Winter training week 1

With hindsight I should have posted these reports immediately after the event so you'll just have to make do with them retrospectively dated to when they happened. Winter training at Liverpool Kendo Club is very different to our usual practice but in some respects similar to other dojos normal practice and some aspects of squad training.

We do the entire practice in shorts/tracksuit pants and T-shirts. Sensei actually gave the reason for this at some point during the night - it's to remind everyone of what it's like as a beginner. To take us all back and put us on the same level. No bogu, no blue and white gi, just a group of people doing kendo basics. Usually the practice involves a lot suburi but also a number of physical exercises, races and team building exercises and games. In some respects it's like a kendo 'sports day'. I love it, I really do, I think people think I'm being sarcastic when I say it but I couldn't be more sincere. Historically I've always managed to injure myself at some point during the Winter Training. I've pulled hip muscles and groin strain, despite an extensive warm-up, usually when we separate into teams and run from one end of the dojo to the other, back and then back again, pick up a suburi bokken do a number of suburi repetitions and then race pack to tag the next in your team. I've taken to running like I'm in a penguin suit as usually when I try and sprint that's when something goes. Thankfully I survived week one without incident.

There was only 11 members tonight. We don't often get a lot for Winter Training but usually it's more than this and some of the team aspects weren't great due to the odd numbers. We did a jog round the dojo, which we usually don't do in practice due to the space limit with bogu, but since we didn't have any its what we do. Obviously kendo footwork is added in in places and the dance mirrors, floor to ceiling windows and lack of hakama can really help pick up how you are doing. Not so sure the beginners can see the opportunity presented here but maybe in time...

According to Sensei we did around 1,400-1,500 suburi in one form or another. As sempai I often go a bit overboard with suburi as I've mentioned but recently I was trying to get folk to cut better, not to far back with their jodan position and use their body to make the cut which is easier and less exhausting. Again I'm not sure they connected these two activities together.

It's an exhausting enterprise but a whole lot of fun too. Sure there were massive differences in the level of kendo on show but that's not really the point. Sensei's choice of all wearing tracksuits is a great leveller and regardless of ability we were all proud and supportive that we began and finished together, as a club, a great start to the year.