Footwork of Hiki-waza

Today a couple of people came back from summer vacation, which was very nice. I was genuinely happy to see them.

This evening I had a very valueable training. Stephan gave me a lot of valueable feedbacks, including some things I was never sure about.

• The footwork of Hiki-waza: (1) left leg back (2) raise the shinai and use the right foot to push the body backwards in order to gain distance (3) stomp the right foot and strike, at the same time the left foot can go a small step back if it helps to balance (4) maintain the posture (body up straight, shinai above the forehead) while going backwards.
• Zanshin of debana should be so that the oppenent is within my sight, never face the back completely to the opponent.

At the end of the jigeiko I had a ippon-shobu with Stephan. The others had all finished, so everyone else was looking at us, who were applying seme onto each other.

And the moment came -- he attempted men while I raised my shinai with my mind set for a kaeshi-do.

Bang! Bang!

He got me. My block wasn't effective. Perhaps due to a combination of the slowness and the incorrect angle of the shinai.

Moreover, I wasn't active. I didn't force him to strike men, but just waiting for it.
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My footwork after striking is improving. Found out that the trick is to take small and quick steps forward.

This Friday I might have to train alone with Anna again, like last Friday, since most people won't come after the kendo league which will run from 5pm-8pm that day. But there are so many things one can practise to fill one hour with drills, etc. And sometimes it is good to go back to the very basics, so I'm rather looking forward to it.