It's all about the monouchi

The first day of practice with Amersfoort-sensei is over, and I should try to write down some points. I am still so confused, though, that I am not sure if I will be able to get anything useful out of my head. On top of that, my body is hurting. I am already longing for tomorrow. ;)

We used a lot of time to practise proper cutting. I realised that it is really all about the monouchi, much more than I have understood before. The monouchi should actually move before the hands, although this seems almost impossible to me. Amersfoort showed me how by holding my wrist and telling me to move the monouchi without moving my arms, but still it was terribly difficult. This is something I really need to practise.Along with this is the idea of a short, sharp sound above the opponents head.

We did a lot of fun and exhausting exercises, which are difficult to write down, but which I will try to remember (with the help of Hannes of course) and use in my own training and during the summer practice, at least. I think my favourite was one where we started on our knees, with one knee forward (as in mae), then turned around, took a step forward and cut while sinking down again. As I said...these things are hard to put down in writing.

About kata practice...I don't know where to start, but I'll try to sort through the chaos in my mind.

General points: flow, timing, no hesitation!, relax! (relaxed muscles move faster). Use wrist as brake in o-chiburi, NOT elbow.

Mae - step and cut in that order, not exactly at the same time; timing in o-chiburi: slow, slow, double speed; timing in nôto: 2, 5, 3; saya-biki, saya-biki, saya-biki; make sure to start the draw as soon as the left hand is in place.

Ushiro - don't think about turning, think about moving the left hand.

Ukenagashi - tsukagashira should be out of center; there is not a lot of time to do the block; relax between the block and the cut.

Tsukaate - move the body, not the elbows; let the body show when the kata is finished; timing: fight or no fight?

Kesagiri - tsukagashira threats opponent before sword is turned; avoid being too straight in hasso no kamae.

Morotetsuki - ki ken tai ichi (not a problem?), no hesitation!!!

Sanpogiri - "straighten" back foot in first cut, think about "the box".

Ganmenate - turn quickly.

Soetetsuki - walk straight, then turn (no half-turning in walking); move right hand in one movement to the "wiping phase".

Shihogiri - think of it as a little bit of everything.

Sougiri - block!; make separate cuts, don't just swoosh the sword around; first cut to chin, third cut to navel.

Nuki-uchi: be careful!; time left hand and left foot; think kendo.

And whoever reads this...please remembers that these are just my confused notes to help me remember my own practice, and not intended for anyone else to use as answers. It's all just my interpretation and memories.

Summer practice

The semester is over, and yesterday was the first day of summer practice. Tuesdays mean iaido, but as we were only three people there, and as Hannes and I will miss kendo practice on Sunday, we ended with some well-needed uchikomi and kirikaeshi. I have major problems with my footwork in attacks, there is no timing and also there is the tendency to jump. I need to practise this alot alot alot!

Iaido was just plain overall crappy. Nothing really worked. The problem of letting the left hand cheat and return more to the saya than to the belt area is still there and needs special focusing on.

Back to kendo

Yesterday was my first real kendo practice for a really long time (the lazy kata time doesn't really count). It was more of a playing session than a learning one, though, and I had so much fun! Of course a month away from more or less any form of physical exercise makes kendo a really sweaty business, which didn't matter as much as the fact that I have become even slower than I was before. Crap!

Anyways, we played a little with a few soft balls and did some suburi for warm-up (and why can't I throw a ball properly?). After that, some kirikaeshi (no good!), then jigeiko (even worse!). Markus pointed out to me that when I strike men on people taller than myself (everyone, that is) I tend to jump. I tried to think about this during jigeiko and realized that somehow I manage to use my right foot to move forward instead of my left. Don't ask me how as I don't understand this myself.

Then, during the last 45 minutes or so we had a game of balloon kendo. I suck at this too, of course, but it was fuuuuun. Derka derka!