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!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Across the Atlantic 2



The training just got better and better. Yesterday more people turned up for training. We did a couple of interesting exercises apart from men- and kote-men-uchi. First of them was kote-taiatari-men-taiatari-kote-taiatari, and we executed it across the dojo from one end to the other. I really found that my taiatari was too weak, which was something I didn't train at all when I was in Tokyo. Back in Dresden, everyone else's taiatari improved a lot as well. Improving my taiatari might help bringing my hip forwards when doing strikes. The second exercise was kote-men-dou. Following from the previous exercise helps to keep the upper body straight during the continuous strikes. So it made complete sense to put the two exercises together. Kimura Sensei came to tell me that I should make my kiai louder.

After the kihon exercises we did a few rounds of jigeiko with rotations (mawari), before the free-jigeiko. I again went flat out fighting with Kimura Sensei and Awaga Sensei. At one point I was frustrated that his kensen was against my chest when I struck his men, despite that I waded his shinai off centre. So I continuously made the same strikes, but none of them succeeded, which made me even more frustrated!! He told me that very often I was too close, and at this distance his kensen is already in the middle. Our jigeiko finished with me doing kakarigeiko, and I made sure I gave the loudest possible kiai for my last strike.

There are many people here who have strong centres, and I think it is a good opportunity to explore different footworks during seme. I also want to make sure I strike kote in the way that, if it fails, I can immediate strike men. [Edit: Georg wrote in the comment a list of one can do when kote-strike fails, see below.]

2 comments:

Georg said...

Hello Ivan,
nice to hear that you are very welcome in other Dojo's around the world. It makes me quite proud of the Kendo we practice in Dresden.

Just some little words about your idea of Kote. If you are able to react and analyse your strike while you are doing it, is one of the best abilities one could have.
Pssst, I am trying it too.
The things I explored:
When you strike Kote it could
a) just work, then show Zanshin
b) you fail, then strike Men
c) the opponent reacts with raising his arms -> strike Do
d) you strike Kote, but the Kote is will be blocked, turn the Shinai (like Kaeshi) and strike Men
e) you strike Kote, but the Kote is will be blocked turn the shinia, then the opponent reacts with raising his arms, now Do again.

A lot of stuff to see and think about in less than one second. In my opinion, this can be tried and practised a life time.

Enjoy your travelling and I hope you'll write more reports + pictures :)

Cya

Unknown said...

hey, Georg, thanks for the summary. I think many readers will find it useful :)