First Competition

[Sanjuro]

After about a year of Kendo, I've been picked to be part of a team in a kendo tournament (no dan restriction, high school level). It is a team event. As I've never been in a tournament, can anyone give me some basic tips and pointers that I should watch out for? I've basically been told to play it simple, (i.e. no dodging, no retreating, pick a waza and execute it regardless) as this will let me prevent the opponent from gaining zanshin easily and allow me to get the feel of a competition. I'd like to get some advice from the kendoka here as to how I should handle my first competition. Thanks :D

[alexpollijr]

If it's shiai, there nothing wrong with retreating/dodging/blocking. Just don't play it too ugly.

And keep an eye on the kote. Mudansha guys are prone to raise their arms a little too much sometimes, so sting their kote off :>

Even if you don't hit, they'll not be so merry-go-round next bout

[Danny Boy]

I've basically been told to play it simple, (i.e. no dodging, no retreating, pick a waza and execute it regardless) as this will let me prevent the opponent from gaining zanshin easily and allow me to get the feel of a competition.


Hmm, this would be a great advice for grading...but in shiai when it all comes down to points...hmm
When i went for my first shiai my Sensei gave me these words of advice :
Do not let the opponent hit you.

Simple, but how effective eh

[alexpollijr]

Nicely put. He's a wise man ;)

[ben]

Yeah, I'll second that. First thing you gotta do in shiai is survive.

OTOH you could take the bushido approach and risk everything. There's something to be said for that too.

Either way you'll learn heaps. Gambatte ne!

b

[hobbit]

Don't do what I did the first time, treated it the same as keiko and just went out in top gear. Be a little bit more thoughtful and hold your centre, otherwise just try your best & enjoy it. I do.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Be aware of the court boundaries. Losing by jogai sucks.

#1 opportunity at that level is just as your opponent is turning around. They take forever to turn and they're not at all ready. The judges really appreciate you taking advantage of that sort of thing rather than the usual mudansha hack-fest.

[kendokamax]

my only advice is
lose or win this one(tournament), go to the next one(tournament)


only way to improve is experience :p

[Sanjuro]

Thanks all, I shall take your advice to heart (esp. the one about taking advantage of your opponent's about-face. I knew not to hit your opponent when their back is facing you, but always assumed it wasn't good sportsmanship to hit your opponent until he was good and ready after turning). Yeah, that's what one advanced kendoka told me too..."Do whatever it takes to prevent the opponent from getting you with a clean hit" Evidently, he and Dan's sensei think alike :)

I'll post how I do after the competition (Sunday)

[qpuppy]

an advice from my sensei....

focus on one point at a time... and one person at a time... focus on who ever you are fighting and dont think about anything else, (eg. your next person).... if you lose 1 point, don't worry about it, chase it back.

KEY POINT:
"one point at a time, one person at a time, and have a clear head"

Al

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by Sanjuro
I knew not to hit your opponent when their back is facing you,
Actually, that's just being polite in normal practice. You can hit them from behind legally.
but always assumed it wasn't good sportsmanship to hit your opponent until he was good and ready after turning).
Just as he's turning is one of your basic attack chances. Why do you think your instructors emphasize zanshin? So you don't get clocked after the hit.

[Matthew Lagden]

our senpai always blip you on the turn if you aren't turning fast enough. each time they do it you get a bit quicker.

funny that.

Didn't know you could hit/be hit from behind. thanks for that bit of info.

[alexpollijr]

Hit from behind? Never saw that happening.
Only by accident at keiko. But while turning it's ok.

[JSchmidt]

"I've basically been told to play it simple, (i.e. no dodging, no retreating, pick a waza and execute it regardless)"

For first shiai, it's good advice...especially the no retreating bit...for me, when people retreat, is where I've had the most success in shiai.
For hitting from behind?..as far as I know, it wont count.

Jakob

[KhawMengLee]

Heh, I know how you feel Sanjuro. I got my first competition this saturday, same thing, team of five, no grade limit.

Hey Ben, I'll be part of the Murdoch Uni horde at this years Western Derby(hosted by UWA). Heh, It'll be Chris, Kazu, Josh...etc against Sensei Brian's mob at UWA as well as the budokan team.

Do you remember Brian Brestovac and Chiharu Fukamoto? Yup, they'll be on the opposition...ooo...I can feel the tension building up...just counting the days...

MENG

[dorkusxmaximus]

if you win or lose, it's okay because there will be many more taikais for you to go to.

[taiwnezboi]

"Actually, that's just being polite in normal practice. You can hit them from behind legally."

Are you sure about that? I was told that it's a foul (I think you guys call it hansoku?) if you do that.

[kendokamax]

hiting from the back can be dangerous :(...........
Anyway you can wait just a little bit and when they turn then you hit....in their face!!!!!

[Matthew Lagden]

Thinking about it i was told that you could cut when you could see your opponents Men grill.

being caught on the turn always pisses me off big time.

"not fast enough, damn damn damn!!"

[mingshi]

It's more impressive to cut them after they've turned and faces you (but not fully ready in Chudan), than to cut them from behind...

Just follow them like a hungury predator... Wait for that opportunity... and BANG~

:)

Hmmm.... Now who said the best defence is to attack??

[Neil Gendzwill]

I agree that it's nice to wait until they turn, it looks very pretty, the flags go up every time but... I'm pretty sure it's legal to hit from behind. Nothing about it in the rules that I can see. My instructor always warned me to be careful about it.

[Sanjuro]

Well, to say the least, my experience was pretty humbling but educational. Educational in the fact that I had the opportunity to fight many times because the team I was in had two very strong kendoka (we placed third). Well...hm...where to start? Basically, I tied two matches and lost four (the humbling part). Originally, I thought I could at least score one point. But then, I found it was hard enough trying to survive without getting hit, and that 3 minutes can actually seem like a long time :D The advice that I recieved from this board and my senseis, however, came into good use, and saved me from looking like a clueless guy holding a stick. I saw a lot of matches, as I was there the whole time (8am to 6pm). Unlike what I said before, there were a lot of categories (ours was restricted to high school teams from the Taipei area), so I actually got to see my senseis rip through a lot of teams from their category. On a random note, I also saw a inordinately large amount of people playing nito...maybe seven or eight. I even got to see two nito vs nito matches. Pretty interesting.

[KhawMengLee]

Yar, I just had my first competition. It was five man teams at 5 minutes per match instead of 3mins. I lost both matches :( but I managed to score ippon on a yon or sandan during my second match...I was stoked:D...even though I lost in the end.

Can't wait to do more shiai:)

[kendokamax]

I remember my first competition,

it was in Toronto (5-6 hours drive from montreal) (UofT tournament 2001),

My first match was so quick, lasted about 30 seconds, I didnt really know what the hell I was doing during my match...

Then we had team matches, I was on team C. We were only 4 on the team and were sure to lose hehe. One of my friend was able to win by nuki-do (was very impressive :D)and one of my other friend she fought like a demon to receive the spirit award, at her first tournament, it was cool!.. As for me I lost in a matter of 15 sec by kote :P

I won my first match in my second tournament in havard, I was so happy :)

Now I just got my shodan, it will feel like my first tournament ever in this new division. It will be fun :)