http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/blog.php/646-ZOll This is a discussion forum about the martial art of kendo, or Japanese fencing. For more information, visit www.kendo-world.com en Sat, 25 May 2013 00:23:03 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/blog.php/646-ZOll http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/122-It-s-Been-a-Minute Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:39:04 GMT

Been ages since I posted, but there isn't too much to tell really. Up until about a week ago I was practicing regularly, but now our dojo is in summer vacation hibernation until the 22nd. Most Monday's for the past month and a half I've been connecting with the capo to do some endurance training at the start of keiko. The heat has been seriously daunting, but I'm learning loads about relaxing my grip and shoulders.

Last week I took a boat way down south of Tokyo to the Bonin Islands. It was a crazy experience. Anyone who is interested in my extra-kendo thoughts on Japan and other things is welcome to check out my blog - called Toriaezu - the most recent post has pics from the island and an account of the voyage there, with more to come.

Anyways, while there, Tokyo life/work and the outside world got totally drowned out by the scenery and activity. One thing did manage to trickle through though....kendo. I was itching to practice! This week I'm going to accompany the Capo to one of his practice spots in Shinjuku near Takadanobaba [read: Takadanobadass], so hopefully more posts to come, with better photos.

As per my usual M.O. here is the song of the post, a lively tune for the summer-minded. ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/122-It-s-Been-a-Minute http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/112-Kendo-From-Above Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:02:37 GMT Attachment 1034 (http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1034) I took a spill a few weeks ago and have been out of commission, but went to the dojo last Saturday to spectate practice. My dojo is a bit small, it being built in the middle of a tight residential neighborhood...


I took a spill a few weeks ago and have been out of commission, but went to the dojo last Saturday to spectate practice. My dojo is a bit small, it being built in the middle of a tight residential neighborhood in Tokyo. The changing space (I don't say changeroom because it's really more of a hallway - you have to spread up against the wall like you're getting arrested if anyone wants to get by) is upstairs. The floor and surrounding area becomes so busy during practices that visitors often end up watching from above.

I spent most of my time watching sensei, and due to the layout of the place I was located pretty much right above him. Kendo is interesting from above.

First thing I thought was 'huh,' and then I thought, 'shimpan should fully be suspended from the ceiling from harnesses'. Kote, men and tsuki strikes are so clear from above, and do strikes are easily seen too.

Sizing up kamae from on high is also a new game. Watching the shinai-work and the right feet creeping out ominously, I wished I had a still camera on the floor below, with me holding a remote switch above. All the mechanics of seme seemed really apparent, and details stood out that I'd never noticed before.

The fight for chushin (centre-line) was especially interesting. Awareness of centre has always been a bit troubling for me, but exactly who had it and how it was being guarded was really plain to see. The whole scenario had me feeling very omniscient, until the memory of how many times I got walloped last time I practiced put things back into in perspective.

That said, my elevated vantage point also stripped the spectacle of some of its more human elements. I could see how various kenshi were pressuring each other physically, but it didn't translate as well as it does on the ground. Watching kendo on the same level that it takes place, you can feel the contest, see the faces, and maybe most importantly, imagine yourself being involved. From above, it gets abstracted. You notice details that otherwise you might not, but it loses intensity. Anyways, it was interesting for a while. Something to think about while I heal up.

Check out this tune if you have 8 minutes. It's kind of painful but I think it might make you stronger, like a vaccination. ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/112-Kendo-From-Above http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/106-Hip-Calibration Tue, 25 Jan 2011 04:59:02 GMT Practice over the past two weeks has been up and down as I’ve been trying to hone a more flexible kamae. Last night I tried to focus on my left hand and the angle of my hips. Over gripping with my right hand has led to a bit of pain in the elbow, always a sign of bad form, so last night I tried... Practice over the past two weeks has been up and down as I’ve been trying to hone a more flexible kamae.

Last night I tried to focus on my left hand and the angle of my hips. Over gripping with my right hand has led to a bit of pain in the elbow, always a sign of bad form, so last night I tried to be all about the left. I think this made for crisper men-uchi in kihon-geiko, and in ji-geiko I seemed to have better kensen control when it came to minor adjustments and trying to channel seme with the shinai.

The other focus was trying to calibrate my hips. If I had to say what was really different between those days when I’m on point and when I’m bunk, I’d say it comes down to how I carry my hips when I fight. It’s not a decision per se, or I’d choose to do it all the time, but on those days when it’s really right, my kamae is ready, like a cocked gun. The rest of the time, which is most of the time, I’m pointing a gun that hasn’t been cocked yet.

Put another way, instead of having to overcome inertia by stomping on the gas, setting the attack in motion, the attack should be constantly in motion, wheels spinning, and waiting to be set on the ground. It’s less a decision to go forward and more a removal of an inhibitor that is checking a force which is already going forward.

That may be a good working definition of seme: The pressure generated by a force which is being kept from moving forward, like water inhibited by a dam.

Come to think of it, these are things which Kim Taylor, my iaido sensei in Canada, used to talk about. He named his club Sei Do Kai, which refers to the concept of quiet or stillness in action, and conversely action in stillness. One of the other things Kim often speaks about are the angle of the hips.

So to wrap up – I’ve been trying to calibrate my hips and keep them rolled forward, belly out, same way you sit zazen. On my rare good days, this sort of happens naturally, and I’m more dangerous for it. The task now is to keep up that focus and make it second nature while also reducing the shoulder and arm tension problems I’ve been having.

Snap your fingers to the song of the day if you've got a minute. ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/106-Hip-Calibration http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/105-Kendo-and-the-New-Concussion Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:39:42 GMT I came across this article in Slate today regarding American Football and a new category of head injury that has been discovered.

To sum up: It begins with the mention of G as the force of gravity, and the fact that in collisions, force is measured in G's. It seems that collisions in this heavy contact sport range from 40Gs at the low end to 300Gs at the more brutal extreme. Guys getting wrecked with forces of this magnitude naturally leads to a high number of concussions to compliment the myriad other corporeal injuries.

Until now, head injury was thought to be diagnosable on the field by physicians. The classic symptoms of concussion are quite easily recognized.

The feature of the article, however, is new research which suggests that there are other very alarming kinds of head trauma, the signs of which are not easily recognized. It mentions blows to the top of the head, and subsequent impairment of the 'executive functioning' of the brain.

Naturally, my thoughts strayed to last night's practice, and to kendo in general. We hit each other - right on the top of the head no less - many many times per practice. We have bogu of course, just as American Footballers have helmets, and a shinai is perhaps a far cry from the impact of an airborne man, but I can't help but wonder just how much damage we may be incurring, and at what cost later on down the line.

Does anyone know of any studies in English regarding the amount of force in Gs that a normal men-strike generates?

Further still - regular strikes aside, how many times have you really had your bell rung in kendo, been caught off guard or broken your posture and really got cranked?

p.s. - [it has come to my attention that I threw this one up absent a tune at the end. That means a few people have missed out on this collymellon Billy Holiday/Lester Young track. Apologies! 07/03/2011] ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/105-Kendo-and-the-New-Concussion http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/104-Steady-on! Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:03:33 GMT Off to a half-decent start! My first keiko of the year was actually pretty terrible. It had been about 2 weeks since I practiced, which is neither here nor there, but for whatever reason things just weren't working in unison. Instead of trying to relax, I tried to make it come together with force, tired myself out, and generally had a bunk practice. That was Saturday.

On Monday morning, through the bright idea of a dojo mate and the kindness of one of our sensei, I had a chance to attend morning practice at Kodansha Publishing's famous Noma Dojo. I've been to the old Noma dojo for shiai, but I have never attended a practice, or been to the new dojo at all. So, up at 5am for a breakfast of champions: 2 bananas, 1 kiwi, some yogurt to activate the vitamin C in the kiwi (good lookin' out Hamish), and and egg sandwich. Then off to the station. Brick freezing!

Just today I happened to check the weather in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada where my sister lives. -26 degrees. Egads, I thought, that's brutal. But I'll tell you, I will take -5 in Canada before I'll take +2 degrees in Japan. Something about the wet air really makes it cut to the bone. A brisk walk through that brought me the the station, and a few transfers later I met my companions from my home dojo in Nakano.

Walking from Gokokuji station to Noma dojo, our sensei threw out some pointers. "This is a very traditional and strict dojo. Mind your manners. If you're doing ippon shobu with someone and they act like they've won, give it to them. No arguing."

I was curious to see how much the new dojo resembled the old one. We went past the main Kodansha building to a larger one behind it and elevated to the 5th floor. It still smells immediately of old wood, and I think the sliding doors in the entrance hallways must be from the old dojo.

After signing in and getting changed in a very hushed change room, we found a place to get ready at the far end of the dojo. I have no doubt that there were many people of note there, although one that stood out to my eyes right away was Uchimura, a past All-Japan champion. That fellow may just be as wide as he is tall. I had a chance to watch his keiko while I was in line, and the word for it is 'tenacious'.

Keiko itself was of course straight forward, nothing but ji-geiko. My first bout was sub-par but helped to warm me up. I think I had 5 in all, the last three feeling quite good and on point.

We were lucky enough to get a kind of 1 month pass to practice there, so I'll absolutely be going back.

Tonight's practice was also good, but all of my most glaring problems were on full display. First, the bad. One source of many minor problems is stiffness and excess tension, especially in my shoulders and arms. This has always been a problem for me, and at the suggestion of a sensei from my dojo I'm trying to pay attention to the level of tension in my shoulders all the time, meaning while I'm at work or walking around. I think he's right - I think I'm a bit numb to just how much tension I have there, as a matter of habit. Every time I remember to check, lo and behold, I'm tense. If I can manage to cool out my shoulders a bit, I think it will follow down to my elbows and forearms and produce a much more natural, longer strike and finish.

On the mental side, I've picked up the bad habit of stopping my ji-keiko and breaking zanshin WAY too much. When I began kendo, my dojo had a great atmosphere of concentration, and we were always paying attention while the fight was on. After coming to Japan and practicing in a few different places, I saw some people who at times would be working on some technical aspect of their kendo. They would engage, have an exchange, and then sort of turn off and re-set their position. This is all right now and again, I think, but somewhere along the line I began doing it too much. So that's another goal, to have more consistent focus and to start taking zanshin more seriously.

On the positive side, my kamae has been praised a bit lately for being very straight, but I'm not so sure this isn't connected to my shoulder tension problem. I definitely make an effort to make a beautiful kamae, but I may be straining a bit to achieve the form. It looks all right, but it's too static, and I don't respond well to people who knock my shinai around.

That's all there is at this point. I'm glad to be back in the swing of things and looking forward to next practice when I can try to address some of these points. In my ongoing effort to include a song in every post, I offer you this. Not for the faint of heart. ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/104-Steady-on! http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/103-bogu-is-in-stasis-practice-begins-on-the-8th Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:56:50 GMT The holidays have been a bit too restful. Cabin fever isn't really acceptable in the absence of sub-zero temperatures, yet I managed to catch it over the past few days. Japanese variety TV at new years is, as an aesthetic experience, probably akin to being stung by a scorpion. You go somewhat numb and the intervention of others is required in order to be roused. Time turns fluid and slips by as a boy band is grilled over 3 hours of viewing. They're made to improvise skits, weigh in on various and sundry unique food items, execute impromptu slapstick comedy, and clean a muddy car wheel with a high pressure water contraption. Another show pits two teams of hapless contestants against each other in a random rush to avoid injury in weird, semi-violent challenges.

Although I failed for the first time ever to enjoy my very own traditional dish of (sticky/dense pounded ricecake) mochi and maple syrup, I did make it out to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura to parlay with the gods on the cusp of the new year. It was worth the frosty toes to look behind me as I ascended the steep steps at the python of people lined up to toss their coins.

A few days later, lying outdoors on a slightly inclined stone slab, hotspring water running down and around, I thought about kendo, my fortune in being around such high quality kendo people, and the infrequency with with I've taken advantage of these surroundings in the past 6 months. Hence the idea for this fresh year is to practice more, think more about it 'aloud' in this space, and stay chisel.

I like music a lot and I would like to invite everyone to listen to this song if they think they might enjoy it.

Happy New Year! ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/103-bogu-is-in-stasis-practice-begins-on-the-8th http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/11-THOR-HAMMER-this-is-GREASE-MONKEY-over Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:10:33 GMT Today while attempting to get back into the swing of things in practice, I was struck simultaneously by both a shinai and an idea. Call signs. I mean, we already look like bloody pilots. Demented pilots, albeit, but pilots none the less. We strap cumbersome equipment on and carry our helmets by... Today while attempting to get back into the swing of things in practice, I was struck simultaneously by both a shinai and an idea.

Call signs. I mean, we already look like bloody pilots. Demented pilots, albeit, but pilots none the less. We strap cumbersome equipment on and carry our helmets by our sides as we saunter off to do battle. The fact that the battle doesn’t happen to be airborne is a peripheral detail.

Imagine it though. Discreet, tastefully stitched into the back of your hakama in the color of your choice – “ICEMAN”. Sorry, but it has to be all caps. Call Signs from famous movies and TV series starting coming to mind as I stretched after practice. “MAVERICK”. “BOOMER”. "GOOSE".

I mentioned it to Gibbo who ran with it and suggested some others. So I’m going to shelve this with my other idea for anti-tenegui, the idea being that we have some printed with hitherto undesirable concepts such as machi-ken (待ち剣), or perhaps the 4 diseases of the mind. I feel we should have these done up for next year’s gaijin smash.

At any rate, please leave your ideas for hakama call-signs as comments here. I see no reason why this shouldn’t extend into MC/DJ names and straight on into the ridiculous. Shotgun ‘PLIERS’ (song of the post)

[] ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/11-THOR-HAMMER-this-is-GREASE-MONKEY-over http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/4-Footloose-The-Tenuous-Connection-Between-Kendo-and-Skating Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:16:22 GMT Don't worry if you can't nolly kick-flip or nose-manual all the way to the supermarket ( http://www.metacafe.com/watch/311783...t_nose_manual/ ) - a simple forward push on a skateboard is enough to show you the difference between leaving your back foot behind & bringing it with you, so to speak.

Try this: stand on the deck with your front (right) foot pointed straight forward, as it would be in kamae. With your back (left) foot on the ground, also pointed forward, push off. Do it a few times to gain some speed. Maybe nose grind a rail if you're feeling willy nilly.

Initially, let your pushing leg trail behind when you push. Next, try it again, except this time do as we ought to in kendo - snap your hips back into place after pushing by bringing your back leg up. You'll find that not only does your push have more snap and power to it, but you're also in a better position to push again.

Although riding a skateboard is obviously a different situation from executing a strike from kamae, there are some similarities which make this a worth trying , if only once. Because of the board's wheels, our push is translated into smooth and immediate forward locomotion, allowing us to observe more dramatically the difference between correct (strong/quick/efficient) & incorrect (weak, slow) push-off with the back leg.

Another exercise is to experiment with the angle of your pushing foot. Regardless of whether or not you bring your pushing foot back up, your push won't be as strong if your pushing foot is planted at a 45degree angle relative to your front foot.

It takes your hips offline, forcing your foot back and to the left each time you push. In order to push again, the hips have to be re-squared, and the push is weaker to begin with. Now try pushing off from a properly straight 'kamae foot'. You'll find it's much more efficient, and facilitates bringing the back leg back up quickly, because your hips stay on line.

Indeed, the skateboard has much to teach us about the way we move in kendo. No longer an angsty tool for the slow erosion of the elegant cement structures which adorn our cities, the skateboard can now spirit us along our way of the sword. eyaaaah.

The last lesson I could squeeze out of this gimmick is to do with moving from the tanden, or from the hips, that difficult and essential lesson that so many of us grapple with (I sure as heck do). A common beginners mistake in kendo is to lean forward with the upper body, bringing the right leg out as a means of catching ourselves at the last moment. More experienced kenshi know that leaning makes a strike predictable and robs it of hip power.

As opposed to standing on static ground and leaning, try leaning forward on a stationary skateboard, or rather, don't. Even a slight shift in the centre of balance will initiate a fall - the deck flies out from under you. This shows the importance of keeping your center of gravity low, in your hips, which is to say keeping control of your balance at all times.

In kendo it is possible to put yourself off balance by leaning heavily into a strike. But the skateboard leaning 'experiment' demonstrates the loss of control involved. While you may succeed in catching yourself with your right leg in kendo, you will have only limited power and control over your strike, and there will be no further forward momentum (zanshin fuel) to speak of. So, by keeping our hips under us at all times (posture), as though riding on a skateboard, we can maintain control over the strike for its entire duration, ensuring power and follow through.

So, why go on and on about some tenuous connection with skateboards, flogging a badly decaying horse and telling you stuff you already know?

Speaking personally, I find that I sometimes tend to fall into a rut, relying on sensei to pick out my mistakes and remind me of them. Bowing after practice, they might say "You're still dragging your back leg" or "Your kamae is still offline". I trot out my best 'Hai!' but the truth is I'm often blind to my mistakes as I make them, caught in a rut.

I thought up these admittedly silly exercises as a way to abstract the lessons from the kendo context, to make it starker and fresher, that I might better internalize it and re-apply it to my kendo, re-invigorating it. It's my hope that this might be of some interest to others as well - I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts on it. No, I can't skate to save my life but I did go to the video store and back aboard one a good many times in my formative years, and you do find yourself wondering what the best way to push is.

Highly recommend watching the second youtube link at the beginning of this - these doodes are fleet of feet. ]]> tyler http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/entry.php/4-Footloose-The-Tenuous-Connection-Between-Kendo-and-Skating