Footwork

[Old Warrior]

I just downloaded at least 1/2 dozen clips of championship/competition points. I put the clips on "loop" and I watched them many times. Each time I would focus on something else. Since I am a beginner and having a terrible time with the footwork I really wanted to see how the distance was being closed for the winning cut.

It seemed to me that almost everyone, as they jumped out with their right foot, had their left foot up in the air. Now, I am constantly being criticised for my left heel being too high and my foot not straight. I also noticed that the left foot was rarely poinred straight forward as I am told it should be.

Also, one clip shows the winner doing a perfect parry riposte to the hori (do?). That one was really interesting because that horizontal step with hip rotation that I have been struggling with for the perfect hori cut- was nowhere to be seen. The winner sort of did a quick side stpe and got the shinai out there. He even let one hand slip off the grip.

Soooo, my question is - Footwork, is it a matter of do what I say in practice and when competing - whatever works goes?

[Ostrak]

Would you happen to have the website handy where you downloaded those clips from?

[Old Warrior]

Sorry, I downloaded them from various places and had them on my hard drive. I guess I can email af ew to you, if you want.

[kendokamax]

no need to knwo where these clips are from.

The all japan competitor do these kind of things too.

[Old Warrior]

Two were from the All Japan Kendo competition (50th AJKC) and two were from college meets but my observation was mostly from the AJKC.

[Old Warrior]

Check the Goodies Section on this site - 2 of them are there.

[taiwnezboi]

"He even let one hand slip off the grip."

I noticed that higher level people mostly let go of their left hand and go through using only their right hand after doing heuri / do.

[alexpollijr]

Watching 7th, 8th dan people in high-level matches isn't going to do you any good as a begginner.

You should trust the 'basic' instruction of your teacher, or watch the ZNKR Basic Kendo Lessons tape.

One must know the rules prior to bending or breaking them.

[nodachi]

I haven't heard this from my sensei since I am not fluent enough yet, but when I was playing with fencing in college I got some insite on this. The fencing teacher was super anal about footwork, but there were extra saturday practices with just the club members and no teacher. They said when you are in a match, don't worry about the footwork. They said that obviously footwork is important, so you think about it and try to perfect it in practice, but when in a match, you just have at it. They generally thought that being anal about footwork in practice would eventually lead to good footwork in a match. Maybe the same kind of thought applies to Kendo shiai.

Food for thought, I could be wrong...

[Confound]

Though I speak from no position of authority, as has been screamed at me on several occasions, I would advise listening very carefully to everything your sensei says about footwork. If you get it right from the very beginning, you won't have to undergo the trials and tribulations of trying to fix your footwork two or three years down the road when you're starting more complex waza.

c

[munenmuso]

True indeed. You must also learn and master your kendo from your personal experience not just from your observations of high level kendo from these experienced competitors, those long time practice where your sensei keep on hacking your back with his shinai because your often raising your left foot is so much valuable and indespensible. Your long experience in kendo and mastering its basics are your licence to raise your left foot. Even your sensei would tolerate that in a shiai as long as he knows that your basics are alright. As they say you have to learn to crawl before you jump.

[Old Warrior]

"Watching 7th, 8th dan people in high-level matches isn't going to do you any good as a begginner."

I am a humble, beginning student, and not a young man. But, I find it very difficult to accept that watching the art displayed by those of the highest rank and demonstrated skill has nothing to teach me. I was only trying to satisfy a sincere thirst for knowledge when I downloaded and repeatedly watched the movement of experts performing actions that I am learning. Also, since I study "Kumdo" I wanted to see if there were obvious differences that my untrained eye could perceive. Do, you relly mean that there is nothing for me to learn from watching?

[aru-ma]

Originally posted by Old Warrior
But, I find it very difficult to accept that watching the art displayed by those of the highest rank and demonstrated skill has nothing to teach me...I was only trying to satisfy a sincere thirst for knowledge when I downloaded and repeatedly watched the movement of experts performing actions that I am learning...Do you relly mean that there is nothing for me to learn from watching?

hmm... how to put it....Well its not that its wrong or watching the tapes doesnt teach you anything in fact it teaches a lot but the thing is
your'e still a beginner, try not to aim too high (that might not come out right), these 7th and 8th dans are capable to do what they do due to experience, what you need to do is do what they did, learn from experience. at this point, hell at any point all you have to do is do your own kendo, this means do what you think is comfortable when you do kendo. I know how you feel when you're watching the clips (eg. ooh how did that guy do that?*rewinds tape and watch it again until you think you understand*) its not really a bad thing but what you should do is develop your own kendo, the type of kendo you can work with. This may sound rather strange, but if you try to improve your kendo in strides its harder to reach whilst if you take it step by step it may take longer to get there but when you get there you'll be doing stuff those sensei you've watched or probably even better. Dont try to do what they do know, do what they did toget there. and remember step by step, not strides.

personally for me the only way to improve my kendo is to make mistakes lots of them and fix it, repeat the process.

As for footwork just learn the basic things and focus on it, and as you've probably seen in a shiai its the same thing not just anything goes, trying watching the 8th dan competition again, you'll see that what they do are very basic.

this may sound exactly like most of the replies here but its just how it is, observation is good but experience is better.

phew that was long, now back to reding kendo nippon

[alexpollijr]

Old Warrior

Aru-ma said it all. It *can* teach you a lot but at these matchesthe rules are often bend and sometimes broken. And that's not a good trail of thought for beginners.

Examples of this are the wider feet kamae, the small swings, the over-the-shoulder swings, among other things. These all go against the basic teachings of kendo/kumdo.

So watch it, enjoy it but don't try to mimic it - yet.

[Steve]

IMO, watching competition tapes is a GREAT way of learning (or supplementing your learning) a lot of things in Kendo. In fact, i know of a sensei who says that that is one of the best ways of learning kendo and encourages everyone to do so.

As far as the differences between what you see, and what you practice...its simple. You MUST know the basics (of motion) well enough to do it without having to think about it. The best way to do that is to practice the most basic and simple of motions. Once you are at a point where you KNOW your foot is straight, ankle is not too high etc, you will naturally begin to move in a more fluid style of motion and not so robotic. That is what you see when you watch high level kendoka. They aren't "sloppy", they are just doing the same basic movements you are....REALLY WELL.

As for the "Do" points, there are lots of variations that you will see people do. But, when you see that same person instruct beginners on how to do it, they always show the same "two-handed" follow through. I can give you two "reasons" for this. The first is similar to the reasons given above. High level Kendoka will often take their left hand off the shinai while "passing" their opponent but will immediately grab it again once past and assume proper kamae. Why? Well, its easier. Your shinai is more easily moved and controlled in a close quarters "do" with one hand off. Is this wrong? No, its just harder to do right than the basic "do" we all practice endlessly.

Now the second reason is that many people (unfortunately) have two kinds of Kendo: Grading / practice Kendo and Shiai Kendo. In theory both should be the same, but except for very high level kendoka, they usually aren't. In shiai, you are concerned about points. You'll see a lot of ducking, dodging your head, etc... that are normally not done. I guess its the competitive spirit all humans have...and it takes a lifetime (or more) to be able to control that natural instinct.

Long story short, keep practicing the basics. They are the foundation that everything else you see is built on.