Return to Training

Well. It's been a while since I have blogged here - and also a while since I have done Kendo.
But since 2009 the following things have happened:

 - 2010; I have gotten a full time job as a Junior Client Manager at a Tax Accounting Firm.
 - 2011; Went to Japan during the Christmas holidays for fun
 - 2012; Put down the money for an investment property (BROKE NOW! T_T); got transferred into the Tax Compliance division for 4 days a week (so working for 2 divisions at this point)
 - 2013; Started to lift weights with friends, Finished my CA studies, getting my qualifications in a few weeks and going back to kendo : this time training at UWS Kendo Club.


I was introduced to UWS Kendo Club a few weeks back which is a relatively new club that started back towards the end of 2012 and has Colin Minter as sensei. I am still ungraded, despite going to Kendo for about 2-ish years prior to my 2 year break; I am a bit ashamed to admit that to people when they ask for my grade. As to my actual level of skill - I am unsure where I stand.

After the few weeks in training in relearning basics, putting bogu back on, having a mock shiai with UTS Kendo Club, I have realised that I need to improve my level of fitness so that I won't get tired that easily.

Key things I have picked up that I need to personally improve:
 - My general health and fitness (need to do more cardio)
 - More suburi at home
 - Maintaining centre when cutting; as well as when cutting, do not lift in anticipation. Push the shinai through the centre so that they can feel the seme and my intention to cut through the kensen which would make them open up or attack themselves. Also maintaing centre in cuts through doing fumikomi on their right foot using your right foot
 - Maintaining proper distance
 - More suburi at home
 - Cutting with my body instead of with my arms/shoulders.

At the mock shiai in UTS Kendo Club, it was ippon shobu with no time limit in a Pool of 3.
My first opponent got ippon on my men relatively quick.
My second opponent, Adrian Walker, had scored a Men after knocking my shinai out of my hand and I was unstable/stumbling. It was a great experience though. I had lasted a lot longer than I actually thought I would and just gave it my all. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as Adrian's general fitness level was a lot better than mine, strength in his  cuts, technique and oji-waza where he flicked my shinai out of the way to do hiki men, kote, etc was just simply better than me. There were times where I thought he had scored men on me; but I just kept on pushing because I didn't hear 'Hajime!'.

I had a few attempts at debana kote which didn't work and didn't feel too clean. I just have to improve my kendo! No excuses for me :)
It was a good reintroduction for me to familiarise myself with shiai again. I did get some compliments regarding my posture and kote (for some reason I do get compliments regarding Kote); but interested in the critiques as well. Which basically I think is - more training is needed.

I'm intending to compete in this weekend's USYD Cup - Kendo for a Cause  (All profits will be going towards The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative.) 
And then Founders Cup is in August. So I shall finally be doing grading in Founders Cup as well as competing with fellow UWS Kendo Club members!

Until next time - Figh Oh!

A special shout out to the UTS kendo club for having us in their Fukuda Cup! Was a great experience and met a lot of great people!