Ame / Rain

The thunderstorm on Tues stopped me from going to the Squad. Instead of seeing this as an excuse, I made a rule about going to keiko:-

I would only go to kendo when I really desperately seriously want to train.

That thought came up to me tonight (besides sending off some freelance work the day before) - so I went despite having a slight rain outside. Maybe a bit too desperate that I left my hakama on the sofa at home....!! Luckily Eda-sensei got a spare one in the locker... But I was having this weird look because it's a white hakama...*grin*

The Tanaka's were not there so Eda has to deal with the beginners, 3 primary school kids, and us. We were pretty much left to "just keep going"... There was only 10 people in bogu and I always got a girl when we change partners... Towards the end of the kihon session it was like 9 rounds of uchikomi keiko (Men, Hiki-men/kote/do, Men...) BUT I ENJOYED IT.

There is 30 mins or so of medium-length mawari-keiko (rare in my dojo because mostly its jikeiko and people all queue for Tanaka-sensei, or that the mawari-keiko was 1-2 mins only...)

First one I was against Kwan (who did that Iaido demo last week) the super-muscular kohai... I smacked some debana-kote which is a surprise to be (that my tokui-waza suddenly comes back).

E-sensei gave a pause and said "use your brain and change your kendo if you get paired up with a girl, or someone much taller, etc. Time to use more waza." I amnot sure if this is directed to me (all comments seems to be!!)...

Then there is Stephen a German girl (who has a erhmm funny kanji zekken from Nanzan University at Nagoya). I heard she has a few years of kendo, been to Japan for a year, and haven't practiced for 2 years... But to me she is still physically strong and attack non-stop, going forward all the time - something I lack.

Eda-sensei then separate the 5 girls from the 5 guys (for whatever reason... did some of the girls look terrible... or was it me???!). I got Stephen again. And, at one of those intentional sutemi tobikomi-men attack, she pushed out her arms to my face and I ... fell off 90-degree backwards...

Uhmm that's half a year ago last time I fell down like that... The moment when I think hmm maybe I have improved a bit, someone is there to send me off my feet...

The knot of my men-himo hits the floor this time so it's a shock to the head. I rested for 2 keiko and went in again. Got Jane for a short one. Then when at the last keiko called, I had Angus queuing for me...!

Angus is the tall dude who won the last 1-2Dan indivduals taikai... I watched his shiai before but never seen him in my dojo until today... It was a rather exciting keiko I reckon, as I got to see his tokui-waza (tobikomi-men, and various hiki-waza). Lots of action with both sides getting something. Like, I actually cut a few times his men. It just feels like a good shiai. AND I ENJOY IT. Somehow I think having only 6-7Dan as aite is going to be very frustrating (even they said they have reduced their level to half a grade above you!)... I need to really FIGHT to make me feel happier.

The last 15 mins was a chill-out kata session doing yonhonme (in rotation, so you get a new partner every 2 times).

It wasn't raining when I got out of the gym. It's raining now at Friday passed mid-night, and I am glad that I did my kendo a few hours ago.

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I spend some time ranting on various things as an update for my training background...

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Background Info: Hong Kong Version