This post is part of the First Year of Budo series

Jodo

This week we mainly focused on Sotei or paired forms of basic techniques. In particular we practiced Hickiotoshi and Mackiotohi. My Hickiotoshi doesn’t really feel right in the paired form (it doesn’t feel that great in individual either). I’m told I’m lowering the front hand too much (too early really). In particular my left side is worse. It’s funny how so much of the technique is learnt through feel. But then again, it’s funny how wrong your thoughts one day are when reconsidered a few days later.

I enjoy practicing Makiotoshi, I feel like I can really go all out with it. I hope I wasn’t being too hard on my partner. Having said that I doubt it, because when sensei did it with him he threw him far further around that I even approached. When doing the technique on me I still can’t perceive when he is going to attack. I just barely have enough time to sense that my sword has started to be thrown and I have to quickly move my foot in order to avoid being stabbed with it. Maybe I need to do less looking with my eyes and more sensing. A kendo friend of mine said that they are trained to look at the opponents eyes as that is where you will first see the attack. I’ll have to experiment more with that during sotei practice.

I’m going for 4th Kyu grading in a fortnight, oddly enough I’m not really concerned. I must be overconfident in my Jodo technique.

Iaido

Kata Kata Kata and reiho (opening/closing ceremonies). After warmups, Sensei went through the opening bows and all that, emphasising that it’s an important part of the practice and very important in grading. One of the big things is Sageo(the cord attached to the saya) control. It always has to be maneuvered in thirds. Sometimes you swap hands holding the sword and in the movement you need to transfer the sageo from one hand to the other. In closing you also need to magically hook your thumb between one of the thirds. So difficult for something that looks like something minor.

During the bow to the sword we place the hands out in a triangle in front of our body. The distance away from the body that this triangle should be formed is decided by the fact that your elbows should come in just next to your knees. Apparently one reason for the hands out is such that if someone where to slam your hand into the ground while you were bowing you have some protection but we are a bit iffy on it.

After this is was Kata practice. I just focused on kata 1 and 2 over and over and over again. Probably 45 minutes worth, 30 at least. I was sweating heaps by the end of it. This week I didn’t stand on my hakama as much but it was still definitely an issue.

Finishing up, a sensei (6th dan I think) from japan is going to be down for the gradings and will be giving a training session during the week. I’d really like to go but I have to make a short presentation at uni which I won’t be able to get out of and as such I don’t think I will make it in time. Nevertheless we will see what happens.

Also I got my black iai uniform today, yet to try it on.