2011-10-30 21:11:00
Finally! After missing five weeks of kendo practice, or any other sport, I'm back!
I really need to start running again, but putting that aside: yesterday was kendo class! And I was glad to be back! ^_^ As can be expected after more than a month without exercise it was tough going. My endurance was down, as is my muscle power and lung capacity. And as always my timing is off and I still suck at making the small strikes.
My absence however has allowed me to become aware of something new, a flaw I hadn't noticed before. When moving forwards to make a strike I do not keep my upper body straight. I correctly move forward by pushing from my hips, but instead of keeping my shoulders above my point of gravity, I actually hollow my back. This messes up my form, my strike and my timing. I've always wondered why I suck so much at making good fumikomi: now I know.
Having recently returned from Japan I presented two of our trainers with the omiyage I bought them. On day 6 of our trip we'd visited the Hakozaki shrine to the kami Hachiman, protector of warriors and farmers. Hachiman is one of Shinto's most popular deities, covering both war and harvest. At the shrine I bought omamori (charms) for victory in sports and būdo, which is what I gave to my teachers as a token of gratitude.
I've also ordered a frame for kendo glasses. These, from e-Bogu.com. As I've mentioned before I cannot wear my own glasses inside my men and it's a pipedream to think that I will ever be able to wear contacts. I recently spent 45 minutes failing to even touch my eyeball, so putting a contact on there is completely out the window. Anyway. The frame needs to come in from the US, so it'll take a while to get here. Then I still need to get my prescription lenses made for them, which is going to cost a pretty penny. Then, after that I can -finally- put on a helmet and get hit in the head :D
kilala.nl tags: kendo, sports,
View or add comments (curr. 4)
Posted by Thomas
Dude, this was -without- contacts. If I even fail to touch my eye with my finger, how will I ever even manage to control my blink reflex enough to prevent me from either flicking the contact to the ground (or worse, getting stuck on my eye, outside my reach)? No. Mind over body? Not this time.
Posted by Menno
With a contact it's different and a disappearing contact come back automatically after blinking a couple of time (trust me, I know :)). All I'm saying is, don't write the whole idea off based on one 45 minute trial run and what might or might not happen. But hey, that's just my look on it ;).
Posted by Thomas
It goes without saying that I appreciate your confidence in my abilities :)
All content, with exception of "borrowed" blogpost images, or unless otherwise indicated, is copyright of Tess Sluijter. The character Kilala the cat-demon is copyright of Rumiko Takahashi and used here without permission.
2011-10-31 12:18:00
Posted by Menno
About the hollow back: if you pivot your pelvis forward your back will automatically straighten.
About the contacts: 45 minutes of practice isn't really that much is it? You could buy some cheap ass contacts at kruidvat and persist a while longer before forgetting about contact all thogether.