UCL 15/03/2013

Had a great time at training today. 

Joe mentioned that my arms looked 'stiff' and 'something strange' after I finish my cut.  I will need to relax more after my cut.

Also I've noticed that I seem to slow down after I cut and not turn around alertly.  That is a bad habit and needs to change. 

I've been implementing the fumikomi and footwork exercises before training and it's given me a huge amount of confidence.  I still remember the way Katsu pushed me and everyone back in Sydney.  If I can apply that in the UK, it will help my kendo. 

Wakaba 19/01/2013

Junji's last practice.  Everyone had a great time, I've got to make more of an effort to come on Saturdays.

There is one techniques I must fundamentally change from now on.  Junji told me to cut from further out, and not 'step in'.  Simply gain the centre, and launch from issokuitonomaai.  This means my cut needs to be bigger, fumikomi with more of a 'bang', all the while keeping my back straight.  I need to feel literally the tip of my shinai on top of the men buton.

During jigeiko, never lean back at all.  Even if you get hit, get hit with mementum going forward.  Never get hit with head leaning back.  Sacrifice speed if that's what it takes, launch your men with perfectly straight back and head level.  After a while you will be able to get the same speed with correct posture.

In jigeiko, show them you can cut them from further out, without needing to step in.  Win the centre, bang.  Win the centre, bang.

UCL 18/01/2013

Great practice but broke a slat in my shinai.  I've got to stop hitting so hard with my right arm.

I have to cut from further out, with ig fumikomi.

Wakaba 16/01/13

This is my favourite training dojo.  Very experience kendoka and very intensive one hour training.  Really focused on basics of kihon men from suriashi to fumikomi.

Queen Mary 14/01/13

Points to improve:

• When playing with beginners, too long in chikama.  They are already ready to block
• Frustration at not being able to hit ippon quickly.  Need to be more patient.  Better to have one good ippon than 5 substandard ippons
• Need to build up a lot more strength in hayasuburi
• Blocked too much against beginners who attacked without claiming the centre.  Should take it as opportunity to do ojiwaza

Things to think about for next session

• Posture and etiquette in the dojo
• Be more patient in jigeiko.

UCL 11/01/13

Second practice of the year, felt really good to see the regulars at UCL.  They are just so incredibly everpresent there.  Really respect their commitment to kendo and friendships made there.

Points to improve:

• Not enough strength in the arms.  After the third set of kirikaeshi, I felt very weak in the last set.
• As hard as I tried, I still couldn't launch tobikomi men without "shuffling" my left feet.  What can I do to improve my strength in the legs and feet?
• Head either bobbing down or up.  DON'T LIFT CHIN!  DON'T DROP HEAD DOWN!
• In jigeiko, lack of intensity/interest in hikiwaza.  
• Still loading up too long before cutting.  
• Against Joe, really did not threaten him with any seme.  Very tense and rigid in my kamae.
• Lack of confidence when closing in the distance.  Need to be more authoritative
• Against Saf, got caught out when he suddenly seme in quickly, after prolonged period of just holding a set distance.  A lesson in changing the speed and timing of your attack. 

Interesting:

• Joe had us do uchikomi and kakarigeiko without sliding in after you turn around.  It reinforces the concept that you should cut men from a starting start.  

Things to try next training

• Don't bob head up and down
• Don't shuffle feet before cutting
• Keep the intensity in tsubazeriai
• Change the pace, speed and timing of closing in
• Leave it all out there on the kirikaeshi, lifting arms all the way up

Wakaba 09/01/2013

I'm a third dan kendo player.  This year I have set myself a goal of 100 keiko and 2 shiai, and to take notes after training.  

Today was the my first training of the year.  

Points to improve:

• I felt my footwork was not very crisp
• I tried tobikomi men without sliding my feet but just pushing off my back.  However I felt that on many occasions, my left feet would subconsciously slide a bit to get momentum for the cut.  I need to stop this because it delays the cut by a second which is when I get hit.   
• Going backwards on the kirikaeshi, my arms and feet should move as one in one swift motion.  At times my arms were faster than my feet
• Generally a lack of explosion in my tobikomi kihon men.  Taking too long to 'load'.  
• Kote cut even when on target did not make a big pop sound.  Need more suburi to get stronger.  
• General lack of energy on uchikomi geiko.  Need to not slide in before cutting.  Should just turn around and cut from standing start.  
• In jigiko, would close in the distance pointing shinai at opponent's throat.  However, even at chikama did not feel it was right opportunity to cut.  Either cut is not good enough or the seme is not threatening.  
• When I close in into chikami and opponent feigns to cut, I subconsciously raise my shianai to defend/ojiwaza.  Instead of raising the shinai I should instead seize the opportunity and commit to a cut.  
• Was conscious of not cutting unless believing the cut will be ippon.  However, that in turn meant I fewer cuts as again I didn't feel the opportunity was there.  
• General lack of variety in ojiwaza attempted.  Only tried kebana kote once, men suriage men three times and kote nuki men 5 times.  Should also try kote suriage men, kote kaeshi men, ai-men, men-kaeshi doh.  
• Generally felt kamae was stiff to obtain the centre.  Should be more fluid but at the same time authoritative when wanting the centre.  

Things to try next keiko

• Just to try harder and give it my all, leave everything out there physically.  
• Continue getting stronger with kihon cuts.  Stick to getting the basics right.  
• Slow it down but must cut tobikomi men from standing start EVERY TIME.  Then body develops this habit and add speed later. 
• Don't slide into chikama at the same pace all the time.  Vary the speed/timing of seme.  
• More conscious of cutting with left arm
• More conscious of not lifting chin when cutting
• Don't lift shinai when opponents feign to cut.  Need to anticipate the timing of their cut and perform ojiwaza.  Try to cut during opponent's split second 'loading' before they cut/feign.