*He told us to watch Spencer Sensei's Kendo.
After that, I personally went to Yamaguchi Sensei and asked him how I could improve my Kendo.
He gave me some important points:
1. Kamae
He asked me why do you hold your Kamae the way we do? Is it because everyone tells you so? He said that we hold Kamae because to protect ourselves. (Thus, if we hold the Kamae correctly, we should be able to protect ourselves).
2. The Concept of Seme
He said that I should be able to use Seme. He asked me what Seme was, so I answered that it's the attacking feeling. He said that I should attack BEFORE the opponent attacks me. He said that I should ALWAYS "Attack First" so that the opponent cannot attack me. (in other words, Offense is the best Defense) So I asked, "Always attack first?" Then he said that there are different chances to attack.
2a. Sen-sen-no-sen
He said that when the opponent slightly moves forward, you can attack (even BEFORE the opponent does anything but when he just steps forward a little). In fact, this is one of the very first lesson I've learned from Yamaguchi Sensei long long time ago. In Kamae, when the opponent steps forward a little bit, I attack with all my body. I found it to be working really well, and people thought I was really fast. But in reality, it was just that I found that good chance to attack (right at the moment they're stepping forward and they're immovable for that split second).
When I explained this to him, he said that this is the first level. I told him that I used this many times during Geiko, but I started to face opponents who do not move at all. When we begin our Geiko, some opponents just stood there with very strong Kamae and never moved. So, I gradually began to forget that Sen-sen-no-sen practices.
2b. Examining the Opponent with Shinai
He said that after the first level (I think I should built upon each level and NOT take one and discard the other level), then I should examine the opponent's mind by tapping the opponent's Shinai with mine. But, I do not believe that he meant by mindlessly tapping the opponent's Shinai but slowly touching (or pressing or going around) his Shinai to examine and see the opening. Then, attack upon seeing the opening. Or, I should start to create opening.
2c. Feeling the Attack
He said that I should start feeling (foretelling) what the opponent will do. Yuji Sensei mentioned this too long time ago (when I asked him when should I attack). Yamaguchi Sensei said that I can only gain this by many practices and experiences.
3. Practice
He said that in Shiyai, it is natural to have that feeling of wanting to win. However, he said that I should suppress it, or else, I cannot perform the true Kendo (I start lose focus, form, timing, etc.). He said that I can thwart this strong urge to win and keep myself by many experiences of Shiyai.
Also, my body should naturally obtain all the above concepts by many practices. He said that some people over-analyze things (like myself). It's all too difficult to explain in words but I should know it by practices. Also, no matter how much I know in knowledge, if I cannot do it, it's useless. He told me to not to think too much. (He also said that since I have good basics, I should work on the above concepts during practices -- yea!).
4. Watch
(In relation to the above Seme concept) He said to watch his Kendo. Watch Spencer Sensei and Yuji Sensei's Kendo. Watch how they do it and when they do it. He said that when he does Geiko with people, he sees if people can figure out the chances to attack or not. He said that I'm sometimes little slow.
After I talked to Yamaguchi Sensei, I was so motivated to practice Kendo harder.
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