Hizen Dojo Shochu-geiko diary 2004
by Satoshi Miyamura
Saturday 7 August, 10:00-14:00
Seven months after kan-geiko (winter training), this time Hizen hosted its first shochu-geiko (summer training). Many who attended kan-geiko in January seemed a bit tense anticipating another hard practice. People who joined after January seemed really nervous not knowing what to expect. We had the fortune of many senior members attending the session, Simon Bradley, Anthony Scott, and William Van Straaten, some who have been back after long silence due to nursing duties appeared to be significantly more anxious than beginners.
Shochu-geiko started with a 10 minute-long mokuso. I thought of what I would like to achieve during this 7-day session. I was determined to give 100 per cent in every exercise and not to give up. I also wanted to work more on controlling the opponent and seme (pressure) before cutting/ striking.
Then Jeff explained the overall plan of the 7-day session. He said that it is not his intention to kill everybody off on the first day, so we will be starting with basics. Many was relieved to hear this €“ but this was big mistake€
Then the next 30 minutes was spent on running, taiso and suburi, which warmed up every muscles and joints in our body fully.
The first half (2 hours) of today€™s session was spent with the whole group working together without putting men on. Everybody did suburi and men-uchi, and then Jeff provided a detail explanation of hand and feet movement during a men cut.
The second half was a grueling session of uchikomi, kakari-geiko, and some physical work, including exercise for abdominal muscles, bunny hopping around the dojo, and suburi that seemed to last forever. Many of us were not quite prepared for this last part of the session. We were confronted with our weaknesses and were challenged mentally as well as physically. We presented with a question. Do we give up and stay in our comfortable bed rather than facing another day of demanding session? Or do we scrape together courage and spirit to continue?
Sunday 8 August, 10:00-13:00
While there were some who could not make it, I was pleased to see many gathered to face another day of challenge. We were all suffering, but at the same time more relaxed, now that we have gone through the nervy first day of the shochu-geiko. Today we had the whole sports hall to ourselves, which was nice because we were less likely to be disrupted by other groups, but at the same time it brought back memory of the hard session last time we were in the same situation (c.f. day 4 of kan-geiko).
Today's theme was footwork.
The first two hours was spent practicing men-uchi with various timing and distances. We started with men from issoku-itto (one foot-one sword) distance, then practiced cutting men after stepping in, men cut as the opponent tries to move in (debana-men), step back and then cut men as the opponent tries to step forward to chase, etc.
Like yesterday, Jeff provided explanation about the hand and feet movements during the cut, which was was very detailed and precise. I cannot reproduce everything I wrote down, but just to give an idea of the attention to detail that was paid during this session€ It was explained that at the point of the cut the left hand should be at sternum height. Right hand will be at shoulder height, which can be ensured by keeping the tip of the shinai within peripheral vision. Next focusing on the foot work, at fumikomi, the body is pushed forward (and not upward) with the left foot. The distance your right foot should travel during fumikomi can be found by keeping the left hand in middle of body and dropping the tip of shinai €“ the right foot should go beyond the point of the tip of shinai. After the right foot lands, bring the body forward as if to push the right knee to the line of the right toe. At this point, make sure that the body does not sink €“ move as if to lift your body, which should make it easier to bring the left foot underneath you€
After the detailed session on men-uchi, we practiced further variation with hiki-waza, such as men-hikimen-men, and several variation of the exercise which involved cutting nuki-doh or de-gote at the last cut.
After a break, we spent the last hour practicing footwork without putting men on.
First we practice suri-ashi while cutting men and kote-men in sankyodo (three movements/rhythms) from one end of the dojo to the other.
Then we practiced moving around with smooth footwork, coming into tsuba-zeriai with an opponent and part smoothly. Cannot think of any suitable name for this €“ Phil called this €œthe tsuba seriai mass mingling€.
Finally we practiced oikomi-men in pairs €“ first person cuts men and go through, and as this person turns around, the second person cuts men and go through € Again the emphasis was on smooth and uninterrupted footwork
Monday 9 August, 20:00-22:00
Day 3 of shochu-gaiko. Is it my imagination that the number has dropped off slightly? Perhaps this is because today is a weekday.
Today people were split into two groups and did different things. People in armour were in one group and learned about shiai from Simon and Scotty. People without armour continued with the theme of practicing basic men-uchi. I was in charge of the second group.
Tuesday 10 August, 20:00-22:00
Tonight we spent the bulk of time doing mock grading. Everybody in armour (22 people in total I think) was grouped into grading levels and was asked to perform kirikaeshi and short 2 minutes jigeiko as they would in a grading. The panel was Simon, Scotty and me. Everybody seemed strangely nervous. Overall good performance and I felt confident that most should pass if they were able to perform at a similar standard in autumn. It was however concerning that some people, even relatively experienced, were not able to dress properly. Tenugui was sticking out, men-himo was twisted and was not arranged together properly etc.
The last 30 minutes of so was spent on motodachi geiko.
Wednesday 11 August, 20:00-22:00
Shochu-geiko is in the 5th day and tonight was a hard practice. The first half was spent on basic techniques in mawari-geiko style. We started with three men-cuts, then Debana-Men, Men-Hikimen-men, Men-Kote-Do, Suriage-men, and then gradually progressed to various combinations of these basic cuts.
The second half was €œladder€ or as some put it €œsnake€ practice (see figure below).
The first round was done with kirikaeshi €“ uchikomi €“ kirikaeshi €“ uchikomi - € sequence. The second round it got harder: uchikomi €“ kakarigeiko €“ uchikomi €“ kakarigeiko - €!
After two rounds, motodachi did the same and after the last motodachi Jeff was waiting to receive the final kirikaeshi. I was already out of breath by the third motodachi and was only just hanging on.
After the ladder practice we did taiso for cooling down and shomen-suburi. Everybody was completely shattered but nobody stepped out to rest. Well done!
Jeff told us that we have just soaked the tip of our toes in the water and we give up too easily, we should grip our teeth at times of difficulty and discomfort.
After the final rei, Simon handed out individual comments to people who took part in the mock grading. As a general comment, Simon talked about equipment not worn correctly. Scotty talked about walking across the practice area without correct etiquette. I mentioned that these small points have to be perfected in day-to-day practice and not only at grading or shiai €“ but I was completely out of breath by then and I€™m not sure anybody was able to understand me€
Thursday 12 August, 20:00-22:00
Today was another intense practice. Practice was done with motodachi geiko style with Simon, me, Will, Jakob, Frank, Yukiko, Alex, and Bernd as motodachi. We first received kirikaeshi for about 30 minutes. Then Jeff received kirikaeshi and kakarigeiko from all motodachi.
The session continued in the same format, with motodachi receiving kakarigeiko (for people in armour) and uchikomi (for people without), and then moved on to doing kirikaeshi, ippon-shobu, and then kirikaeshi again. It was another warm night and very tiring but I think everybody did well to cope with it. Personally I was not very focused on my own kendo and did not feel right €“ perhaps concentrating too much in pushing my kakarite to their limit.
After the rei, Jeff commented that he was pleased the we sounded like a dojo tonight, and that the standard we set tonight should be the base for the training from now on.
Friday 13 August, 20:00-22:00
Last day of Shochu-geiko, started with taiso led by Simon and then I took the suburi session.
Then everybody sat in circle and the senior members went over the past 6 day sessions.
Simon summarised the session on grading from day 4. Then Scotty went over the session on shiai from day 3 and I mentioned a couple of points about basics from days 1 and 2.
After that everybody put their men on and paired up with partners to do jigeiko, while the people without armour worked on their individual weaknesses.
The last 20 minutes of the Shochu-geiko was demonstration geiko by Jeff, Simon, Scotty and me. Everybody made a big circle shaped arena and the four of us entered the area, put the men on and practiced with each other. It was very good to have the opportunity to practice with Jeff and I remembered how much seme he piles on me during keiko. It was also nice to have done jigeiko with Simon after so long. Overall I think I was able to perform my own kendo naturally.
After the keiko, everybody went to the Rocket and congratulated each other for attending Hizen€™s first Shochu-geiko. It was nice to see everybody€™s relieved faces. Number of people who experienced this type of intensive practice thanked me for the support and it was moving to see that this 7-day practice has had an impact in the way they see kendo and the dojo.
Afterthoughts
I think the first Hizen Shochu-geiko was a major success. Even more than in the Kan-geiko in January, I think everybody has come out of the experience as a close group with focus and direction. I think the first day was the hardest. We were not physically and mentally prepared for the four hours training under the heat that challenged us at the end of our strength and stamina. On the other hand, after the second day we were more focused and, at least mentally, prepared to face up to various tasks that were set to us. Although I heard some being confused by the radically different pace of the training, I think the variation we had was a good learning process. Jeff€™s practical and flexible training method was personally a good learning experience on how to run sessions with maximum efficiency under difficult conditions, such as diverse abilities, differences in physical conditions, limited equipments, and noisy sports halls, just to name a few. I think one way to make this type of session more interesting would be to hold Asa-geiko (morning practice). Since the current sports hall opens at 10 am, maybe this has to wait until Hizen gets its own dojo.