practice, practice, and practice???

[iwatekenshi]

Practice is always important and no matter how much you do your kihon and keiko it never seems enough. What do people define as optimum practice time?

My teacher and I have found forty-five minutes to one hour always good and we have seen the difference in our kendo. He's a 7-dan and always finds room for improvement :cool: ! Most of our time is taken up by varying kirikaishi, kihonuchi and uchikomi and ending with jigeiko and always kirikaishi.

I've also find that early morning practice before work helps you concentrate through the day. Morning practice also makes afternoon practice a bit of a breeze. Again sticking with the one hour menu. Keep in mind there is no rest time ;) .


What are your thoughts?

Jonathan

[David J]

I think you may be a little unusual in having the opportunity to train in this way...

The problem I think for many people is the lack of a suitable venue for training. I would do more practice if I could work out where to do it - I cant really afford to rent a sports hall on my own! Failing that its really only solo suburi practice - useful to some degree, but not the same as having a sensei on hand.

Your training programme sounds cool though. Just colour me jealous....;)

<rei>

Dave

[JSchmidt]

Depends on the type of practice. 1.5 hours seems about right. (Suburi,kiri-kaishi (Lots!), kihon-waza, uchikomi, ji-geiko, kagari-geiko and kiri-kaishi).
Of course, this is all dependent on class size. (With 2 people, 45-60 mins is probably more than enough...4 people 1 hour+)

Jakob

[iwatekenshi]

right that's my point I guess. the town that I live in is not popular with budo. (yes there are spots in Japan where people just don't do it or have no interest in it and that's budo across the board!!)

We don't even have a local kendo kyokai or a local organization!!! Many people in the prefecture are pissed off about that and those who do it here feel ashamed!

We really don't have many people to practice with. That's why 1 hour seems to be the limit. We've tried to go over but it just doesn't become practice anymore. Or so it feels that way! I've got to travel at least 100 K to get into a large group practice and that's only once a week!

Honestly people outside Japan might have it better than me! I envy you all!

Jonathan

[alexpollijr]

You've been taking it light man

Down here in Brazil it's sometime blazing hot or chilling cold, but no matter if 5 or 35°c we have two hour practice two times aweek at night, and a three hour on saturday monday. When people come from neighbouring states Dojo, we make special keiko of about four hours.

You know, we've got these ex-military senseis down here who just love to see you almost dropping dead with your big westerner eyes almost popping out :D

It's fun though. Really:p

[iwatekenshi]

Taking it light eh? Keep in mind of the numbers. This is everyday for me starting at 5 AM where morning winters are -15 and the snow can be over your head. Believe me that throws any kind of western machismo out the window ;). You're humbled from the start with shoveling your way to the dojo. Oh and yes it's hot and humid here right now. Yesterday's afternoon practice was 40 degrees in the dojo. Unfortunately it was cooler outside.

I can see why you would want to get in that much if you were only practicing two times a week and then some. But what it comes down to is the question of quality vs. quantity.

One of the best Tokyo high schools practice three days a week with intense speed and concentration for one hour. By the end of their session they're wiped out, but within this short time they are managing to take titles.

Remember this is a question of quality vs. quantity and not the enjoyment of watching eyes popping out.

[alexpollijr]

Take it easy man, I know that practice changes from place to place and time to time. Sorry If I got on your nerves, 'jes answering your question.

Btw I knew already that extreme temperatures were common in certain places of japan.

The eyes popping out thing was a joke :D

[iwatekenshi]

no, no

no problem sorry for the misunderstanding. I didn't mean to be that way. I aplologize!
:)

[John W]

I attended a national squad training/shiai and was amazed at the skill of the kendoka there.

I asked a senior what makes some people really good at shiai and he replied that it just comes down to doing lots of practice of the basics with a special focus on footwork. I think that quantity helps if you are doing QUALITY footwork drills and other cutting drills etc.. Of course having good motodachi and a good sensei helps also:)

Also when you attend a competition/seminar someone else who is more than likley not from your local club may tell you something that you are doing incorrectly which has been overlooked in your local dojo. I always feel stronger after attending a seminar or competition just from other kendoka's good advice. This in a way is training too.

[Shinyaxyz]

Hi.

It's really "WOW" to read such great kendo practice schedules. I really envy you all.

I read some stories about Budo Senmon Gakko in Japan (well, yes, one of them is "Ron"), and was amazed by their practice format. It was 4-year-program of kendo practice. They said they had a regular practice one hour and thirty minutes everyday. It's not too bad. But when they were freshman and sophimore, they are only allowed to practice kirikaeshi and kakarigeiko. It's true story, because I heard from my teacher's teacher who graduated from the school.

Of course, I cannot do it, and I don't want to do it honestly.

BTW, I heard another interesting story. One of the famous college kendo player of these days, Mr. Uchimura from Meiji Univ. was really upset by their loss at All Japan Student Kendo Tournament, so he set up a special training for his team members.

It was..... held at their gym with all closed windows and doors in the hot and humid summer day. They wore two keiko-gi and had two hours kakarigeiko in a low.

Anyway, I think these are the special case.
But, it is also astonishing to know there's a three-four hours practice held in Brazil every weekend!!

[alexpollijr]

Hi there

The long trainings didn't help me much in this moment I have to say, just got back from the Brazilian national championship and me & my team got a good beating from the guys there :p

Lookout for the Brazilian team in the Scotland WKC, they're going to hit hard for what it seems

[Shinyaxyz]

alexpollijr>

How was the Brazilian nationals?
We also just had the US national on July 5-6th.

I'm not good enough to say this, but the result will surely follow if you keep that kind of tough practice. Is the next championship in next year? Good luck!!

BTW, my teachers in Japa always said the quality is more important than length. But, a lot of good practices are, I think, even better. I'll try to do more kakarigeiko from now on.

[alexpollijr]

Oh, very high level indeed. Most of the guys that took the third place in the previous WKC were there. The Onaka family took home most trophies (Ernesto and Miwa Onaka were on the Brazilian team at the WKC and were selected for the next one as well), including the 'Over fifty years old' with the head sensei of the family. That was a pleasure to watch after all the head-bobbing, waist-bending, etc. The old ones moved very little, very slowly, until the precise moment when they clashed with tremendous force.

Yeah, I believe next year will be better. I lost in the second match to a very small guy (I'm 1,80m). Later on my friends told me 'don't worry, you couldn't win against Master Yoda'. The guy fought like Yoda in Ep.II, jumping and running around all the time. His kote was way far to be hit, if I tried Do I'd hit his face, so men was all that was left, but he blocked most of the blows and the ones who landed were not good enough. He ended up winning by keashi do, mind you.

Now don't go calling me nuts, but I do enjoy kakarigeiko. Really.:D

[Shinyaxyz]

Wow, very interesting.

I want to visit Brazil sometime to practice kendo!!

Similar story: when i went to a student tournament, some of my firends called me Darth Vader (is this correct spelling?) looking at how I fought.

Anyway,
I really hate kakari-geiko, but I have to do it.
Is there any way I can ENJOY kakari-geiko
:confused:

hahaha,

I guess people here are all practice enthusiastics.
How many times do you usually practice?

[Achilles]

Shinya, you liar. You *LOVE* Kakari-geiko. He's full of beans folks. You should have seen him this past Sunday. He made 4th-dan, so they made him do kakari-geiko for about 3 minutes in front of everyone.

When he got done with his fourth opponent, he was looking around for the next one with a BIG smile on his face. He wasn't even tired.

Shinya's middle name is "kakari-geiko".

[Shinyaxyz]

........

well, Achilles
that's my top secret filed in CIA......

i don't like it, but i cannot avoid it to be strong.
that's it.