Head cold? Screw it and let's fight!

2011-11-12 15:22:00

I've had a headcold all week, but decided to go to kendo practice anyway. I've been missing waaaaay too many classes, between our holiday and last week's absence. Aside from my kiai lacking severely (slimy vocal chords) it was a very educational class. 

Warmup was different, with a few less stretches than normal and no footwork or running at all. On the other hand, before that the group did longer kata practice than usual. We immediately went into kihon, doing kirikaeshi, various men strikes and kote-men sequences. After that the groups were split between bogu wearing folks and those without armor. My smaller group practiced maki waza (where you gain center by spinning your opponent's shinai in a loop) and hiki-men (where one strikes men on a backwards lunge).

Lessons to take away from today's class:

• On my upswing I go too far backwards. This impedes a swift blow because my shinai needs to travel further.
• It appears that, when striking, I don't come down the center line but from the right. 
• Both on fumikomi and hiki waza my timing is way off.
• My small men, as usual, is crap. 
• I need to start wearing my loaner bogu again. Even if I don't wear my helmet, the rest of the protection will allow people to practice strikes on me.

Class was finished with kakari geiko and uchikomi geiko: basically, each of us gets to attach the teacher as often and as fast as possible for X amount of time. 

Sadly I can't partake in tomorrow's "central training" where a few dozen kendoka from all over the Netherlands gather. Full armour is a requirement, so that's it for me. I hope to have my kendo glasses completed by january, so I can attend the next practice. Speaking of, you can see the glasses in the photograph.

kilala.nl tags: kendo, sports,

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