Hiki-waza with the soles

In the past two weeks, I made sure I gave my best during the trainings. Afterall, training twice a week is about what I can manage at the moment. Once Ho Sensei called me over after the training and said to me, "Because you now train seldom, you should practise with me twice every time you come. I will now fight with you like you're 4th Dan not 2nd Dan. And you should try your very best." After listening to this, I was very grateful for the mind he put into bringing up the level of my kendo. Immediately afterwards I told myself that I will try my best to live up to his expectation and not disappoint him.

• In one of the trainings, we practised Hiki waza. Ho Sensei told us to move fast away from the opponent, one has to use the soles of the feet.
• make cuts as though the shinai is a real sword and don't just tap the men of the oppoent but cut solid down with the left hand.
  

A friend, Adam Urban, a young kenshi from the Czech Republic is staying in Taipei for two months, and I brought him to the dojo. Ho Sensei instructed him as though he is his own student, and I believe this is very valuable for him, because in most of the other dojoes I've visited, including Japan, the head Sensei usually don't say much especially to the novices. I hope he can pick up a lot of things by the time he leaves here.

Keep the body weight low

Training in this warm and humid climate, reactions and responses to opponents do become much slower. Sometimes, underneath the helmet I just try to stay sane...

My current immediate goal is clear: To keep my body weight low while propelling forwards during strike, and thereby making solid fumigomi.

Moving to Hsinchu

Due to my new job, I moved here to Hsinchu City, 1.5 hours away from Taipei by car or 30 mins by the High Speed Railway. So my plan is to practise 1-2 times from Monday until Friday in Hsinchu, and go to Taipei Kendokan on Fridays.

This evening was the first time I went to Hsinchu Kendokan since I moved here. However, I came once here with Ozawa Sensei and Hara Sensei. Hsiao-Du-Sempai (who also practises regularly in Taipei Kendokan and a local) led the training. The session was simple, starting with kihon-geiko and then jigeiko. Four jigeikos was about enough today for me in this temperature. Anyhow, it was good that I have a place to practise here in Hsincu with many nice people.

I am Nidan

Yesterday I passed the nidan test. My forgetfulness didn't want to give me an easy pass and decided to act up the night before. After the training in Friday evening, I left my bogu at the dojo which is 1.5 hr away from home and the examination venue. So I had to rush there to get it in the morning. Fortunately the exam was in the afternoon....

Despite the long wait, the exam went smoothly, and I got another good bashing session!

One step in and strike immediately

After 2 weeks of absence from the dojo due to health reasons, I went to last Friday's training. Still a little apprehensive about stressing my body too much, I gave my best anyhow. There was an extensive practice of kihon- and waza-geiko, and Ho Sensei gave me a lot of useful feedbacks!

• To use kote-men as oji-waza to counter opponent's kote-strike, stomp the right foot almost at the same spot, while the following men-strike moves forwards. This makes the waza fast at the same time, with the correct distance.
• When striking kote, step the right foot forwards in the direction of the opponent's right foot. This brings the shinai naturally to the appropriate position to strike kote.
• When striking men, jump forwards instead of upwards.
• He said I struck a couple of good men-strikes while doing jigeiko with him. The whole time I was thinking of what he always said about striking men: "Make one step and immediately 'make the action' (meaning launching the attack)".

After the training we went to celebrate Du-Senpai's birthday. Lots of fun moments, of course!