Squad Training 3

I joined the afternoon session of the squad training yesterday. There was a long jigeiko session which was a good chance to work on seme. However, before that we practised about one hour of more advanced techniques:

• From issoku-itto-no-maai, seme with the shinai on the right side of the opponent's shinai, until the kensen reaches about the nakayuki (the leather tie) then drop the shinai and immediately raise up to strike men. Because the opponent's shinai would tilt momentarily to the left, an opening is created. The important thing to remember is that the shinai should lower straight down and raised straight up to attack, without swirling in the course.

• Hiki-dou with stepping to the left-back to avoid possible men attack. If done correctly the oppoent's shinai would fall on the right shoulder.

Miwa-Sensei also encouraged us to try different techniques for opening the target during kote-strike.

The jieiko session was good. My timing for oji-waza has improved which was encouraging.

Squad training 2

We had the KenVO (Eastern Germany Kendo Association) squad training with Miwa Tomomari, 6th Dan Renshi, in Dresden on Saturday 12th.

What can I say to summarise the squad training? My shoulders, legs, forearms are sore; my left hand looks like a mess; I could hardly walk properly.

Last squad training I attended was more than a year ago! Then I embarked on a coaster-ride with my study trying to finish the thesis. Two months before it was turned in, which was three weeks ago, I trained only once a week. Now resuming 3-times-a-week training is what I'm trying to do. More than that I can't manage either.

Morning

The morning session was devoted entirely to Kihon. We had N x kirikaeshi, N x men-uchi, N x kote-uchi, few rounds of kote-men and kote-do. For me, it was nice to have an extensive session on kihon, since that's the best way to get back to more frequent training. I also improved my men-nuki-dou. But I need to practise more to really say what's the best way. 

Miwa-sensei asked us to do a lot of big men-uchi, faster and with more wrist snap. Incidentally, it's something I'm currently working on. He also stressed to do fast cuts, fast footwork is also very important.

The morning session was finished with ooikomi-geiko and kirikaeshi. Half-an-hour before the end he said, "Now everyone is tired. It's when we really start trainng." I bet everyone was cursing. I certainly cursed, in my mind, almost every living beings between the sky and the ground. But at the end of the day, it's true.

Afternoon

In the afternoon we had extensive practice on hiki-waza. We practised not only going straight back but also going sideways.

There are much more variations one can try, but the below is a list of what we tried on the day:

• In tsubazeriai, press downwards the opponent's tsuba using one's own tsuba. The reflex of the opponent is to lift his hand up. This opens up his right side of men. At this very moment strike his right-men, using yoko-men technique.

• In tsubazeriai, step to the left and the right, etc, to confuse the opponent. Then step to the right quickly with a strike on the opponents left-men, and quickly draw your body in the backward-right direction. The footwork of the right foot when striking is like during the nanameburi, which is twisted inwards to that it is in the direction where the body will go after the strike.

• When the opponent uses hiki-waza, one should follow on to keep the pressure on. Sometimes if he doesn't go further enough so that he can return to kamae, he would walk forward to return to tubazeriai. At this moment he is off-gaurd, and you can strike hiki-men.
  

We finished the day with kakarikeiko with Miwa-sensei. No jigeiko - a pity, but I was exhausted, fortunately there was the next day to rest!

Squad training

Got up this morning at 8am having slept for only 6 hours. The training started a little after 9 with some warm ups. Then the squad trainer Tomonari (Tomo) Miwa sensei (6th Dan Renshi, see also the entry on Dresden seminar) took over. As usual we started with a few rounds of kirikaeshi, until my arms started to feel soar. But then, more, more and more.

This is of course not the first time in kendo training, but every time it somehow reminds me of my dad who I used to go out hiking with when I was little. He used to say to me that there are only 100 meters left until we get to the top. But of course where were somehow always 100 meters left. By the time we got to the top, phew, you think it's over, well no, there's still the way down.



Morning

After some more kihon-geiko, Tomo divided us into woman and men. We started an intensive series of exercises involving tsuki. First, from toma (far distance), take three steps and fence without kiai and fumikomi. Then, two steps and fence. Then, fence with kiai.

We then did ai-tsuki. This is extremely difficult and it seemed never happen that both people land on targets. I got quite big neck pain from people who landed their kensen on my side flaps of my men, causing my whole head to twist sideways.

We then did renkuso-waza like tsuki-men, and with other combined techniques, like, men-hiki-men, etc.

The main point with tsuki is not to stab with just the arms but with the whole body, especially the lower abdomen and the hipp.

We ended the morning session with ooikomi-geiko, suburis and haya-suburis. Which really exhausted me out. While doing it I thought to myself, can I actually continue into the afternoon? Then I told myself not to think.

Tomo told us that many of the exercises we did was just to build up our fighting spirit. Which is the most important when it comes down to squad training.



Afternoon

We learned much about techniques in the afternoon session.

kote-suriage-men: There are two ways, one with the kensen in the middle, in the other method the kensen moves slightly off centre with a snap and comes back to centre immediately. The tenouchi is important in both cases. The latter was taught during the training, but I asked Tomo afterwards if the former exists, he said yes and it's a matter of preference.

men-suriage-men: the footwork is very important in executing a successful men-suriage-men. One usually has to move sideways in order to strike the men. A swift footwork also ensures that the upper body would be straight.

We did also kote-kaeshi-men and men-kaeshi-men, and the similar principle applies.

After the suriage or kaeshi, if the opponent comes too near then do taiatari. Against a taller opponent - suriage. Against a shorter opponent - kaeshi.


I asked a question against Jodan: difficult to execute suriage or kaeshi. Most of the time aim at the opponent's left kote and simple strike. Move always to the right side to create an opening of the kote. Also one can feint the left kote and strikes the right one. I asked afterwards about do-strike. He said that apart from gyakudo, one can also strike the opponent's right side do, but better through from the opponents right to be safe.


Then we did a few rounds of one-minute fight, with one side defending and the other attacking. Though it was a squad training, there was still a big difference amongst the players. Some are not too difficult to score point the others are just impossible.

Following a 5 minutes break we started jigeiko. I was the first to fight with Tomo sensei. Very quickly, I got exhausted. During the jigeiko he launched two men strikes. One got me, and the other I avoided by doing suriage but couldn't continue with the countering men-strike.

Afterwards I fought three players from other cities, and won two ippon-shobu out of the three. I was particular happy with one of it because the score came after a proper seme, which has been what I have worked on lately. I lost against Marko from Leipzig who did a beautiful men-suriage-men.

The day finished with BBQ outside the sports hall, with some beer and hearty steaks -- very rewarding indeed! Now my body is aching all over..