And then, there were 5...
Went to the last state training yesterday and was rather disappointed in the in. More on that later...
I think my kendo has been building up nicely in the past few weeks. I've been working more on the psychological aspects of my kendo. I think the main culprit of my inconsistencies are all in my mind, so I've been trying to work out how to switch on my best kendo, rather than just stepping in the shiai-jo and see what happens. Still haven't worked it out, but I'm working on it.
Went to the annual UMKC camp last week. Seemed to be shorter than it was last year, and I didn't feel overly worked, though my right ankle and left wrist were quite sore afterwards. As for keiko, there was nothing new. A lot of the same things, though I do miss the waza session that Kenji took last year. I feel that I really lack different waza. I guess its up to me to work on them during jigeiko, but I still have a lot of trouble with the basics. The only two cuts I feel I have are kote and men, and thats just shikake waza. I really want to learn ouji waza as I seem to just block a lot. We had the usual shiai at the end of camp and I was made to be shimpan. After a quick 'how to' from Chris and sensei, we were off. I quite enjoyed doing it. The mindset is not very different from the fighting mindset in my opinion. You have to focus on the two shiai-sha (like staring at your opponents eyes) but you still have to be aware of where you are in relation to the other shimpan (being aware of your whole opponent). Made a mistake early on, where a flag was raised but I didn't respond. Had sensei come up to me on the shiai-jo and say I need to make decision whether I agree (in which I raise a flag) or disagree and wave both flags over my crotch (sorry, can't find a better explaination). Anyway, not much to shimpan because I was shimpaning the juniors who started last year, so not many good cuts worth taking action over. At one point, Chris raised a flag for a cut, I assumed it was for kote, but from my angle it seemed to hit the opponents tsuka, so in an instant I waved both flags for no. It felt quite good cos I felt I made the correct decision. The only other action I got was when someone scored a men, and remember it connecting clearly and immediately raised the flag. I probably should have tried to note the other aspects of a cut, such as zanshin, but I had already made my decision. It was all over quite quick so I hope I get the chance to do it again soon. Like I said, quite fun, and indirectly helps your kendo.
I also had a shiai against Masa. I won with a men cut. One of those mushin style ones where I see the opening in an instant and the cut just happens. I thought it wouldn't score because Masa tried to duck out of the way of it but it landed on the 'sayu' part of his men. I am now officially Masa's enemy and he has vowed to kill me next time. hehe, I always enjoyed fighting Masa. Haven't really faced him that much this year cos he doesn't seem to come to training that often, but he used to come regularly last year and I felt we were kinda even when fighting which always makes it fun.
Regular trainings should be getting better now that the beginners are now wearing full bogu. A weird thing happened on wednesday, where sensei wanted some motodachi for uchikomi keiko. I had assumed that he would be picking me, since I was always picked at camp. Anyway, he went straight past me and didn't pick me, and I though, hmm, has something happened to my kendo that he thinks I shouldn't be motodachi? Anyway, there weren't enough people, so he called me to be motodachi, but then there were more than enough, so he made join the lines. Confusing for me. Anyway, my first set seemed to go on for quite a while. I was happy to go on, but Masa was my motodachi, and I think he thought it went on for a bit too long too, so he didn't know if sensei had called yame or not. Anyway, he hesitated during the keiko so I stoped to look around only to see people were still going. Sensei also noticed that we'd kinda stopped and yelled for us to keep going, so on it went for a bit more. As I ran to line up again, he said I shouldn't assume that its over just because its gone on for a while, and that I should keep going. Anyway, my turn again, and again it seemed to go on a bit longer than the others but I kept going hard as I could. Went to join the line again, and sensei gave me a chuckle and said to me 'I feel sorry for all these other people who have to do it while you're doing it'. So yeah, it dawned on me that sensei had wanted me to get a good workout. Don't know what I did to deserve it though. I had a chuckle myself and just tried to keep going as hard as I could. After my third set sensei told me to relax more as I get tired and do bigger cuts. Hmm, come to think of it, he may have overheard me say to Alex that I've been trying to take it easy (on my ankle and wrist) in the change rooms before training, and figured he'll have none of that... No softies in my dojo sonny... hehe.
So to the (semi) big day yesterady, which was the final shiai session for the vic squad and team selection. As I was warming up and getting ready, I kept thinking to myself that this would be easy, not in the sense that I'll just beat everyone easily, but in the sense that I've done this before, and that there's nothing to worry about. That the openings will come and I'll be ready to exploit as best I could. I fought Bertie first up. It seemed a bit lethargic. No cuts scored, both of us were a bit defensive I think. This was the same with the first 4/5 matches (most being hikiwake), which prompted Kelly sensei to stop the procession and try to gear everyone up and give a speech about how we should want to win. Straight away, I think the intensity lifted and people were going for their cuts more. I fought Ben next. Scored a kote then a men. For the men, I remember trying to use harai as a seme. As I was doing it, tried to watch his reactions, then somehow I saw the men open and bam, men ari. I love it when that happens, that I pick the opening and I cut without thinking. I think my 'disease' is that I think way too much during a fight. Too much strategising. I think what I should work on is work on my seme to be instinctive, so that I'll just react to openings. Hmm, maybe I just need more jigeiko to make all aspects of my kendo to be instinctive.
Anway, I was lining up to fight Andy next but Kelly sensei called a stop and told us all to keep warm. I was already standing next to the mirror so I just practiced some suburi whilst watching myself. I didn't think I looked very imposing.
After a bit Kelly sensei came back out and read out some names for 4 more matches. I was called to fight in the second match against Masato. I've been wanting to fight against him since we started but I never got the chance, and now here it was, and to fight for a place in the team no less. Can't remember much of the match which he won 2 cuts to none. I felt like I gave the second cut away, which was kote. It all seem to happen so fast, but I just remember kicking myself as I walked back to the starting position. Can't remember why though... Damn.
Kelly sensei then went away again and told us to keep warm again. When he came out, this time, I had two matches. One aginst Andrew and one against Drew, both from mumeishi. Hmm, can't seem to remember much of the fight itself. Just that he tsuki'ed me twice in the right shoulder, both of which stung but went away, then he tsuki'ed me again just below my left clavicle. Now this stung like a bitch. As it happened, I remember freezing for a moment when the pain hit me, then I just kiai'ed and tried to continue on, but painful just to hold the shinai in kamae. Anyway, I found myself shouting a lot after that to try and suppress the pain. I've done this before during jigeiko where I'd just give out my best kiai and I seem to just forget the pain. But this time, it kinda just kept haunting me. Anyway, I lost the match. I can't even remember how it happened. I was tempted to ask for a stop during the match, but I remember from last time when Alex got winded after getting hit in the ribs and asked for a stop, and the shimpan actually discussed whether or not to give him hansokku for doing so. So yeah, I just tried to keep on fighting as best I could.
I then had to fight Drew. I knew I couldn't fight to my best ability, but it all just seems a bit of a blur now. After I stepped out of shiai-jo I tried to give my shoulder a stretch to see if it helped. Wanted to rest a bit longer but all shimpan looked at me to see why I was taking so long, so I just stepped in and away I went. Again, just a lot of shouting and not much kendo from me. Was really disappointed as I knew I was literally fighting for a spot on my team. Now had I been able to fight unhindered I wouldn't be so disappointed if I lost to a better fighter, but as it was, I couldn't play to the best of my ability so I lost out. So yeah, there goes my chance at gettin into the vic team.
Anyway congrats to the guys who made it, who were Masato, Ben, Drew, Andrew and Tony.
If nothing else, I feel that my kendo has improved quite a bit since the start of the year. I'll definitely put into practice what I have learnt from the state trainings and hope that I don't forget anything.
I think my kendo has been building up nicely in the past few weeks. I've been working more on the psychological aspects of my kendo. I think the main culprit of my inconsistencies are all in my mind, so I've been trying to work out how to switch on my best kendo, rather than just stepping in the shiai-jo and see what happens. Still haven't worked it out, but I'm working on it.
Went to the annual UMKC camp last week. Seemed to be shorter than it was last year, and I didn't feel overly worked, though my right ankle and left wrist were quite sore afterwards. As for keiko, there was nothing new. A lot of the same things, though I do miss the waza session that Kenji took last year. I feel that I really lack different waza. I guess its up to me to work on them during jigeiko, but I still have a lot of trouble with the basics. The only two cuts I feel I have are kote and men, and thats just shikake waza. I really want to learn ouji waza as I seem to just block a lot. We had the usual shiai at the end of camp and I was made to be shimpan. After a quick 'how to' from Chris and sensei, we were off. I quite enjoyed doing it. The mindset is not very different from the fighting mindset in my opinion. You have to focus on the two shiai-sha (like staring at your opponents eyes) but you still have to be aware of where you are in relation to the other shimpan (being aware of your whole opponent). Made a mistake early on, where a flag was raised but I didn't respond. Had sensei come up to me on the shiai-jo and say I need to make decision whether I agree (in which I raise a flag) or disagree and wave both flags over my crotch (sorry, can't find a better explaination). Anyway, not much to shimpan because I was shimpaning the juniors who started last year, so not many good cuts worth taking action over. At one point, Chris raised a flag for a cut, I assumed it was for kote, but from my angle it seemed to hit the opponents tsuka, so in an instant I waved both flags for no. It felt quite good cos I felt I made the correct decision. The only other action I got was when someone scored a men, and remember it connecting clearly and immediately raised the flag. I probably should have tried to note the other aspects of a cut, such as zanshin, but I had already made my decision. It was all over quite quick so I hope I get the chance to do it again soon. Like I said, quite fun, and indirectly helps your kendo.
I also had a shiai against Masa. I won with a men cut. One of those mushin style ones where I see the opening in an instant and the cut just happens. I thought it wouldn't score because Masa tried to duck out of the way of it but it landed on the 'sayu' part of his men. I am now officially Masa's enemy and he has vowed to kill me next time. hehe, I always enjoyed fighting Masa. Haven't really faced him that much this year cos he doesn't seem to come to training that often, but he used to come regularly last year and I felt we were kinda even when fighting which always makes it fun.
Regular trainings should be getting better now that the beginners are now wearing full bogu. A weird thing happened on wednesday, where sensei wanted some motodachi for uchikomi keiko. I had assumed that he would be picking me, since I was always picked at camp. Anyway, he went straight past me and didn't pick me, and I though, hmm, has something happened to my kendo that he thinks I shouldn't be motodachi? Anyway, there weren't enough people, so he called me to be motodachi, but then there were more than enough, so he made join the lines. Confusing for me. Anyway, my first set seemed to go on for quite a while. I was happy to go on, but Masa was my motodachi, and I think he thought it went on for a bit too long too, so he didn't know if sensei had called yame or not. Anyway, he hesitated during the keiko so I stoped to look around only to see people were still going. Sensei also noticed that we'd kinda stopped and yelled for us to keep going, so on it went for a bit more. As I ran to line up again, he said I shouldn't assume that its over just because its gone on for a while, and that I should keep going. Anyway, my turn again, and again it seemed to go on a bit longer than the others but I kept going hard as I could. Went to join the line again, and sensei gave me a chuckle and said to me 'I feel sorry for all these other people who have to do it while you're doing it'. So yeah, it dawned on me that sensei had wanted me to get a good workout. Don't know what I did to deserve it though. I had a chuckle myself and just tried to keep going as hard as I could. After my third set sensei told me to relax more as I get tired and do bigger cuts. Hmm, come to think of it, he may have overheard me say to Alex that I've been trying to take it easy (on my ankle and wrist) in the change rooms before training, and figured he'll have none of that... No softies in my dojo sonny... hehe.
So to the (semi) big day yesterady, which was the final shiai session for the vic squad and team selection. As I was warming up and getting ready, I kept thinking to myself that this would be easy, not in the sense that I'll just beat everyone easily, but in the sense that I've done this before, and that there's nothing to worry about. That the openings will come and I'll be ready to exploit as best I could. I fought Bertie first up. It seemed a bit lethargic. No cuts scored, both of us were a bit defensive I think. This was the same with the first 4/5 matches (most being hikiwake), which prompted Kelly sensei to stop the procession and try to gear everyone up and give a speech about how we should want to win. Straight away, I think the intensity lifted and people were going for their cuts more. I fought Ben next. Scored a kote then a men. For the men, I remember trying to use harai as a seme. As I was doing it, tried to watch his reactions, then somehow I saw the men open and bam, men ari. I love it when that happens, that I pick the opening and I cut without thinking. I think my 'disease' is that I think way too much during a fight. Too much strategising. I think what I should work on is work on my seme to be instinctive, so that I'll just react to openings. Hmm, maybe I just need more jigeiko to make all aspects of my kendo to be instinctive.
Anway, I was lining up to fight Andy next but Kelly sensei called a stop and told us all to keep warm. I was already standing next to the mirror so I just practiced some suburi whilst watching myself. I didn't think I looked very imposing.
After a bit Kelly sensei came back out and read out some names for 4 more matches. I was called to fight in the second match against Masato. I've been wanting to fight against him since we started but I never got the chance, and now here it was, and to fight for a place in the team no less. Can't remember much of the match which he won 2 cuts to none. I felt like I gave the second cut away, which was kote. It all seem to happen so fast, but I just remember kicking myself as I walked back to the starting position. Can't remember why though... Damn.
Kelly sensei then went away again and told us to keep warm again. When he came out, this time, I had two matches. One aginst Andrew and one against Drew, both from mumeishi. Hmm, can't seem to remember much of the fight itself. Just that he tsuki'ed me twice in the right shoulder, both of which stung but went away, then he tsuki'ed me again just below my left clavicle. Now this stung like a bitch. As it happened, I remember freezing for a moment when the pain hit me, then I just kiai'ed and tried to continue on, but painful just to hold the shinai in kamae. Anyway, I found myself shouting a lot after that to try and suppress the pain. I've done this before during jigeiko where I'd just give out my best kiai and I seem to just forget the pain. But this time, it kinda just kept haunting me. Anyway, I lost the match. I can't even remember how it happened. I was tempted to ask for a stop during the match, but I remember from last time when Alex got winded after getting hit in the ribs and asked for a stop, and the shimpan actually discussed whether or not to give him hansokku for doing so. So yeah, I just tried to keep on fighting as best I could.
I then had to fight Drew. I knew I couldn't fight to my best ability, but it all just seems a bit of a blur now. After I stepped out of shiai-jo I tried to give my shoulder a stretch to see if it helped. Wanted to rest a bit longer but all shimpan looked at me to see why I was taking so long, so I just stepped in and away I went. Again, just a lot of shouting and not much kendo from me. Was really disappointed as I knew I was literally fighting for a spot on my team. Now had I been able to fight unhindered I wouldn't be so disappointed if I lost to a better fighter, but as it was, I couldn't play to the best of my ability so I lost out. So yeah, there goes my chance at gettin into the vic team.
Anyway congrats to the guys who made it, who were Masato, Ben, Drew, Andrew and Tony.
If nothing else, I feel that my kendo has improved quite a bit since the start of the year. I'll definitely put into practice what I have learnt from the state trainings and hope that I don't forget anything.
posted by Son at 2:08 pm
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