) should be horizontal.
• Don't look sloppy.
• Hakama
• Don't wear ittoo short or too long - just enough to cover the top of the feet (maybe a little less, even).
• Tare
• Make sure it's properly secured (i.e. not shifting all the way to the side when doing suburi) on the right place.
• Make sure the name bag has been pulled up completely over the tare (also, it might help to wear it right-side up).
• Do
• Like hakama, not too high and not too low - approximately halfway up the top half of the tare.
  

• Warm-up
• Normal
• - new - 20x men cuts every session
• - 50x haya suburi, same focus as last two sessions
• For Beginners - focus on 'throwing' the shinai and catching it at the last minute, it should bounce naturally back and help maintain the flow of cuts
• Developing left arm muscles through suburi will be useful for these exercises in the future
• Personal note - I find imagining the shinai to be a whip to help sometimes; you raise, throw it forward, and pull it back with a snap. Just my two cents.
• Members who are over 5th kyu and over 16 years of age are encouraged start using two shinai for warmup again.
  

• Review
• For kyu grading
• Objectives
• accurate, correct cuts and ki-ken-tai-ichi
• Ikkyu should reflect the ability to do all basic cuts correctly
• Make 100% effort second nature
• Kiai - make most out of training by doing 100% kiai whenever training
• Hakama - always try to look proper when in dojo
  

• Technical matters
  
  
• Men cuts
• If opponent is smaller
• keep correct angle, but make the cut lower; right arm doesn't always need to be perfectly horizontal.
• If opponent is taller
• keep correct angle, focus more on using left hand so that the cut hits the top of the men rather than the faceguard.
• There is no power to the cut if the shinai is completely horizontal.
  
  
• Cuts in general
• Speed is not as important as timing and reading opponents correctly.
• If you can master the cut, you can be fast through more efficient movement. However, you won't necessarily get the timing right.
• For timing, do plenty of keiko, especially kakari-keiko
• Sometimes being slower can be good - the opponent can react to a feint, giving the opportunity for a surprise attack.
• Bear in mind that one naturally always has limitations.
  

• Bogu keiko
• Power should come from left foot and ground, not solely from the hands and arms.
• Use issoku-itto-no-maai (IINM hereafter)for natural striking distance
• No jumping.
• Don't step in so far that the opponent's nakayui has been passed.
• In kamae, be focused with a point in your feet that is (apparently) the base of your big toe. This is supposed to be where the earth's energy goes up into your body, the "bubbling spring". Couldn't get the proper Chinese acupuncture term for it, my apologies.
• Always be aware of maai, as everyone is different and will need adjusting to in order to keep IINM.
• For semei, stop at appropriate distance (IINM) before going for a cut - not distinguishing between movements may detract points.
• Don't change breaths when in IINM, keep breathing out
• Inhaling will delay reaction - when in striking distance whoever runs out of breath first will lose the initiative.
• The "yaaaa" done during training is to train breath control
• In shiai, doing a "yaaa" may warn the opponent you're coming, so silent exhalation replaces it.
  
  
• Ancient strategy - deceiving opponents
• When weak within, present a strong appearance
• When strong within, it may be beneficial to present a weak appearance - can trick opponent into false security
• When weak within and weak on the outside, you're doing it wrong.
  

• Kirikaeshi
• Rather than doing a drawn out succession of "mennnn, mennn, mennn", try to make the 'men' part shorter and more emphasized ("menmm, menmm, menmm") to keep ki steady <= probably not a very informative use of onomatopoeia.
• Maintain high kiai throughout kihon, breaking off when strongest rather than letting it drop.
  

• Kata
• All three will be tested.
  

• Do cuts
• Cut the motodachi, not his side - don't zanshin before you actually make the hit
  

• Tsuba-zeria
• Keep tsuba low
• Don't be too close, just enough so that you can jump back immediately into IINM
• Know where the right foot should be in advance (i.e. approximate distance from which you can make a proper hit)
  

• Zanshin
• For backwards zanshin, use the "pulled back" one to give better backwards momentum and make it harder for the opponent to cancel out an ippon.
• Don't draw back shinai with force; let it bounce back naturally then keep it in its proper position.
  

• Misc.
• Kyu gradings are mostly for encouragement, and to show kyu grades how far they've progressed.
  

Well, that's about all I got written down for the whole session. It's a pity that we only had one and half hours for this session and we couldn't practice kata. Tried to practice with Clem after, but managed to slightly (honest!) injure both him and myself doing so. Hahaha. Not a good sign, indeed. Hopefully the gym should be available before 3 pm on Saturday if anyone wants to get in some extra practice or warm-up before the grading takes place.

Oh, and please read Marleen-sensei's latest email. It's supposed to be a newsletter or manual of some sort from the BKF.

Tune in this weekend to find out what happens when the kyu grades take their grading!

Good night, and good luck.

Training Session on Tuesday, 22 January 2008 - Au Revoir, Nicolas

And so it comes that we must bid a fond farewell to Nicolas, who's been my generation's senpai for a year now. But let us not dwell on the parting, but rather on the probability of reunion, once we're all stronger and more experienced so that those of us who didn't prevail that night may try to avenge history! Nah, I'm just kidding. No such thing as score-settling between old teammates, eh? Anyway, safe trip and good luck for the future, Nicolas, and hope to meet you again some sunny day out there. Maybe at a championship, representing respective nationalities? Heheh. Cheers.

Hope that didn't sound too much like an obituary. Ahem.

Well, here's a recap of what happened.

Training Schedule on Tuesday, 22 January 2008

• Briefing
• Grading on Saturday
• Today - Nicolas' club farewell party
• Reviewed important points of Saturday's training.
• No group haya suburi for the next few session, going to focus on other fitness exercises.

• Warm-up
• Normal
• Sensei's tip - the kendoka leading the warm-up should be confident and have the order of exercises memorised. Otherwise everyone else's concentration will be disrupted and the warm-up not as effective.

• Fitness
• Haya suburi
• Focusing on the points from Saturday
• Haya with motodachi - 30x each, 3 sets
• Motodachi should relax grip when partner is raising his/her shinai, and tighten when partner cuts
• 1st set - focus on differentiating speed between raising and cutting
• 2nd set - focus on speed and ten-no-uchi3rd set - focus on both previous points and footwork; also pay attention to eye contact and feeling natural bounce from ten-no-uchi assist in raising shinai.
  

• Note: from now on, less emphasis on quantity of haya suburi done and focusing more on unity
• i.e. everybody has the same frequency, speed, and movements - doing so will distinguish us from all other clubs.
  

• Discussion
• On effort
• as a beginner, one should always concentrate fully on kihon. Once basic kihon has been understood and somewhat mastered, the kendoka must then learn how to do it smart. Destroying body and mind through working too hard is counterproductive and should be avoided. However, this does not mean that the kendoka can be lax and lazy when training. Simply put, kendo is for survival. You still have to give it 100% effort but at the same don't kill yourself doing so. Balance.
  

• On reflexes
• If you see a cut coming your way, it's too late - you're getting hit. In the short time the reflex order is sent from the eyes to the brain, there's still a 'loading' time where you're vulnerable and unable to react quickly.Better to analyze your opponent to anticipate the next move.

• On bowing
• stop bowing directly after finishing a kihon (e.g. slightly bowing when still in kamae after kirikaeshi). This is considered as being disrespectful of your partner, so better to do it once at a safe distance.
  

• High-speed haya suburi, 20x each, 4 sets.
• looks insane
• don't focus on anything other than doing the fastest haya suburi you can manage (or more)
• Sensei's tip - pull down and cut immediately once you can see your left hand has cleared eye level. Also, don't worry about kamae, footwork, or even proper cutting for this exercise
  

-Break-

• Bogu keiko
• Kirikaeshi - 3x
• Big men cuts, 3 each - 3x
• Don't hit before motodachi opens; also, keep in semei a bit longer before striking.
• Big kote-men - 3x
• Big kote-do - 3x
• The do strike should come before the zanshin, don't end up striking completely parallel to the do.- - note: always move from the right foot (?)
• Kakari-keiko - 15 each - 1 set per person
• remember that it always starts and ends with a big men cut.
• focus on:
• proper, correct, accurate, and fast cuts
• finding personal issoku-itto-no-maai
  

-Break-

• Shiai keiko
• Nicolas' farewell party - 2 minutes each or 1 ippon.
• Results
• - 8 wins for Team Nicolas
• - 10 wins for Team Waikato (everyone else)
• Notes
• Sam-sensei: kendo is like drama; it's not only about waza but also about spirit and making a good show. "Pretending" may persuade the judges to pick one side over the other, even when all other things are considered equal.
• Saw (or I think I saw) a nuki waza happening in a shiai setting - wow.
  

And to wrap up this one, here are some pictures from that night.

Ah, sorry about some of the pictures not coming out quite well...messed up the settings on my camera :S And I should probably get the lenses cleaned up...

p.s. does anyone know whether it's better to link up the photos to another site, e.g. Flickr, compared to directly uploading them to blogger? Just wondering.

Training Session on Saturday, 19 January 2008 - First Post of the Year!

Ah, you're still reading! In that case, I wish you a (much belated) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

After buckling to peer pressure (hahaha), I'm starting back on the session blogging track, still carrying an sizeable load of back issues. For those who are wondering why I haven't included any of the pre-19 June sessions, I was planning on updating the blog once the club officially starts. And now that it has, I guess I have no excuses, ne? Other than study and this odd wrist problem, that is...

Ahem.

Well, in that case, I welcome you to the first Waikendoka training blog entry for 2008!

First Official Training Session
Saturday, 19 January 2008

Ahh...a new year, another fresh 12 months just brimming with new opportunities and challenges.

Including updating this blog, I may add.

But I digress.

First of all, a few club updates which have been on the update waiting list.

A big and hearty 'welcome back' to Sam-sensei, Marleen-sensei, and Joyce-senpai who've just returned from Taiwan. Also, congratulations to Marleen-sensei who was chosen as a nominee for the 2007 Waikato Times Sports Coach award!

Welcome to back to Awatea, who's had to take a four month break from training due to his wrist injury. He says he's more or less properly healed, and is looking forward to getting back into good, hard training.

(Belated) Congratulations to Kevin, who's the first of the 1st term 2007 beginners to get married!

To balance returns and new happiness, we unfortunately also have several departures. Such is life.

Both Sangwon and James Nam have both returned to Korea. Here's to our next meeting, boys, whenever and wherever that may be. Ganbatte!

Benjamin's actually been gone for quite a bit now (forgot to update that one...sorry Benji!), and he'll be spending a year at the least in Japan. We're still not completely sure what you're up to there, but all the best regardless. Be on the lookout for his return sometime before he actually leaves...it won't be a complete goodbye if we don't get to have a commemorative shiai with you, Benji :D

Nicolas-senpai is returning to France on Wednesday, as his studies here completed. He's apparently also got his sights on joining the French national team, so best of luck for that. He'll be coming on Tuesday for a final session, and Marleen-sensei has promised a shiai-keiko to send him off. As sensei has said so many times before, ichigo ichie - every encounter is unique...so don't miss this chance to give him a clobbering farewell to last him till he returns!

Terry-senpai is working in Auckland, and is currently still unable to join training on a regular basis. Here's hoping he'll be able to come back and continue to keep us on the edge every keiko-time through his fiery ki!

Jeffrey-senpai will also be joining irregularly for the near future due to a number of reasons, including work. A heartfelt thanks especially from those of us who've been under your supervision in the two weeks before the official start. As Robin-senpai put it, "you've been a rock". And you really have been our 'rock' for quite some time now. Arimashita, and good luck for your new enterprises, senpai!

Alright, now that the most of the urgent matters have been dispensed with, on to the actual training session!

Training Session on Saturday, 19 January 2008

• Warm-up

• Normal routine

• Group haya suburi - 15 x 10 each + 10 + 30 = 190 suburi total <- a good start to 2008!

• Sensei's tip - in order to conserve energy during group haya suburi:

• when raising shinai and jumping back, use 30% power - can relax, but don't stop at the top.

• when striking and jumping forwards, use 70% power - move faster, do proper ten-no-uchi to ensure kensen will automatically lift after the strike, and immediately relax shoulders to raise.

• once accustomed to this method, increase power - e.g. [raise : strike] 30%:70% => 40%:80% => 50%:100%

• try not to use too little power nor make the muscles too tense - relax on upswing and (more) tense on downswing.

• Bogu keiko - pt. 1 - full armor

• Briefing from Sam-sensei - tip - when stamping, try to use gravity in addition to pushing forwards. Without it, you may damage your Achilles tendon.

• Kirikaeshi - 6x each - movements are more smoothly coordinated now, start focusing on feeling forwards and backwards momentum

• Big men cuts - 6x each

• Big kote-men cuts - 6x each

• Continuous kirikaeshi - 2x each - new

• In partners, do kirikaeshi continuously (with first men cut + taiatari) across dojo lengthwise. Repeat after reaching the other side.

• Attacker must focus on keeping proper maai and 'flowing' with forwards momentum. Motodachi should keep head down and move back quickly to keep partner focused.

• Continuous kote-men - 2x each - new

• Smaller footwork for attacker - 1 cut, 1 fumikomi - if kote ends up with arms bent in, steps are too large.

• Similar to earlier tips on haya suburi - less power when raising, but speed up on delivery - proper ten-no-uchi should allow the shinai to naturally bounce back to quickly go into next strike.

• Motodachi and attacker both must be able to judge distance - focus points sme as continuous kirikaeshi.

• Break and discussion

• Big or small cuts?

• Being able to judge distance and timing correctly more important

• Must master basic balance

• Keep in proper kamae at all times

• Everything must come together smoothly - ki-ken-tai-ichi

• Generally, master big cuts first before moving into small cuts.

• Bogu keiko pt. 2 - kote and do only

• Waza - must be mastered in order to distract opponent and win the centre

• e.g. - tsuki feint (didn't get the proper name, sorry) - aim tsuki slightly towards left eye to trigger natural reflex to swat shinai away from opponent, can open up opportunity for kote-nuki.

• For this session: kote waza

• Push away opponent's shinai, but keep own in centre - doesn't have to push opponent's shinai completely out of the way, simply pointing away from your centre

• Take centre, feel opposing pressure

• Raise shinai to almost parallel to body

• Small kote + zanshin <- note: must be able to do small kote cuts to be effective!

• Push into motodachi, taiatari, bounce back

• Additional notes:

• Use stable power -> don't use too much force when pushing opponent's shinai away

• Remember that hits always follow parallel to the side of the shinai facing the opponent - always keep shinai as far as possible from body without compromising next attack/counter

• At this stage, just raise the shinai rather than going under and performing harai - helps distance judgement, as one cannot properly see opponent's shinai when raising and must rely on instict/automatic estimation to land the cut. Also, don't lift shoulders.

• If the opponent's kamae is hard and unyielding, push hard and raise. If opponent's kamae is soft or weak, go under and whack it out of the way just enough for a men/kote cut.

• If going under, make sure to use ten-no-uchi to maintain centre. Using power alone will not cause the shinai to follow momentum and stray from centre, and possibly open possibilities for a counter.

• Above all, try to use basic techniques such as this one to attract the opponent's shinai away.

• Remember that issoku-itto-no-maai is not just about phsyical distance, but also through feeling and instict - can I get a hit in one step? And if I can, can I make sure it's a proper cut?

• Debriefing

• Sensei - plans for the future - once the club has produced enough mature members (e.g. dan senpai), there is a possibility that we can make satellite clubs throughout Hamilton. This will be beneficial to both future instructors and students, learning through teaching. Probably not in the very near future, but an interesting possibility that is worth looking forwards to in the long run.

• Tuesday - Nicolas's final session - shiai-keiko scheduled!

Phew. That took a lot longer than expected. Awa and Clement may be able to help me with the back issues, so I'm hoping (really, I am) that we'll have most up by the beginning of February. Also, I need to find those notes first. Eh-heh-heh-heh...

Well, there you have it, the very first training blog entry for 2008. Please don't miss Tuesday's session to give Nicolas a goodbye worthy of memory. Until then, ganbatte!

note - sorry if the formatting is a little dodgy, blogger isn't that good for copying slabs of text straight out of MS Word :S