Kendo Grading

Some pictures from my recent Kendo grading :)

Registration and number assignment

Woot! Ready to go!

My turn! (2nd from the right)

Younger (and higher ranking) kids, grading in armour

Waiting for results

Lowest ranked amongst the three

Moral Support

Woohoo! My results just got announced! :)

777...7?

On 07/07/07 I passed my Kendo grading... to 7th kyu :)

Kendo armour here I come!



Update: Just realised while looking at my photo that the number I was assigned also adds up to... 7! :)

Kendo: I <3 Kiri-kaeshi

Went to my second Kendo class since I got back from London today. First class last week was a bit slow, as I had to train with total noobs, doing basic swings (zzzz....) Today was soo much better! Trained with the seniors, met my old dojo mates, and got to do practice drills (waza-geiko) with the seniors. Did my fave drill, Kiri-kaeshi (see vid below) I like! Still kinda rusty, missing the target a few times, and need to focus on proper posture and form.

Still, was a good session, looking forward to next class.

Kendo: UCL Kendo Club Pt 2

More Kirikaeshi practice (see Part 1), and head, hand and body strikes practice. Then today moved on to uchikomigeiko practice...

Uchikomigeiko*

Uchikomi (single-step striking) practice is designed to allow students to attack a passive receiver. The receiver typically makes a target available to the student, who strikes and follows through just as if it were a real match. It is in uchikomi practice that the student perfects the coordination of sword stroke, body movement, and intent. The goal is to bring all one's physical and mental powers to bear upon the target at a precise moment in time.

Hiki-men

Interesting, and more challenging. Lots of work still to be done, on everything from footwork to strikes and timing. Also learnt Hiki-men, attacking while moving backwards from a tsubazeriai (stand-off). Not as easy as how the senseis make it look tho.

Hiki-men (vid of kids as I could not find any better ones)

Stuart 'Gibbo' Gibson

Oo also found out that I actually have the privilege of training under Stuart Gibson, who is currently 4th time national champion and 2nd time British Open champion. He was also awarded the Fighting Spirit award at the World Championships in Taipei December 2006. Whoaaaaa! If even a little knowledge rubs off on me, I am very lucky indeed.

Stuart 'Gibbo' Gibson (tallest guy in the middle, standing)

Some useful phrases

Hiki-men - Strike to the head while moving backwards
Tsuba - Sword guard
Tsubazeriai - Sword guard against sword guard (stand-off before attack)

*Definition taken from http://www.yamatanidojo.com/kendo_practice.htm

Kendo: UCL Kendo Club

Did Kiri-Kaeshi, the staple of Kendo practice. Involves hitting another person, which was a first for me. Only did basic solo practice swings before this. Felt weird at first, but I got into the swing of things (groan) towards the end.

Kiri-kaeshi: Basic strike to the head, followed by alternate left/right strikes to the head while moving (4 strikes forward, 5 strikes back).

"Relax your shoulders!"

"Shout louder!"

"Control with your left arm!"

"Footwork! Footwork! Footwork!"

All this and more on Day 1, and I think this was one of the lighter days. Looks like some tough classes coming up, but that can only be a good thing :)

Photo: http://www.kendo.uclu.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Gallery.Gallery

Kendo: Beginnings

A short but informative piece on Kendo. Classes have been good so far, learning basic swings, kata, and footwork. Good news is my gi and hakama (see picture below) have arrived woohoo! Can't wait to put it on. I dunno, wearing a t-shirt and loose pants reminds me I'm a beginner, seems to take the fun a bit out of things hehehe.

Gi and Hakama

Hmm, I guess I better learn to put it on. This will come in handy.

Kendo

October's sooo far away. Soon my babies... soon. Sigh!