psyching out your opponent

[Soul Blade]

Hi guys,

I have my first tournament coming up and was just wondering what people do to psych out your opponent especially during shiai and you are both close to each other kote to kote.

Does anyone say anything to their opponent when you are that close to one another..

hope u all understand what im trying to say..


Cheers

SB

[Taek]

I don't know what other people say or do during the tsubazeriai but all I do is perfom a proper tsubazeriai and give my opponent a good strong kiai. We learn kendo not just to win a shiai but learn how to respect each other as well so I don't think it is good manner to say anything to offend your opponent. I believe keeping strong kensen is usually good enough to psyching out your opponent.

[William Orbase]

...and give my opponent a good strong kiai.
Hopefully enough to startle them to pause and leave them open for a good strong hiki-men. :D

[taganahan]

i was just watching some documentary on thieves that steal cars while i was reading this one. they were talking about psyching themselves up before they steal the car. the way i understand it is, they psych themselves up to give them the confidence and courage to steal the car. they also tell themselves that there is no turning back when you have started and that they also tell themselves that will still the car.

just thought this was interesting to add here. psyching yourself up, not psyching your opponent. see the difference?

~taganahan

[mystic_kendoka]

say that your shinai is a shirasaya sword, and if he scores a point against u, you'll kill him...

[berghaan]

I believe it is not allowed to speak during shiai, it can get you hansoku.
Best use a good kiai and keep the pressure up.

[mystic_kendoka]

really? talking isnt allowed..?

[Soul Blade]

I didnt know that..

While I was in shiai the other night, I was with a japanese opponent and when we were in tsubazeriai he kept saying things to me in japanese.

[mystic_kendoka]

yeah thats really annoying.. at least say stuff in english if you're going to say it..

but i guess saying things like that, (short words) could be seen as kiai..

[Andoru]

Taek is very good at creating openings at tsubazeriai - easily one of the best in the dojo at this.

I've got a friend who told me that, during his first shiai, he mumbled something in cantonese (such as "how are you"?" etc) which was noticed by the chief shimpan. He was a given an earful by that shimpan after the match. :D

[KhawMengLee]

Taek is very good at creating openings at tsubazeriai - easily one of the best in the dojo at this.

I've got a friend who told me that, during his first shiai, he mumbled something in cantonese (such as "how are you"?" etc) which was noticed by the chief shimpan. He was a given an earful by that shimpan after the match. :D

Ah...he should have been born a Hokkien(the most magnificent creature in the Chinese Kingdom). No one knows whats up when we shout "Nah boi chow chee bai!"(akin to chow hi in canto). Tho koreans may take notice because it sounds a lot like shee bai zeki.

Actually, I found it really funny in one of my shiai when my teamate was hit on the elbow and in the tsubazeriai that followed I heard him mutter "tiu ley lo may." I was doing my best not to burst out laughing.

ah...swearing in combat..sigh...reminds me of my rugby days when I got sin binned for calling the opposition hooker a fecking bastard;)

[KhawMengLee]

Hi guys,

I have my first tournament coming up and was just wondering what people do to psych out your opponent especially during shiai and you are both close to each other kote to kote.

Does anyone say anything to their opponent when you are that close to one another..

hope u all understand what im trying to say..


Cheers

SB


Just smile...it'll freak them out because they'll be wondering what the hell is so funny?...a little giggle wouldn't hurt in adding to the loon factor.

[Andoru]

Ah...he should have been born a Hokkien(the most magnificent creature in the Chinese Kingdom). No one knows whats up when we shout "Nah boi chow chee bai!"(akin to chow hi in canto). Tho koreans may take notice because it sounds a lot like shee bai zeki.

Actually, I found it really funny in one of my shiai when my teamate was hit on the elbow and in the tsubazeriai that followed I heard him mutter "tiu ley lo may." I was doing my best not to burst out laughing.

ah...swearing in combat..sigh...reminds me of my rugby days when I got sin binned for calling the opposition hooker a fecking bastard;)
I'm actually a Hokkien so I understand what you said completely. :D Sounds like a good kiai idea.

[reg]

I got sin binned for calling the opposition hooker a fecking bastard;)
they should sin bin players who refuses to swear at their opponents.

[Lloromannic]

You could try eating some alka-setzer before to simulate foaming-at-the-mouth crazy and then attempt to kiss them while on tsuba zeriai

[mystic_kendoka]

no... thats all wrong.. u need to use fake blood capsules, when he hits a good doh, bite the capsule and start spitting blood everywhere, when he pauses, go for a nice and clear shomen...

[mystic_kendoka]

actually, if u want to have a foaming mouth, just advertise, that you're willing to buy a rabid dog.

get the dog to bite you

then you should have a foaming mouth, amazing spirit and strength and a berserkers kiai... you might forget to pick up your shinai though..

[Eiliries]

Just smile...it'll freak them out because they'll be wondering what the hell is so funny?...a little giggle wouldn't hurt in adding to the loon factor. That´s how I win poker, I start laughing hysterically, that way no one knows whether I´m bluffing or trying to make them think I´m bluffing (it only works once though).

[Lloromannic]

actually, if u want to have a foaming mouth, just advertise, that you're willing to buy a rabid dog.

get the dog to bite you

then you should have a foaming mouth, amazing spirit and strength and a berserkers kiai... you might forget to pick up your shinai though..
Works specially well if you have a kiai that sounds like barking.

Now for something serious. If you really need to intimidate the opponent you can attempt to Tsuki him when still in sonkyo. But insted of aiming for the tsuki hit the mengane full on. You will be considered a jerk (and quite rightly so) but it might work.

PS: mystic how is my korean music compilation going?

[mystic_kendoka]

wldn't that be given a hansoku?

PS: wait a minute.. the web host i have doesnt allow hosting of mp3's because of copy right issues... looking for another host, or convert to wav...

[Hai_hai]

Hi guys,

I have my first tournament coming up and was just wondering what people do to psych out your opponent especially during shiai and you are both close to each other kote to kote.

Does anyone say anything to their opponent when you are that close to one another..

hope u all understand what im trying to say..


Cheers

SB
Your first tournament. Good.
In tsuba-zeriai, you are in a dangerous position in getting scored upon. Maintain pressure, use kiai, look for a possible opening. Don't trash talk.

[mystic_kendoka]

Don't trash talk.
ima throw my shinai down your throat so fast all you'll be able to think about are japanese names for the different parts of it

[bullet08]

trash talk.. about 10 yrs ago at a local hockey game.. i heard most amusing trash talk.. this kid sitting front of me stood up and said.. 'my grand mother can do that better than you! and she's dead!'.. then his friend next to him stood up and said 'your wife is a l*****n!!!'.

i was laughin so hard spilt my beer on this guy front of me and almost got into a fight.. too bad now we have NHL team.. it's not as fun as the local league team..

reminds me i haven't watched 'slap shot' in long time..

[kenshin13]

Just smile...it'll freak them out because they'll be wondering what the hell is so funny?...a little giggle wouldn't hurt in adding to the loon factor.
Ahaha. Sounds like something I would do. :D :D :D

[Haowen]

But I learnt in the Secret of Monkey Island that good trash-talking is the key to swordfighting!

Insult - "Soon you'll be wearing my sword like a shish kebab!"
Answer - "First you'd better stop waving it like a feather-duster."

Insult - "I got this scar on my face during a mighty struggle!"
Answer - "I hope now you've learned to stop picking your nose."

[KhawMengLee]

hmmnnnnn....another great tactic is to eat lots of kimchee for breakfast, or even better, durians(killer malaysian fruit) and petai(pungent beans) and then burp into your opponent's men during tsubazeriai...muahahahahahhaa

[Lloromannic]

wldn't that be given a hansoku? Not necessarily. I mean it was an accident wasn't it? :wink:


PS: wait a minute.. the web host i have doesnt allow hosting of mp3's because of copy right issues... looking for another host, or convert to wav...
Or you could put them as a zip file or change the file name.

[tapioka]

kiai is always great for freaking somebody out. (and it's not just to scare them, really...for me it's like a charge-up thing like they do in dragon ball z...not like I know about that, but anyway...)

another thing is your ki. use plenty of determination and an "I'm going to win!" attitude when going onto the court. you can be perfectly friendly AFTER the match is over. ;)

[mystic_kendoka]

Or you could put them as a zip file or change the file name.
d'oh... i must be brain dead or something..stupid..

[Niels]

Seriously tho,
This guy at my dojo makes his eyes really big sometimes.
This is seriously effective cause at one time he did it just before i was going to strike and it totally threw me off track, like MEEEEEEEEE * :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: (huh????)

See? pretty scary no?

--niels

[Neil Gendzwill]

I didnt know that..

While I was in shiai the other night, I was with a japanese opponent and when we were in tsubazeriai he kept saying things to me in japanese.
I doubt it, it was probably just kiai. If it wasn't, he'd get a penalty. No talking is allowed during shiai, not even to be polite. Don't say onaigashimasu or arigato gozaimasu, don't say sorry for off-target hits, don't say anything. Hold up your hand if you need to stop the match for safety reasons, speak when spoken to by the referee.

[moocow65]

I always like doing my double katate hayasuburi i.e. one shinai in each hand and doing hayasuburi. This usually does the trick, and makes the match a little easier for me.

[senki-kendo-jos]

hee hee!

I would favour cats eye contacts, if I could afford them!!

personally I just glare... i'm rather diminutive compared to some big brutes who practice, so the idea that this little girlie is clam and glaring at them like i'm gonna kick their ass is quite funny!

[Vortex]

Once in tsubazeriai during shiai this guy barked and growled at me like a dog. I thought he flipped his lid. Ive heard strange kiai before but acting like Cujo? Whatever works for him. Myself I try to look either crazed or unuasually calm. Depends on what the opponent is like. I'll do a bloodlust face like he said something about my girl and kiai in his/her face like a drill instructor or go the other way and have a serene calm with my eyes half closed all the while staring him/her in the eyes. Both have worked for me.

[gdane1989]

hmm... Ive personally never done keiko yet, but when sparring in karate I usually start out acting like it's my first match and then scare the living hell out of them by Kiai'ing (Is that even a word?) and doing my favorite combo/trick. In the middle of the match if I hadn't won right there or then I just give them the crazy eyes and shout alot. One time I was facing this incredibly fast guy, so I pretended to let my gaurd down, He came in like a madman and I timed it just right, I knocked him across the cheeks and gave him my best spinning roundhouse. You should have the look on his face:ko: . Aah... Kodak moment...

[mystic_kendoka]

out of interest, what is your fave combo/trick..?

anybody have any kendo combo/tricks?

[Lloromannic]

anybody have any kendo combo/tricks?
Lifting up my arms as if I was to hit big men and hitting do instead.
Then lift up my arms again and hit men. Many people will block do this time and leave their men open.

Also one thing I did only once against a clubber was leaving my kote open and when he is about to hit the kote release my left hand and hit nuki-men one handed. It didn't have any tenouchi and no one would have thought it was ippon but it felt nice.

[Hai_hai]

out of interest, what is your fave combo/trick..?
Depends on my mood
1. Leg/thigh combo with a side of potato wedges and cole slaw.
2. Fish 'n chips with a side of hush puppies and cole slaw
3. Vegetable croquettes with gohan and tonkatsu sauce
4. Hamburger and french fries.