Squad #8 How's your shiai?

As there is no pub session after keiko, I walked over to the nearby 7-11, grabbed a pack of milk, and get on a different bus then my usual one (I am experimenting with new, faster routes home - but I find out now that both methods takes 1+ hr...) "Jenny!"... argh, that's Kishigawa-sensei on my bus!!

Adding to that, he actually lives right across the river from my home... "Come to practice with me," he said, "we can have extra class". No kidding please!!

Anyway, today's squad is a lot more enjoyable because there is only 30 mins of the usual stuff before getting into shiai-keiko in 2 courts. 5 Guys in one court, 6 ladies in the other!

"So, how's your shiai today?" asked K-sensei. Uhmmmmmm it took me a long time to verbalize it (my oral English is somehow fading..) Nevertheless:-

Mingshi: I can see them coming, I can block but can't really counter-attack.
Kishigawa: You don't have to move every time your opponent moves. You can block, and also move away, watch the maai.
M: Erhm, I am not very good at moving. A lot of times I am so off balance and can't counter because of that...
K: You need to be more stable. I saw you hit Jay's men twice - but no Ippon. You need to move in more with your body. You need to be ready to make a good cut. Make the Ippon.
M: Hai...
K: And also, don't waste your energy by cutting too much. The 10 cuts you made, next time you only need 5. It's a shimpan mentality to not give out Ippon if you hit too much. BANG! That's clearly Ippon. Pong pong pong pong pong is not ippon. Wasting energy.
M: uhmm... yeah.
K: Watch more seniors and observe how they fight. They don't need to block to avoid an attack. Sometimes it's just little bit of movement, manipulating the maai.
M: Good. I still have 2 more keiko before Sunday's Taikai.
K: Just practice your keiko like shiai. Seme, seme... Don't get hit. Do your waza. Cut when you are ready.

Yooooshi! Sunday!