About this blog..

This is a blog that I started in April 2006, just after I first put on my bogu (kendo armour). It collects the advices given by more experienced kendo practitioners as well as those from my own experiences. Both technical and the mental aspects of kendo are written in the blog. I hope someone will find them useful or interesting at least!

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Rising star

In the past two week I have been training three times a week. Not all of them went as well as I wanted, but I have improved on my men-strike to a point where I don't hesitate. But my strike is still too slow, and I need to push my body farther, or otherwise at the end of the day I would be packing home with a bagful of debana-kote.

Sometimes it did happen though, that my strike was further enough. Today Georg praised my men-strike during the jigeiko with him, which he did not expect to reach given the distance in between.

After some jigeiko we had some team shiai practise. Three teams were formed, with a girls team, a Budoclub's team, and a university team. I was on the university as well as Martin, Tino (the beginner), Lino(?), and Stephan, as the taisho. We played the system like the Gyokuryuki competition in Japan, whereby the winner stays on until he either looses or draws.

The star this evening was undoubtedly Lilli, who served as the senpo. She single-handedly eliminated the first three opponents of both the other teams (including me), almost all won on men/kote-nuki-men.

Yes, so here we go, what you guys have been waiting for...
Lilli defeated me with 2-1
(honestly it was 2-0, because my kote was on the tsuba)

Well, deserved Lilli, I have to say. Now it's your time to make a speech here...



We also gave Georg his birthday kakari-geiko. I especially took care to give him that extra push during the taiatari, hee hee.



Lilli (far right) smelt blood..



Georg explaining distance


Tino, I and Stephan's hands

Stephan measuring the depth of Patrick's nose.

7 comments:

Georg said...

Definitely Lilli made a big step this year and I hope this run won't stop. The set-up of the girls was very clever.: Sempo and Taisho were most experienced.

Unknown said...

Definitely, it's clear that her effort paid off. The DD girls are getting stronger!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Ivan!
I really do appreciate the praise.
I enjoyed the whole team shiai very much. It was fun.
But we shouldn't forget that the other girls did well, too.

Unknown said...

Yes, true. I wrote this entry 3am in the morning. Only the most "disturbing facts" came in my mind. I'll write more on that.;)

Vivian Yung said...

Exciting post. Fun to read. And interesting photos.

Georg said...

Hey Ivan,
I just want to tell you I have started my own blog, of course in english :) Be cause you never know where you got to go.

http://taiatari.blogspot.com/

Greetz,
Georg

Unknown said...

Great~! Looking forward to your forthcoming posts.