Dojo clean up this Saturday 20 September

Spring is most definitely here in Toowoomba, with Carnival of Flowers this weekend and much of the town in blossom. It has certainly been warmer at evening training session too, which has been a welcome change.

As Friday is the last day of the school and the University term, we will be holding a clean up working bee to welcome in the new season on Saturday at the MEAC from 10.30 am.

Please consider coming past even for a brief while as there is a considerable amount of work to be done in tidying the storage area, putting together a full inventory of the Club's equipment, repairing what needs to be attended to, and giving the MEAC floor and the mats a good scrub down.

Remember that preparation, care and maintenance is an essential part of all martial arts training, and that the way we maintain the external physical environment is a direct reflection of the internal one.

Please let Michael know ASAP if you can make it so that we can best plan the spring clean. There will also be an opportunity to do some training afterwards, but ask your respective sensei in class this week for what will be available.

 

Seitei Iaido this weekend

Iaido-techniques.jpg

It is the first week of the month, hence we are scheduled to have Seitei Iaido on this Sunday after Kendo.

Michael will not be in Toowoomba this weekend, so it is critical that you let him know by Wednesday whether you will be attending so that we can let Tom Johnson, sensei and James know whether it is worth it for them to come up the hill.

NCAS Jujutsu coaching accreditation scheme on this weekend.

On a personal note I'm looking forward to this weekend where I will be renewing my NCAS accreditation for jujutsu. I will be a great opportunity to catch up with people I haven't seen in some time and to support the Australian Jujitsu Federation's efforts to promote quality benchmarks for instructors of jujutsu and the related family of arts.

It will also be Brady Albrad's first opportunity to have formally accredited teaching qualifications as an assistant instructor. I hope everyone extends congratulations to Brady on this first of many stepping stones towards his yudansha qualification over the next few years.


Successful Kurume City Kendo Renmei visit.

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who participated in Brisbane this weekend at the Ken Shin Kai hosted Kendo seminar.  I could only make it for the Saturday (too unwell to stay for the day on Sunday). But I would like to make a special mention of Ryo Atsumi and Melissa Pierides for helping Wan to get there and back safely on the Sunday!

Lots to think about and work on in class for the coming weeks.

Kihon Uchi pointers from the Kurume City Kendo Renmei seminar

Kihon uchi

  • Remember as kakarite to stay straight and move through. This may seem easier for men uchi, be also try to move through straight with kote uchi so that you go to the right side of motodachi.
  • Be decisive with your cuts rather than “flicky”.
  • Push through with the left hip to keep straight and avoid the hanmi position as you move.
  • Degashi kote is one technique where this is quite important, as you will not achieve a valid cut without it. Move through to tsubazeriai to complete the strike.
  • Develop the ability to see with your eyes (kendo no men) and your spirit (kokoro no men). Pressuring your opponent forces them to collapse their defence. You are watching not for a physical opening but a deflation of their spirit.

Feel free to make a comment, question or query and we will work through this in coming training session.

Kirikaieshi pointers from the Kurume City Kendo Renmei seminar

Kirikaieshi

  • Remember maai in the initial engagement. 9 steps — into toma no maai — seme—tame— then strike.
  • Remember zanshin in the initial strike. The follow through is not the push back but instead the force of Ki to occupy the space of motodachi.
  • Hasuji must be correct.
  • No need to rush. More important to ensure ki ken tai ichi.
  • Motodachi should be able to receive without the shinai. It is a slice not a bash.
  • Correct angle of the shinai is around 30 degrees. There is a tendency to cut too shallow or too steeply and this leads to a “bash” rather than slice.
  • Swing with your shoulder to make each cut. Each cut is coming from migi jodan no kamae, not swinging from outside the head and must have correct maai.
  • Relax through the cut. Postures are transitional as is the application of pressure

Feel free to make any questions, comments or queries. We will try to put this into action at this week's training sessions

No Saturday jujutsu till September 13

Just in case you have not seen the previous notifications: There will not be an opportunity for Saturday morning Jujutsu till 13 September, as Michael will be out of town for the next three weekends (Kurume City Kendo Renmei visit this weekend, NCAS Jujutsu re-accreditation the weekend after, and family trip to Canberra the weekend after that). 

For those especially hankering for extra training, consider Punchfit on Friday lunchtime, or keep an ear out for additional training opportunities. Michael will let you know at the dojo in the coming weeks.