This post is part of the First Year of Budo series

This week was once again really good. I managed to get a bit more one on one tutoring then I received some times which was good but has also left me much to work on. One thing bothering me though is that I have to keep reminding myself to speak louder. I concentrate on what I’m trying to do with my body and then I forget the extra stuff I need to do with my voice. If I can improve this I think my general prestige will raise a little, because I am not presenting myself too well at the moment.

Jodo

Spent a considerable amount of time on partner work today which was an experience. It is amazing how terrible your technique goes when a sword is thrust at you for the first time :). It was also a interesting experience to be actually striking to knock down someones sword. And it is incredibly funny how easy it is to miss. Although I don’t know the name of the technique my problem with the strike was I was doing it too one handed. A lot of strikes are mostly one handed but it seems for striking the sword you need to use both hands more so. I think it may have something to do with enabling the jo to get lower.

Anyway it was really cool when I get a strike almost right because I can really feel the difference. It has a lot more definition and there is a certain feel as the jo slides down the bokken.

Iaido

I think my opening and closing rei were a little better this week but the finer points are still totally missing. I have been looking at pictures and videos on the net where I can find them but I guess I need to be careful because not all demonstrations (due to styles) are the same.

Spent most of the second half of the class on kata no. 1. In particular chiburi and noto. Noto is so difficult to get smooth. I have been instructed to push the saya back and around into the body as much as possible and then some, while only having the sword hand come forwards as if punching. The handle is only really held with the index and thumb, not the entire hand. With the saya hand you have your thumb and third finger (originally I thought it was middle) touching and with the first and middle finger coming in front of the mouth of the saya to make a bed for the sword. You use this bed to slide the sword along (where most of the movement comes from the left hand) and support the slight turn. Anyway I find the hardest part is getting the little finger side of the right hand free enough to allow the sword to turn just that little bit to give you a nice angle.

To summarise, it was a grueling work out with good people.

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