Mukae Tsuki...

That was on Saturday, the end of year practice for Wakaba.

My Iaido session went shite as I was not focusing at all after a 2-week break. I am starting to worry about what my Iai will be like after I move back to Hong Kong. Apparently, there isn't a high-grade sensei there either, and practice is much like self-indulgence... uhmm

After the Iai went the children/beginner's practice. End-of-year practice in Wakaba means balloon fights! I was not fighting there of course (but was taking pics - will upload to my site later). Balloon fights reminds me of the first time I saw kendo LIVE at Hyde Park, London. Somehow it brings back nice memory with me being a beginner.

Their practice time finished earlier than usual and we escaped to the "party area" for food! Those kendo mothers made really good Japanese food. It was 3pm and I hadn't eaten anything since 9am...! I couldn't resist and consumed a lot of the nice food there - rice buns...

Just when I started to feel a full stomach - we were called back to the dojo for mawari-keiko..!

Especially when you are not paying full attention on what you should be working on during jikeiko, chances of showing your worst habit is v v v v v high.

I joked to Paul that when I am *that* full, all I will do in the dojo is stand there and Tsuki people.

... God knows why he actually use that against me!!!

That was the first Mukae Tsuki I took.

"It was your fault. You said you are only going to Tsuki people!" Paul replied.

And then the next person I was up against was Scotty..! The fight went ok actually, but suddenly one of the kote he got went straight underneath my tsuki-dare. Because of that I bite on my mouth. Yikes.

After a bit of rest I went in to the rotation again. Not very long did I get my 3rd Mukae Tsuki from Jones. Well I won the first THREE cuts first. Men, Hiki-Men, De-kote!!! But after a few more clashes he aimed for Tsuki but missed to underneath my Tsuki-dare (again).

I suppose it's because of my bad posture that leads to my opponent(s) shinai all went underneath and not on the Tsuki-dare.

**By the way, Mukae Tsuki is the term to describe you run into your opponent's kensen. Most of the time it's when your Men cut has no Seme. Anyway, lesson learnt.