Lesson: Relax

On Wed., I saw Desmond Senpai showing Allyson how to attack Kote.  Although I couldn't hear what he said, by his bodily demonstration, I could see that he was telling her to relax the arms at all times.  He was gesturing relaxed arms during Kamae (thus implying that it is much easier to do the sudden attack), then suddenly attack Kote.

During my keiko w/ Hosokawa Senior Sensei, he told me to relax.

Just like any other sports or martial arts, the same laws apply.  Relax and be flexible, then apply the full strength at the moment of impact only.  Being rigid will consume unnecessary energy and will make me to be slow.  

Feed Back: (Lesson from "How to Attack")

I applied the lesson learned from the "Thought: How to Attack" post.

On Wed. practice, I reminded myself that I will not focus on my hands or arms at all but only focus on my feet and my legs.  Every time I attack, I focused on my right leg and stuck out my right leg forward first as fast and as far as I could.

After the practice, Takahashi Sensei told me, "you're Men attack is very good now.  You don't lean forward anymore but you have a straight back."

I was so happy.  I should focus on my foot work from now on.

Lesson: Proper Kamae and Sae

I asked Yamaguchi Sensei what is the proper hand position in Kamae, and the following is what he said:

1.  In holding shinai in Kamae, the first joint bone of each thumb (that connects the thumb and the palm) must line up and make a straight line.  If this is done, the tip of the shinai would slightly point to the right.

2.  When you strike, the deep part between the thumb and the index finger of each hand must line up and make straight line.

3.  When striking, you're suppose to squeeze the last 3 fingers of each hand and not the whole hand.  Some people say that you must squeeze as if you're squeezing a wet towel, but this is a misconception (and not true).  Just squeeze the last 3 fingers of each hand.

Yamaguchi Sensei said that the squeezing itself is an art called "Sae" and told me to look it up.

So, I looked up the term in the Kendo dictionary:

"Sae (n.)

The skillfulness of a waza, or the sharpness of its function or feeling.  When striking, one moves the right and left hands cooperatively, and tightens the te-no-uchi (way of gripping the shinai) instantaneously.  This gives the striking sharpness known as sae in kendo."

I said that I never knew all these, and I've been practicing it all wrong for the past 15 years or so.  He said many people don't do it right.  I said I'll practice and ask further questions.

Thought: How to Attack

Generally, beginners or even the intermediate people tend to think that kendo involves mostly arms because we use shinai.  However, I've recently discovered that kendo is more of foot and leg work than the arm work.  (Yuji Sensei once told me "kendo is about 60% foot work and 40% arm work.")

When attacking, we usually focus on hitting that spot (Men, Kote, Do, Tsuki) w/ our shinai using our "hands and arms."  So, when I want to attack, I would start by extending both my arms as far as I could to "reach" that target as fast as I could (before the opponent blocks it).  This brought me 2 grave consequences:

1.  My body leans forward.

Because of my tendency to reach far, my upper body naturally went forward first and the lower body followed, thus making my body to "lean forward" (about 45 degree angle) every time I attack.  

2.  The opponent can block most of my attacks.

Although my desire is to reach in as fast as I could, the opponent can still see it and block it.  Because, the kendo distance is about 2 shinais long (the distance between my shinai and the opponent's shinai).  No matter how fast I reach, the opponent has enough time to block it.

So, the correct way is to go in with your leg first.  (Of course, this does not mean just reaching your foot out.  You must have that proper fumikomi)  Many beginners and intermediates tend to fall short of extending their legs far enough.  I find the "Fumikomi No Suburi" extremely helpful in fixing this.

So, during Keiko, when you have created that opening, imagine that you're bringing your right leg far far into the opponent's body.  Then, your body will follow and your arms w/ shinai will follow.

Then, your opponent will see you as you are coming in w/ your full force.

Lesson: Keep That Center

On Monday practice, Desmond Senpai taught me very valuable lesson.

In Kamae, you have to keep that center.  As soon as you lose that center, the opponent can rush in and will attack you (mostly Men).  In Kamae position, you must have your shinai straight to your opponent's throat and must not let the opponent move it aside or knock it out.  Because, the moment you lose that strong centered-Kamae, you're wide open and the opponent will rush into you (and you won't have any thing to stop that opponent).

(Below, I've added the lessons I learned from the past)

If you have a strong centered-Kamae, 2 things are advantageous:

1.  When you go for your attack, mostly Men, your attack will not be hindered by the opponent and you can go straight in.  In case where both you and the opponent hit Men at the same time, your attack will be valid b/c you attacked from the center and went straight in.

2.  When the opponent attacks you, if you have a strong centered-Kamae, your tip of the shinai will be stuck at the opponent's throat (Tsuki), so the opponent's attack will not be validated.  One thing to caution is that, if you become complacent and just keep that center (pointing to the opponent's throat) and just wait for his attack, the opponent will break your center or find your opening.

Constantly adjust your Kamae to maintain that centered-Kamae.  If the distance became too close for the attack, do not just step back little by little.  Step back and reset your Kamae.  Then, start your strong centered-Kamae again and look for (or create) the openings.

Also, do not be too stiff in trying to keep that center.  The opponent will tap your shinai and will feel how stiff your Kamae is.  If too stiff, he will start using it against you by pushing your shinai to one side and, when you react to it by pushing back against him, he will attack your other side.  (Hard to explain in words...)

Today (Wed.), during the practice, I applied this during my Keiko w/ Hosokawa Sr. Sensei.  During Kamae, I maintained my strong centered-Kamae.  And, when he tried to parry his Kamae and tried to take that center, I tapped his shinai to the side.  His number of attacks became noticeably decreased (usually, he'd attack me whenever he pleased...;p).  Also, when he tried to gain control of that center, I went around his shinai and attacked at other openings.

Many times in the past, many Senseis (including Yamaguchi Sensei, Hosokawa Sensei, Takahashi Sensei, etc.) have taught me this, but it didn't come to me back then.  (I guess it was not my timing yet)

But, on Monday, when Desmond Senpai told me that, it totally clicked to me.  Kendo is not easy to learn.

Post: I'm Back!

Ah...it's so good to be back.

But, I have to start my kendo from zero again.

Well, the lesson learned is,

"Do not stop in the middle

because you'll have to start all over again."