"A relaxed mind = a relaxed body"

Hmmm... don't you love the way Kendo can slap you around the face when you think you've improved?

Last week was really good and I felt like i'd progressed. This week was a case of one step forward and two back. I think that I was trying too hard to keep the good feeling going and started to tense up too much instead of letting things happen naturally. At Friday practice Glen said I was using too much power instead of relaxing. "A relaxed mind = a relaxed body".

Feedback from the week included:

• O'Sullivan sensei = Started to cross feet during suriashi before kirikaeshi big shomen cuts. Bad, bad, bad. Tense right arm. Move left foot up quicker after cut/seme.
• Young = I'm dropping and pushing with my arms instead of powering though after my cuts. Second cut during nidan waza is too weak.
• Glen = Relax.
• Manny = Seme is too big leaving me too close to cut. I should 'nibble' away to increase pressure. If I aim to seme 5cm I end up taking 10cm, 2cm I end up taking 4cm etc... therefore, I should aim to move 1cm at at time. I need to drop my hand further for chudan.

I've also caught myself using my right hand more which has started to give me a bit of tennis elbow. I suspect this is a result of trying to strike too quickly and losing proper cutting form.