This post is part of the First Year of Budo series

I would have to say I had a bad morning today, maybe my body was just sore from part-time work the night before but my whole energy level was down so it was very hard to snap into the right mind frame. I didn’t realise the effort that is required in order to really focus. It is something that you have to be prepared for all the time, ready to manifest it on request. It was an interesting lesson to learn, offcourse it means more to me than I can express in writing.

So first up, I left my Obi at home. So luckily Sensei had some spares, I was quite upset with myself for forgetting it because I pride myself on doing things right everytime (Close to a perfectionist attitude but it’s more just for things that I think are important… Well you can look at everything in a negative or positive light). Next I enquired with Sensei about how I tied the bow on my Gi (top). Apparently it must be horizontal rather than vertical which is what I had it like last week and received a reprimand for. While asking him about this he pointed out that I had obviously done something seriously wrong in tying up my hakama. So we took it off and started from the beginning.

For completeness sake (and so I don’t forget) I’ll go through tying up the hemo. First of all, the front of the hakama goes just above the obi (Which I just remembered, the obi should be pulled down a little at the front), almost a centimeter above. Then the front hemos go around to the back and cross over on top of the obi bow. It’s important that they cross from top to bottom over the bow, keeps it nice and tight. Then it comes back to the front of the body. Here it stays below the bottom of the obi. Tie it up a little (gotta be tight) and then bring it around behind again. Here you tie it up properly (below the obi), very tight again.

Now it’s time for the rear hemo’s which are the shorter ones. There is a tag connected to the rear of the hakama which goes down between your body and the obi. Then bring the hemo’s around to the front. Cross one over the top of the other and then bring that one up from below, underneath the previous hemo which has been tied up. Then tie a knot here with the rear hemo’s. For Jodo it is a reef knot, for Iaido it is this unusual bow sort of thing which is the same as on the obi. Finally for Jodo you will have some remaining hemo. These are tucked over the top and down over the high hemo. Then the ends are tucked into the sides of the hakama. Whether you fold them in the sides or tuck them under the obi doesn’t seem to matter. Mainly just keep them out of the way and out of sight. I tuck it under the obi because it doesn’t come out very easy I’ve found.

For Iaido, the katana is placed within the innermost loop of the obi (so it’s one layer of the obi before the body) in the middle. It is then maneuvered to go out through the left side hole in the hakama. One thing I didn’t know originally is that the sword scabbard (saya) is supposed to go over the top of one of the hemo at your side. This also helps to keep the sword more horizontal which is good. There is nothing much more embarrassing then having the saya slip down at your side and be vertical along your leg. It just looks terrible and is not right. In an art where perfection is so deliberately aimed for it is not on. Which is another reason to make sure you tie your obi really tight.

Jodo

Today was all kihon (basic technique) for me. We spent a lot of time on the first few techniques, which is fine for me as that’s what I’ll be graded on. I was very unhappy with most of my techniques today. Particularly my makiotoshi was bad, I couldn’t feel the movement flowing through my arms and body so it was stilted. It’s amazing how a good strong focus effects your movements, when it is lacking so is your action. Afterwards Sensei had me training 3 of the newer ones. He comes around here and there to inspect all of our techniques and correct us. I’m a little surprised at my confidence, the japanese commands just seem to role off of my tongue (not that the pronunciation is correct). It’s also funny how many of the things I say that are things that have been said to me to correct what I do. In particular ensuring that people don’t hold the jo directly in front of them such that they can’t draw it behind them without moving. My sensei proceeded to gently shove the Jo into my lower abdomen and explain that his Japanese Sensei is not so gentle. Not a lesson I would forget, I used something similar to illustrate to one of the other students, except I have a gentler nature so I didn’t make contact but explained that other Sensei would do as our Sensei did to me.

The wonderful thing about martial arts is that is an honest conversation.

One of the new girls is very shy and in particular is embarrassed about Kiaing. Sensei gives her a hard time making sure she atleast makes some sort of noise (he explains the reason, while he is demanding he is very considerate). Next week I’ll have to tell her how I used to be very shy about Kiaing and that Sensei made me go up and down one side of the hall by myself for most of the class. She has the advantage of working with other new students. Really kiaing is important and I think it adds a certain something to the art. I’m not sure what it is but I’m glad I’ve been made to do it.

Iaido

Well I don’t know if my kata suck or not, maybe they just suck somewhat… I know my cuts still aren’t feeling right. I’ve been watching Sensei very closely and I have some new ideas to try out. Also my noto needs some work, must remember to move the left hand back first. I have great difficulty getting my right hand to move out freely as I begin noto and I know it looks ugly. I must practice more!!!

The rest of class was on kata 1 and 2 for me. We did some group practice followed by myself and another student performing individualy while all the others were asked to pick faults in our technique. The senior student taking us was counting errors on his fingers. So while I was doing my kata I could see him out of the corner of my eye counting. It’s all part of the training, preparing us for gradings.

Among a large variety of things to correct, two notables were a greater sense of Jo-Ha-Kyu (speeding up) and cutting like I mean it. The senior student really killed me every time I cut. Which is fair enough, I can’t get any power into my draw cuts in particular.

Afterwards he came over and made the comment that I should be fine for the gradings, but you always want to pass as best as possible. This is the way of class, always someone drilling some tiny point into you until you can’t take it anymore. The more you repeat the error the harder it will be drilled into you. It is brutally disciplined but I think it is right.

So glad I’m doing something so hard and honest.