Friday, January 25, 2008

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.

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