Grading buildup now on...

Just realised i've not updated for a while, been very busy with uni work. Couple of things of note over the last few weeks....

I attended a Fuji sensei mini kata seminar. We managed to work though all 10 forms to a reasonable degree, I reckon i've got the basic kodachi kata movements sorted now. However, i'm still pretty raggy. I have four months to clean them up before grading in July.

My weekly practices are an up and down affair. I've managed a few weeks of three sessions but they swing from absolute toilet to feeling good, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. E.g. last Thursday I felt very secure in my seme and concentration yet the very next day I was all over the place and couldn't 'switch on'.

I've been continuing my practice with abdominal breathing. I'm kind of getting it to work at times, but when I start to breathe hard I'm unable to maintain it.

Salmon sensei commented that i'm leaning too far backwards again. He advised that I straighten up, then seme with the feeling of attacking my opponent's left eye with my lower abdomen (hara). This feeling should carry me forward seme -> men without breaking it into a two step process (which can leave me vulnerable). I also need to think "forward, forward, forward" and immediately take an opportunity. I think i'm currently creeping forward with a backwards mind, which means I hesitate if my opponent flinches and provides an opening.

I practiced with a Japanese lad at Mumeishi who recently finished third in the Paris taikai. He was shit hot with the stamina of the energiser bunny. He noted that i'm not turning into zanshin fast enough so missing opportunities to catch my opponent off guard (but be careful of the debana kote!). On a similar note, I recently watched a few sandan shinsa vids from last weekend's Glasgow grading. The guys that impressed all possessed straight, powerful seme (e.g. no bending over for kote), all turned quickly for zanshin displaying focus and control.

Something to note for myself.

On the injury front, im still battling with my wrist problem. I saw the doc again last week who has booked me in to see a physio. The only problem is I have to wait four weeks. Its squad training again this weekend but i'm unsure if I'll manage two full days. It currently aches after just two hours of practice.

Fitness Fail

I know this is starting to sound like i'm making it up but I managed to pick up another cough/chest virus late Jan/early Feb. That makes three since the end of November... i've never picked up so many illnesses in such a short space of time before.

One a happier note i've been practicing without an ankle support so at least that injury is on the mend (touch wood). My wrist is improving but i'm still wearing a support during the day.

Last week was the first time I managed three practices since the start of December. It was horrendous. My cardio was virtually non-existent, the cough has done a proper number on my lungs. My visit to Mumeishi was also horrible, i've not felt that out of breath since my beginners days and I felt a bit of a dick gasping in front of the locals. My thursday and friday sessions were also very uncomfortable but what upset me the most is i've lost the 'mobile' feeling I'd discovered in December. Gutted, hopefully I can find it again over the next few weeks.

Mumeishi last night was another difficult one. Holt sensei was out of armour and observed my jigeiko, he pulled me up on a number of worrying fundamentals, many are very familiar:

• Attacking far too close;
• When I try and maintain distance I don't engage with my opponent;
• Too much right hand, practice tenouchi;
• No zanshin;
• Weak attacking presence;
• More confidence!
• Dont flick my kensen about; and
• Work on getting my fitness back.

One crucial point he raised is that I seem to treat jigeiko as shiai (i.e. I don't want to lose). This is worrying as I didn't realise I was doing this. Sensei was kind enough to explain that losing is part of learning and to view it as a necessity.

Other than that everything was ok.. Ha!.

So much to fix it's hard to know where to start. Sensei suggested I work on my distance to begin with as it's my biggest advantage. I've been pulled up about my distance so many times over the years but I never learn, will I ever get it?

//edit: After an improved end to the week I was planning to visit squad training in Birmingham. Unfortunately, soreness after Friday training convinced me that two days of hardcore training wasn't the best method of recovery. Fingers crossed I can attend in March.

Torn Wrist Tendon

As I mentioned in my previous post, i've managed to injure my right wrist (fnarr fnarr). For once this was outside kendo and can be blamed on lugging heavy boxes around during my house move. I'm able to move my hand up/down and side to side, but if I try to rotate (like twisting a door handle) I get a stabbing pain in my wrist below the little finger.

I visited the doc earlier this week who said the tear should clear up in 3-4 weeks. I did't tell him about my kendo habit though!

Thursday's practice passed without incident. However, I managed to whack sensei on the nipple twice - dunno how the hell I managed that! It was a bit embarrassing.

Friday on the other hand proved more painful. I was uchiotoshi'd twice which zapped my wrist... it's been aching pretty bad all weekend. I really don't want to take time of AGAIN! These last 2-3 months have proved very frustrating.

On the upside, I practiced with Katsuya sensei for the first time in about 4 months. He said he noticed an improvement which is nice.

Lovin'it

At last! My first practice of the year after a month away... loved it.

I've been tied up over December with uni work and unfortunately Kendo had to give, only 9 more months and i'll be free of studying. After 5 years it can't come too soon!

During practice I suffered the usual rustiness and my cardio was shot to hell, but it was great to be back in the saddle. There was also the bonus of a few new faces, one is a new Japanese 6th dan visitor who started attending before xmas. I gave him a shot and he proved a very difficult customer, breaking my distance and hitting me with quick suriage men when I reacted. I got a "nice men" thumbs up when I thanked him at the end of the session.

I have another enforced break this week as i'm moving house, so instead of swinging a shinai i'll be packing and lugging boxes of crap about. Should be back on it next week though. Can't wait.

//Edit: 23.02.11

Well... I was planning to edit my post to report a wrist injury incurred during my move, but I recently heard that a bloke who I met though squad has sadly given up Kendo on health grounds. News like this makes my pains and niggles seem pretty trivial, it's also made me contemplate what life would be like without this activity which we devote so much of our time to. I wish him the best of luck with regaining his health.

aghh!

Stuck doing uni work every night so no practice since mid December.  I'm pining for teh kendo :(

Happy xmas!

I've managed to pick up another cough/cold (third in two months!), which ruined my chance of attending the last practice of the year. I'm a bit concerned why my immune system is shot to shit, i'm wondering if it's due to the increased stress/poor sleep i'm suffering due to uni studies? These colds seem to coincide with periods of heavy training (i.e. squad), apparently the immune system dips after intense exercise.

Looking forward to 2012 which is shaping up to be a big year. I am planning to take my sandan grading in July and I'll hopefully graduate with a degree in September.... a culmination of 5 years study (nearly as long as i've practiced kendo).

I hope everyone has a good xmas, here's to successful kendo in 2012!

Birmingham Squad Training Weekend

I missed November squad so was keen to get back into it.

Unfortunately, the day didnt start well. I was late into the dojo so my mind was switched off, combined with a drop in stamina (lack of practice) resulted in me blowing after 3 rounds of kirikaeshi. I really struggled during kihon. I did manage to sort myself out for motodachigeiko at the end though.

Goodwin sensei's aim for the day was to concentrate on engaging the back leg/foot to be ready to cut at all times, while maintaining soft arms and wrists. This should present the ability to strike for ippon even if the body is bent or out of position - However, the resultant posture MUST be perfect forKi-ken-tai-ichi and zanshin. I was pretty pleased that this was our focus as i've been working footwork for the last few weeks.

During the session we performed exercises intent on engaging our back leg, sharpening our concentration and developing seme. Including basic seme-men, seme ai-me/kote and 'fighting for centre' ai-seme men. The aim was to try and cause a reaction then capitalise. Blake sensei reiterated the fact that we need to maintain centre when engaging our opponent, spinning away or running at a tangent means we are not ready to attack again.

After kihon we had an hour of motodachigeiko . This was Mano sensei's farewell visit so we had a number of sensei from around the UK turn up (including O'Sullivan and Blake sensei). I managed jigeiko against Goodwin and Starr sensei but just missed out on Mano sensei, I was next when time was called.

The second day dealt with the shiai league. I fought in five matches with varying success:

Match 1: I was against a lad who seemed pretty inexperienced. I scored a quick men then tempted him with a kote - nuki men for the second. Felt good.

Match 2 : My opponent was much wilier and my attempted seme + men attacks proved pretty ineffective. I did notice he was straying near the shiai-jo edge, so attempted to keep him penned in to worry him and maybe grab a hansoku. Didn't work... I merely switched to pushing mode which must have looked pretty shit. Bad kendo. Finished in a draw.

Match 3: The guy knew exactly how to fight taller opponents. I telegraphed and he scored two sweet degote - no complaints.

Match 4: Managed to give as much as take against a more experienced opponent. In spite of this, I switched off near the end and she moved in and took my men. Arse. My fault.

Match 5: Lost to two degote again. Strange match, dunno what to say about that one.

Overall, not a great performance again. I tried to maintain my new footwork, my left calf and arse cheek ache so I must be doing something right. Nevertheless, I found I fell back into old habits when the pressure was on. This means much more kihon before it automatically sticks.