List of things I need to work on in kendo

List of things I need to work on in kendo:

louder kiai
not moving my head when I strike
not moving my body when I strike
tenouchi- squeezing when I strike
pushing off correctly with my left foot (i.e. using my thigh muscle more than calf muscle). Also when pushing off, keeping my left leg straight; actually push with it rather than dragging it

better spirit when I do a back men
more left hand
proper grip (my hands need to be twisted in more)
doing big men/kote/do when I should do big men/kote/do, doing small men/kote/do when I should do small men
do (everything about do)
getting better maai
lifting before I move rather than as I move
improving my speed (My sensei KEEPS saying this one... O_o)
better waza in general
better reaction time after first (missed) strike(s)- When I miss or even when the other person misses, often there is an opportunity but I don't do anything

There's probably a lot more that I'm forgetting but that's what I remember for now.

Kirikaeshi Confusion

Yesterdays class was great. We had kata class and then keiko after, but the class was so small so we got lots of individual attention.

I learned some things not to do. These things were things that I had thought some sensei said to do, but apparently it was wrong. Apparently this happens a lot.

Oh, one interesting thing happened during kirikaeshi. One of my senseis said to receive kirikaeshi by moving both my left and right hand, thus keeping my shinai straight. However later in that same day, the head sensei said to receive kirikeashi as if it were a windshield wiper- left hand stays center while only the right hand moves. Then after when I lined up and the first sensei gave me advice, he re-emphasized the first way of receiving kirikaeshi. So the two sensei were giving me conflicting advice.

Ever since right before my last test, I have been having problems receiving kirikaeshi. People keep missing my shinai completely. Sometimes my sempai will say hey your doing it wrong, so I know its me and not them. Plus this never used to happen before. I wonder if it's happening because I've been confused about the proper way to do it?

Well I think that I am going to listen to my head sensei. Other than him being head sensei, it somehow works better I think. However I will probably go back to the other way when with the other sensei. I don't know. Maybe my head sensei will talk to the other sensei?

Brooklyn Shiai

Last Sunday was my third shiai. I won a medal again for my team match. I was on the B team at my dojo and the other team didn't show, so they forfeited the match. I bet we would have beat them anyway! But hey, showing up is half the battle.

Our dojo did awesome that day. Every one of the girls at my dojo won at least one medal and some won two. One of the girls that started around the same time as me got second place in the womens division.

This was the first time that the shiai in NYC had a woman's only division. Our dojo did really well! I heard that the president of the AEUSKF called our head sensei and congratulated him for the suberb teaching job!

Ah it's things like these- good friends, an awesome dojo and Sensei and just the love of NYC, that makes me not want to leave. Ok, its mostly that the kendo here is awesome and if I go to Japan to work or something, everyone at the kyu level will probably be kids and that would stink. It would be really hard to go all out with kids even if they are better than me. What if I trip and squish them? Then there is the whole teacher-student professional relationship that I'd like to maintain.

Ahh but I digress. The point is the shiai was AWESOME! Pure AWESOME! I only won one match (I really am starting to think it's psychological here...my mindset goes PHEW when I get to the second match and I start doubting myself). BUT next time I will do BETTER! YEAH! I bought a training shiai thing and have been practicing with it daily. I haven't been doing anything crazy like 50 suburi or anything (the training shinai is heavy) but I am working on correcting some technique things that I just need more practice with. You know, the stuff that Kendo Sensei's ALWAYS say and you never seem to remember to do because you're in the middle of keiko or your in the middle of trying to listen to what your sensei is telling you so you can't do the ten bizzilion and one things that he is always telling you and and...? Those things. Simple stuff.

Ok I watch TV while I do suburi. Slowly. Because the thing is heavy. However, I am actually doing it and I'm doing it just because. I also like that the thing I bought is two handed and that it doesn't smack my ceiling whenever I lift it. I hope it doesn't make me slower but if I tried hya-suburi with it I'd probably break my arms off.

I think I am rambling so that's it for now.

It's been awhile

It's been awhile since I've posted in this blog. So far, there have been many changes in my Kendo practice. For one, I am now wearing full bogu. (For those who don't know, that is the armor that kendoka wear, which includes gloves called kote, a body piece called do, and a face mask similar but bigger to that used in fencing, called men.)

I'm getting bruised up a lot. When I came off the bus one day after practice and after a late night get together with my kendo mates, I must of looked like a sight for sore eyes. My contacts were bothering me a bit, and I kept sniffling due to a cold. The only guy who got off at my stop turned to me and said "I'm sorry but, are you okay? You look like you're crying" or something to that affect.

Warning! Warning! The Girl Might be getting Abused by her Boyfriend!
Or that's what they guy was probably thinking!
As confidentaly as I could, I responded no, I'm fine, don't worry, it's just my contacts and a cold that are bothering me. I forgot to mention anything about the bruises dotting my forearms. And I unfortunatly had to break my vow of silence for a brief moment. I just felt that the guys piece of mind was a bit more important than adhering strictly to a vow of silence. Writing something on paper was a bit impractical since it was so dark out, plus he might get even more worried if I refused to talk.

Bummed: Missed Kendo Class today!

Sorry for not writing a lot. Oh well.

I am writing today because I am super super super bummed! I missed Kendo class today!!!!!!!!!!! :( :( :(

Why?

I was hanging out with Kendo people last night (we went to an awesome restuarant!!) but we ended staying up late. No big deal to that- I've done it before and its been ok.

The real problem was when I tried to ride the subway home. I kinda took the wrong train, and it took several stops for me to realize it. Then I had to back track, but it was difficult because it was like, I couldn't find the right train going in the direction I wanted!!

But when I did, I had to wait soooooooooooooooooooooo long for the train, because it was late at night. It seemed like it took an hour for the two different trains I had to wait for. Add on top of that the fact that it was daylight savings time... that didn't help...so we lost an hour.

With daylight savings, I got home at about 4:30 am!!! And I got in bed at 5!! If I go to Kendo, I need to be up at usually 10 am or so because it takes so long to ride the subway even without any problems... when things are running smoothly (and quickly)...it usually takes about 1.5 hours or so. :*(

I was going to try to make it anyway (on 5 hours or less of sleep) but I slept through my alarm clock! OMG I am SO bummed. I just woke up and Kendo class has been over for several minutes.

On the other hand, I did get to wear my hakama and gi (the ones I ordered) for the first time yesterday. That was super cool.
I just wish I could have worn them today, in class again.

I always look forward to Kendo classes. They are like a bright spot in my week. (ugh, my grad school classes... sometimes they are kinda boring...) It's something I do that I enjoy and also I get to meet other people that are pretty cool. But now I have to wait another week before I can go to Kendo again.

Stupid grad school evening classes- why can't they offer classes during the day like most colleges? It's so stupid. I want to go to more Kendo classes instead!!!!!!

Well that's my little rant. Other news on the Kendo front: uhm, I need to improve my kendo a lot. Uhm, a new girl joined the dojo just recently, she seems pretty awesome...shes got a fun personality. uhm, I want to go to Kendo more. :cries:

Oh well, patience is a virtue I guess...

So, I thought that the class was at 2pm today, (even though I've been to a Sunday class) once before!- goes to show how my mind works sometimes- but anyway, I ended up arriving at 1:30. However, I still got to do a bit of class. Even though it ends at 2pm, we may have gone over a bit.

I worked on my footwork again- it seems that I like to hop. :P thats what I think got me the laughs last time. Since the Sensei's were busy instructing people, (or there was only one or two this time- and our Dojo has A LOT of people) one of the other students helped to teach me and the other new person. She came up with a neat idea to help me with the hopping- she told me to just move my feet normally as if I was walking, but instead of walking, just slide my feet on the ground. That way I could get a feel for what it's like to not lift up my right heel. It worked, it did really help when I tried to do...wahts it called... suburi?? properly. I didnt hop as much, although I did hop a little bit.

Yet again my whole body feels sore, but mysertiosly, it's not so sore during practice as it is after. I love it!! I also like Sundays better that Saturdays in general, because saturdays are the days where we work on Katas so I don't get as much of a burn. I like Saturdays alright too, but Sundays are my favorite.

After class, I watched some people fold their hakamas and...the other thing that I can't remember. OMG I am scared. I don't think I'm going to by my hakama until Sensei says something about it, and it's not just because of the price. I can't even fold my own laundry right! Usually I just stuff it in a drawer or hang it up.

I mentioned that to someone at the dojo who was folding his hakama, and he said "well, you chose the right place for that". heheh. Yeah it'll be good for me.

Also, did I mention? Yesterday someone gave me a shinai bag for free... and a ...shinai guard (which for some reason, I didn't buy/get when I got the shinai). It looks super cool. I feel super cool carrying it home on the subway. Everyone stares at me when I carry my shinai on the subway. (I guess I like attention- heh)

Anyway, I won't be blogging this upcoming weekend because I'm leaving the city for thanksgiving break- which means that I won't be going to Kendo class this upcoming weekend.

Ten Thousand things

So, I think I suck at Kendo, but thats ok. I was learning some footwork from one of the Sensei's, and apparantly I made him laugh. T_T Oh well. I keep messing up my footwork so, I'm going to really focus on that! I'm going to be an expert on footwork! I also need to work on, uuuhm, everything else: posture, holding the Shinai, etc.

I've decided that I like Sunday classes best, since they're a bit more physical. I've also discovered that I like to really put POWER into everything I do in Kendo. I have to learn to hold back a little, and to be a bit more- I don't know, softer I suppose? I really have a lot of energy and I want to use it! But I think, it seems I need to restrain myself a little, especially when I am learning something new.

It is amazing but, during the Kendo class, it doesn't feel too exhausting. I don't feel like I am going crazy with my muscles or anything. But then, when I finish Kendo, my muscles start to slowly ache. My shoulders, ankles and legs in particular start to ache. I am thinking, where does this come from? I don't feel it too much in class. Often I feel like class is a bit physically easy... but then my muscles ache after class. It's very very strange. Maybe it seems easy because I am not breathing hard or getting any aerobic excersise. I dont know. I also keep worrying, will Kendo be as physical as I hope it will be? Sometimes I think, it seems so gentle, and not too physical. Also, there are at least a couple of really...big Kendoka. How can they be so big and do Kendo? So I worry. :\ I'm partially doing this because I want to stay physically healthy and because I want to get the muscle burn. (which I am getting so far, so I am happy). Still, I don't get how some Kendoka can be so big! I guess compared to something like capoiera, it's really not going to be as physical. Then again, I injured myself in capoiera, and I am probably past my prime for that martial arts. Kempo seemed more physical too, but then again, who knows, maybe bogu will be more physical.

Either way I like it so far. Despite my worries (I worry about everything) I like it. It's challenging, both mentally and phsycially (am I out of shape??) My other worry: money. I am a student and I shouldn't be spending so much! I will probably need to buy a shinai once a month or two? OMG. :( And we're not even talking about the price of bogu! :( Well, I suppose if I really like it it's worth it. I'm so not used to being poor and budgeting my money!


So yeah, my Kendo sucks right now but I suppose that's normal when you start. I keep wondering though, (as I know I shouldn't) does it suck more than the average beginner? I've only been there for three days. Anyway it's sooo hard. So many details! What I wonder is, how do the sensei's see these details? Do they have super eyes?

Hey at least I can attempt to do the excersises in the begininng of class, where everybody does... everything at the same time. The first couple of times, I felt sooo embarressed because I had NO IDEA what to do.

Well, right now Kendo feels awkward, but I know that if i keep with it it will eventually feel more natural. My eventual goal is that, I want to be able to feel one with the sword, like it is a part of my body. I think that'd be neat.