Squad Training

My second Squad Training session and to say I had a touch of nerves was putting it mildly. We started off with kiri-kaeshi big, relaxed, open and slow I'm not entirely sure I was doing this as big and slow as required but we got progressively smaller and quicker. By the 6th set I was blowing hard and out of breath. Sensei Goodwin picked up on just how many people were suffering at this point. I know I was that way because of the nerves and probably too much adrenalin, Joe also pointed out later the venue is compact and quite a lot of CO2 builds up in those early stages and takes it's toll. Later on the doors were opened and I somehow had more energy so perhaps Joe had a point.

Following on from everyone out of breath we made lines and did kote-men up the line, around 6 partners and taking their place in the line as they passed. This was gruelling and tough. It's in the Japanese High School Training video and builds speed, quickness of hands and gets you to cut as quickly as possible as well as move your feet. We akso did the same exercise but just cutting men. We should do this in our dojo, but given the size and shape it's awkward and it only really happens during Winter training where we cut the tsuka, which is a shame.

The main focus on the Saturday was 'preparing the left leg' so that it was always in a position to launch from. I can't say I got it all the time but there were sometimes I was able to 'load up' my leg which helped immensely. I was able to reach well beyond my normal range but with significantly less effort. You just need time to load it up, that's possible with experienced opponents who are equally trying to pressure, find openings and create openings but much harder with someone inexperienced who just wants to thrash around.
We were also picked up on the role of motodachi and how important and better we have to be at it. This made me realise that when we are in our own dojo our beginners have to be much better at the role of motodachi to help challenge us.

I had three good fences with a Japanese Sensei from Mumeishi who, Sensei Starr [who disarmed me] and Sensei O'Sullivan. Sensei O'Sullivan was insistent I focus on cutting men in much the same way Sensei Ware instructs me to do, apparently when I'm 'under pressure' the kensen goes all over the shop, essentially whenever I attempt to move the opponents shinai out of the way my cut looks shoddy. Unfortunately I'm that preoccupied with opening a cut 'manually' instead of using seme that the kensen is in motion [the wrong motion] so when I go to cut men it looks wrong. When I just step in with proper seme and did the cut he was happy and I think that's what I need to focus on. Of course I've always felt that when I do this it feels almost too easy and I've never quite understood whether  this is the reality of doing it correctly or some other aspect of the instruction. If it was the reality of doing it correctly surely I would be more successful employing it in jigeiko? Still, much to think on

Sunday - shiai-geikoSo I was back again on Sunday and had three fences, though everyone else seemed to get in five, maybe I need to be more greedy ;)

First up was an ikkyu [I believe]. I managed to score twice and won. Does this break my duck of not having scored competitively? According to Joe it does and to a certain extent he's correct. The people at squad are the people who are at the competitions and compete more regularly than anyone else. I still need to score in a proper competition but I think it's a win.

Next up and it's my friend the Kendo Hypochondriac. There's a significant height and weight disadvantage for me but we had a good effort. My paranoia about stepping out of the shiai-jo coupled with the physical disadvantages led to some scary moments at the edge. Neither of us gave an opening that was exploitable and it resulted in a draw, I'll take that but it was a familiar result.

My final match was against a 5th Dan. Once again the result was a draw. I was lucky, I stepped out of the shiai-jo once and was even forced onto the tape a second time, I saw two flags indicating a second hansoku and was preparing to go back to the centre but it became apparent that the match was still ongoing, "yame" hadn't been called and I hadn't been on the receiving end of a cut during my misunderstanding. There were quite few cuts that I received which weren't scored. I hope it was continuing pressure forward that discounted them.

Throughout all the matches I don't recall being able to load up my left foot in the way I had the day before. Another fence would have been nice but it was a decent result in the end. We spent the remainder of the day watching the British Kendo Squad A team fight against the successful winners of the lower pools. The competitive level was furious with neither team giving an inch and fighting to the bitter end. As far as I was aware not a single ippon was scored with five straight hikiwake. Not a lot I can say about that as the level they were competing at is just so far above where I am and where I want to be. Shiai is an important part of kendo and it's a real challenge, a forging of the spirit definitely, but I just want to do good straight kendo without the bobbing, blocking and physicality that modern competitive kendo has to be to ensure victory. It's the old Cornish teachings coming back. Sure I do block and dodge occassionally but that's not what I want to do. These guys have been training for years to be the best they can be in competition, something I can no way match but we all take from this what we can. Although I always imagined the honour of being a squad member I don't think I could do what they do. I'm full of admiration for their commitment and skills.