After pleasure comes the pain

Hectic last few weeks which has left little time for kendo.

I got married at the start of the month to my long term missus (bless her for putting up with my kendo habit). We flew over to Dubrovnik in Croatia for a week of holiday and wedding, its a beautiful place and couldnt have asked for a better setting.

However, a week of boozing and late nights as trampled over any kendo form I had before hand. My return to Thursday and Friday practices were AWFUL. I had no timing, distance or movement. Are these dips in form after a break mental or physical? I seem to be my own worst enemy at times.

The guys at my club had a nice surprise for me on my return. Ippon Shobu with everyone..... it killed me. I think I handed my kote to nearly everyone there :(

Grading is 5 weeks and counting! Need to sort my head out.

"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.

Frustrating

I've had my first two practices this year after nearly a month off.... they were awful! I'm shocked by the degree of lost coordination and number of bad habits which have reappeared.

Although it has been a very frustrating week, it's been a case of regrouping and going though the basics again. Salmon and O'Sullivan Senseis noted that my back foot has started twisting out and I was stepping too high with my right foot (planting it too short). I was working on this during thursday practice to try and fix my footwork.

O'Sullivan Sensei retaught us 'floating front foot' for fumakomi. We were told to move our body weight to 55% on the back foot, enough to keep your front foot mobile. During the push with the back foot/leg/hips the front foot shouldn't be raised more than 2-3 inches above the floor if possible, the 'stomp' sound will come naturally. Other senseis have described the front foot to me as a stone skipping over water.

On my arse

Tuesday's practice in London was a bit of a mixed bag. It was good to see the beginners course finish with all the new guys passing their kirikaeshi test, let the hard work begin! Hopefully we will get back to our regular kihon on a Tuesday.

However, afterwards we had a 10 minute jigeiko bash-up and I lined up against Oli, the strongest shodan at the club. We usually resort to 'agricultural' kendo when we fight each other to let off some steam, its not very pretty. This week he caught me with a good taitari which knocked me onto my arse (my arms were raised). I should have got up, dusted myself off and kept my cool, instead I steamed in with predictable men cuts which he dismissed with a couple of ace Kaeshi dos.

I left at the end a bit annoyed with myself. I need to keep my cool in those situations and enforce my centre.

Im also still wearing my homemade kote padding. I think i'll keep it on until after xmas as my knuckle is still a tad swollen.