HKUST Kendo Club Extra Practice Schedule 2016 Fall

Last updated: 04-11-2016 Maintained by; Coleman YU

Practice advice from Karen senpai

熱身 原地suburi 20 x 2-3set 原地men 20 前後men 20 x 2-3set (完咗一set可以指出做得唔好地方，eg kiai唔夠，膊頭無放鬆 etc，呢個時候remind新人用劍嘅重量打，唔好自己加臂力)

步法練習 送足由箭靶去到鏡 (前後左右做幾set) 目標係唔好咁多踏步聲，盡量做到slide呢個動作

竹劍橫放腰後跨步練習 (一步左一步右)

pair up做基本練習 (原地men，前前後後men，左手men，defence個邊垂直把劍，對面打sayomen [上次Ken師兄教打個個]，defence個邊打橫把劍，對面打sayomen)

差唔多身高嘅人pair up，由箭靶去鏡兩邊一齊打sayomen (一個向前一個向後), remind 新人hitting target係對方個頭，把劍stop嘅高度應該係對方個頭咁高先啱

教kirikaeshi defence個邊點block (畫三角形，左右兩邊defence唔好太貼頭，要有足夠空間去擋)

學得ok就俾佢哋試打kirikaeshi，前四後五，做多幾轉都ok

仲有時間就教埋hiyasuburi步法，4拍要清楚，前後步距唔好差太遠。步法ok可以教埋對手點跟節奏郁 (without shinai)，仲跟到先教埋用竹劍打hiyasuburi，向後跳順勢向上舉劍(劍尖唔駛去到好後)，唔好用右手抽劍。向前跳就用返把劍嘅重量打落去。

到你哋上甲，可俾佢哋衝men，之後俾佢哋打sayomen/kirikaeshi

hope this help

Reference

Nero sent this to me on whatapps on 21-10-2016.

26-9-2016 (Mon), 0600pm-0800pm HKUST LG 4204

Welcome, it is the first extra practice in this fall semester. It will be hold by 2 senior members, namely Coleman and Anthony. Another 3 senior members, namely Nero, Star and Ryan will come to help.

The followings are the content of this extra practice.

  1. The basic structure of shinai (It represents a Japanese sword).

    What does the rope in the top of shinai represent?
    38 inch sword for ladies while 39 inch sword for gentlemen

  2. Kamae

    Like having a normal walk and just stop.
    Like having a wok (鑊) in the torso.
    One fist between the torso and the shinai. Why? It allows you to escape from your opponent’s attack.

  3. Distances (Maai)

    Three distances as stated in reference (1).
    1. Tōma (Tō-ma) — long distance
    2. Issoku ittō-no-maai (Itto-ma) — one-foot-one-sword distance also called chūma — middle distance
    3. Chikama — short distance

  4. Footwork (Ashi-sabaki)

    suri-ashi (sliding footwork)
    imagine an A4 paper between your right foot palm and the ground.
    Left leg should never cross right leg.
    Weight distribution: 60 (right): 40 (left), 50 (right): 50 (left)
    Someone will tell you to have 60% of weight on the right leg while 40% of weight on the left leg.
    Someone will tell you to have 50% of weight on the right leg while 50% of weight on the left leg.
    In my opinion, it depends on the situation. You should try to vary the weight distribution to find out which one is better in the given circumstance.

  5. Suburi

    Swing without cutting a specific target.
    What is it purpose?
    A practice: Two Suburi swing and then One stepping footwork to move forward.

  6. The basic men cut in reference (2).

    It is our target in October.
    It is completely fine/natural that you cannot do it now.

Reference

(1) Maai

(2) Kendo Techniques : Basic Cutting - Men - The Kendo Show.

Please only focus on the basic part. Other parts are too earlier for us at this moment.

29-9-2016 (Thur), 0500pm-0600pm HKUST outside LG 4204, 0600pm-0700pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the second extra practice in this semester. There should be about 10 freshmen joining this practice. We cannot book the LG4204 for 2 hours because we submit the application late.

Hence, we will meet outside at the LG4204. Then, we will go to LG3003 for practising the footwork for the first hour. Then, we will move back to LG 4204 for the later hour.

(Today, we have not booked the LG3003. It is because the staff said that Anthony has booked the venue incorrectly by writing a wrong booking log book. Finally, we practice footwork outside the LG 4204.)

First, recall what we have done in the last extra practice (26-9-2016) and yesterday regular practice (28-9-2016).

Reminder/Comment of the last extra practice.

  1. Kamae (The upper body part)

    4 things
    1. The arms should be relaxed. As release (c.f. hea in Canotnese) as possible.
    2. Positive slope and never negative slope of the shinai. The actual slope depends on the height of your opponent.
    3. One fist between the torso and the holding.
    4. Center line. You cannot see the center now. After you practise for a longer time, you can see the center line more clearly.

  2. Footwork

    2 things
    Never 八字腳 (i.e. You foot should not be placed as a Chinese character 八 shape.) Shoud be parallel (a.k.a. 11).
    Cross leg (The left foot palm should always follow the right foot palm.)

  3. Holding

    10101 for the five fingers for both hands. 1 represents stress while 0 represented less stress. Counting from the last finger as 1.
    The last 3 (or 2) fingers are extremely important.
    Never hold the shinai as doraemon.

Reminder/Comment of the last regular practice.

  1. Different between the sliding men taught by Ken senpai and the “The basic men cut in reference (1)” in last extra practice.
  2. When we hold the shinai, the left arm should have a little bit bend.

The followings are the content of this extra practice.

  1. We will revise the materials of the last extra practice and the last regular practice.
  2. We will introduce the inner side and outer side of the shinai. More in Reference (1).
  3. We will practice the footwork. More in Reference (2).

Reference

(1) Kendo and Iaido Concepts: Omote vs. Ura.

(2) (踏み込み) 踏込 影像研究.

The section “最清楚教習方法 (珍貴影像)”

3-10-2016 (Mon), 0500pm-0600pm HKUST outside LG 4204, 0600pm-0700pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the 3th extra practice. It will be hold by Coleman and Anthony.

To begin with, please be noticed that we have announced the details of the 2016 Fall Mass Purchase.
Details: https://goo.gl/forms/kmmQy6VOpfXebn3R2
The mass purchase will be end at 10-10-2016.

We already have two regular practices on 21-9-2016 (Wed) and 28-9-2016 (Wed). We also have two extra practices on 26-9-2016 (Mon) and 29-9-2016 (Thur).

Reminder/Comment of the last extra practice

  1. suri-ashi. We have practised this at the beginning outside the LG 4204.

  2. We have practised the 5-stages footwork. The 5th stage is extremely important.

  3. Please remember that all the participates with different levels will practice the same thing with slightly different.
    For example for the hitting men practice, you may find that some seniors will cut from the top of the head while the juniors will cut from the back (You are not allowed to cut it small!).
    It is because we need to focus on different things when we are at different stages. More in reference (1).
    In addition, people are different. People are good at different things. So please take your own step/progress/speed during the practice. Simply follow others is not good for you.

  4. We have practised men strike with kiai. In each round, only one person (i.e. the commander) will shout “1,2,3,...”. After the commander has shouted, other shout “men”. More in reference (2).

The followings are the content of this extra practice

Outside LG 4204

  1. Explain the relationship of footwork and cutting
    1. striking from toma is safe
    2. imagine how a knife is used when you cut bread; you cannot cut by pushing down from the top.

  2. Kamae (revision)

  3. suriashi footwork (revision)
    Ayumi-ashi (normal footwork but sliding)
    Okuri-ashi (with right foot at front)
    Okuri-ashi (with left foot at front)
  4. Fumikomi footwork (revision)
    5-stages

Inside LG 4204

  1. suriashi footwork with partner (new)

  2. Fumikomi footwork (revision)
    5-stages
  3. suriashi+ Fumikomi (revision)
    suriashi is used to approach your opponent from “toma” (i.e. far distance) to the “issokuittou no maai” (i.e. the attacking distance).
    fumikomo is used for hitting from the “issokuittou no maai”.

  4. Suburi (revision)

  5. Suburi-Suburi-Man (revision)

  6. Sliding Men (revision)
    Without hitting the shinai of the receiver (Motodachi 元立ち).
    The cut stop at the opponent’s head.
    Two versions
    1. Raise the shinai during sliding (taught in the extra practice).
    2. Raise the shinai first and then do the sliding (taught in the regular practice)
  7. Stationary men cut (revision)
    2 row practice
    Extend your arms, wrist.
    Relax shoulder.
    Do it as big as possible.
    The swing-down motion follows immediately the swing-up motion
    Relax your arms immediately after striking men
    More in reference (3)
  8. Forward and backward men (new)
    Hitting the shinai of the receiver
  9. Kukan-datotsu (new)
    refers to striking “empty air” as opposed to actually striking a training partner.
    1. kamae
    2. Move your right foot forward using the power of you left foot without lifting your shinai
    3. Raise ypur shinai above your head as you bring left foot up by straightening the right leg.
    4. men cut and stamp
    5. okuri-ashi
    6. kamae
    More in reference (4)
  10. Kihon-Uchi (basic striking or cutting)(new)
    A practice: A senior member holds the shinai at the men level as target.
    A advanced practice: Two senior members hold the shinai at the men level as targets. | Hit the first men. | use the okuri- to move to the Issoku ittō-no-maai to the second target. | Hit the second men.

For fun, you can watch them in this weekend

  1. You can watch the video in Reference (5) to have an overview of kendo.
    The video films the HKU kendo club. You may meet them in the coming winter training camp.
  2. You can watch the video in Reference (6) to have an overview of kendo.
    The video films the Vajra Club. Recall that our HKUST kendo club belonged to a club called Vajra Club (a.k.a. 金剛劍道會/金剛會/金剛館/金剛).
    There is a pretty girl as the main character.

Reference

(1) Big or Small?.

(2) Sumi sensei lesson on kiai.

(3) Sueno sensei and the 45 degree myth.

(4) Kendo - Approaches for All Levels.

Chapter 3 Kukan-datotsu And Kihon-Uchi
The book in reference (4) is an extremely good book.
I think you can read it at December.

(5) 《拉近文化》 論劍3： 日本劍道.

(6) Kendo To let them show.

6-10-2016 (Thur), 0400pm-0700pm HKUST LG 3002

It is the 4th extra practice. The 0400pm-0600pm session will be hold by Anthony while the 0600pm-0700pm session will be hold by Nero. Besides, Karen senpai , Zero and Alec may go to help.

Reminder/Comment of the last regular practice (Wed)(5-10-2016).

  1. I have found that some of the beginners misunderstand the Fumikomi Men taught by Ken senpai.
    Fumikomi (Stamp)
    The Fumikomi Men taught by Ken senpai is as follows
    1. Raise up the shinai by raising up your body a little bit.
    “raising up your body” refers to the motion that you want to take something at the shelf in a high position but you cannot reach it. So you raise and extend your body to try to take it.
    2. At this moment, your shinai has been raised and your body has not moved yet.
    3. Launching your left leg to push the right leg while swinging down the shinai.

    Some beginners do an advanced version.
    They do not do the above 1st and 2nd steps. They simply do the 3th step and try to raise the shinai when they launch the left leg.
    It is very difficult. Some of the senior members will try to do this version as a practice. However, beginners should follow the version of Ken senpai instead of the others.

The followings are the content of this extra practice

  1. Kamae

  2. The five stages of footwork as covered in 29-9-2016 (Thur) extra practice.

  3. okuri-ashi (送足) with left foot at front
    1 beat version, small and frequently, the normal version
    2 beat version, large and slowly. 1st beat: push from your left leg. 2nd beat: pull from your right leg.
  4. okuri-ashi with right foot at front
    Same as above
  5. Ayumi-ashi (A type of footwork akin to normal walking)
    2 beat version, large and slowly.
    1st beat: push from your left leg to launch the right leg

    2nd beat: Pull from the right leg and hence the leg leg cross the right leg and then use the right leg (It is at the behind now.) to push the left leg.
  6. Two people stand in the Issoku ittō-no-maai.
    Feel the connection between you and your partner.
    When one side moves forward, other moves backward to keep the distance
  7. Swing the shinai with footwork
    1. At the normal kamae position. (left leg follows right leg)
    2. Raise your shinai stationary.
    3. Push from the left leg (the left leg do not move) to move the right leg forward and swing down the shinai.
    4. Use the left leg to draw the right leg while swing up the shinai and place your right leg behind the left leg.
    5. At this moment, the kamae position is reversed. (right leg follows left leg)
  8. Fumikomi-ashi practice
    Move in Reference (1)
    More in Reference (2)
  9. Jumping suburi
    Teach by Zero
    1. Normal Kamae (With left leg follows the right leg with normal separation)
    2. Jumping upward while swinging up the shinai
    3. When you fall, swing down the shinai at the men level
    4. When you land on the group, your left leg follow the right leg and the separation between them is large.
    5. This time, jump upward again while you swing up the shinai and move the left leg from backward to forward.
    6. When you fall, swing down the shinai at men level
    7. When you land on the group, your right leg follow the left leg and the separation between them is large.
    8. Repeat the procedure for steps 4 to 8 by changing the leading leg using the step 5.
  10. Touching the knee
    Teach by Karen senpai
    You can find that using fumikiri and fumikomo make you easier to touch the opponent’s knee

For fun, you can watch them in this weekend

  1. You can watch the video in Reference (3) to feel the excitement of kendo.
  2. You can watch the video in Reference (4) to know how other people practise/pursue kendo in other place.

Reference

(1) Tip of the Week - Fumikomi.

(2) (踏み込み) 踏込 影像研究.

The section “此段沒上身，美中不足。”

(3) 剣道 -KENDO-.

(4) The University of Chicago.

10-10-2016 (Mon), 0600pm-0900pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the 5th extra practice. It will be hold by Coleman. Anthony, Star and Gilbert will come to help. We have booked the LG 4204 from 0600pm to 1000pm. We will properly end the practice before 0900pm because we want to have dinner not that late.

Some news

2016 Fall mass purchase
https://goo.gl/forms/kmmQy6VOpfXebn3R2
The deadline is 10 Oct 2016
日本武道巡禮2016
6-11-2016
https://www.facebook.com/events/1795348890751562/

Reminder/Comment of the last regular practice (Sat)(8-10-2016).

  1. You should observe the difference between the the sliding men taught by Ken senpai and the one taught by me.
    Ken senpai version
    Raise the shinai without moving.
    Suri-ashi for one step and swing down the shinai
    My version
    Raise the shinai using the launching of the left leg. We push the right leg at the same time.
    Swing down the shnai using the pulling from the right leg.
  2. Must have a rectangle between two foot palms.
    The top right corner is the heel of the right palm.
    The bottom left corner is the thumb of the left palm.

The followings are the content of this extra practice

  1. Coleman will distribute 10 copies of book stated in Reference (1).
    If you want to have the soft copy, you can find it under the session “Reference”.
    If there are too many people, I will print more of it and bring it next time.
    The book in Reference (1) is a good book. It also serves as a dictionary to understand some terminologies in kendo.
    I do not suggest you to read the whole book at this stage (i.e. learning kendo for 1 month). Just flip it at your leisure time.
(I have distributed 8 copies today. Star has also taken one.)
  1. We will first revise the footwork taught in last extra practice (6-10-2016).
    okuri-ashi (送足) with left foot at front
    okuri-ashi with right foot at front
    Swing the shinai with footwork

  2. Frog jump

  3. Explain the mechanism/basic flow of Kihon-Uchi (basic striking or cutting)
    To begin with, I will explain some important terms in the footwork part.
    1. Fumikiri: push-off or the leap forward using the left foot when in chudan
    2. Fumikomi: stamp on the floor with the entire sole of the right
    3. Hikitsuke: the act of snapping the rear foot up.
    In conclude, we use fumikiri to drive off from your left foor at the Issoku ittō-no-maai, moving your right foot word as a result of shortening the distance.
    Perform fumikomi and strike at the same time
    Hikitsuke just occur after the strike and stamp (Fumikomi). Without hikitsuke the action `cutting’ cannot be completed.
    (c.f. You cannot cut a bread by simply pushing down from the top. You have to slice it)
    The remainder is when and how to raise the shinai.
    1. You can raise the shinai stationary.
    2. You can raise the shinai when you execute the Fumikiri.
    3. You can move your right foot forward using the power of your left foot without lifting your shinai.
    Then, raise your shinai above your head as you bring your left foot by straightening the right leg (Hikitsuke).
    Reference (2)
  4. Tobikomi men (We call Men-Uchi in our club) with an opponent holding the shinai
    Do not use too much force.
    The partner can suddenly remove the target to see that whether the attack side uses too much force.
    Tobikomi means jumping/diving to hit the men.
    Start at the “issokuittou no maai”
    Two version
    1. The 5th stage of the Fumikomi footwork and then suri-ashi
    2. And different version in reference (3) and reference (4)
  5. Stationary Men
    Gilbert: The cutting of the freshmen is not good.
  6. Use the forearm to measure the holding position
    Taught by Gilbert
    You can also read it in p.14 in reference (1)
  7. Forward Men and backward Men
    Star: The motodachi move first, the attack side then follow
  8. Sliding men with partner, no blocking
    Ken senpai version
    1. Raise the shinai stationary
    2. Push from left leg and swing down the shinai
    3. Then pull the left leg by right leg
    Coleman version
    1. Push from the left leg and raise the shinai at the same time.
    2. Pull the left leg from the right leg and swing down the shinai
    Star: an mixture of the above two.
    1. Push from the left leg and raise the shinai at the same time.
    2. The pushing is not stop yet and hence your right leg is still moving.
    3. Swing down when your right leg stops moving forward
    4. Then pull the left leg by right leg

Reference

(1) Kendo Beginners Guide.

(2) Kendo - Approaches for All Levels.

Chapter 2 Footwork
Chapter 3 Kukan-datotsu And Kihon-Uchi

(3) (踏み込み) 踏込 影像研究.

The section “誠先生の剣道教室 1”

(4) (踏み込み) 踏込 影像研究.

The section “誠先生の剣道教室 2”

13-10-2016 (Thur), 0500pm-0600pm HKUST LG 3002 0600pm-0700pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the 6th extra practice. It will be hold by Coleman. Anthony, Ryan and Ali will come to help.

We have already learnt many basic skills in kendo. You should have a brief idea of the mechanism of the actions. In the yesterday regular practice, Ken senpai has taught us about sayu men. He has also illustrated how to do the forward and backward sayu men.

Understanding the principles is easy while doing/implement them is difficult. So, we need to practice continuously.

(I have distributed 5 copies of books today. Ryan and the new comer, who is Crystal's friend, have also taken one each.)(We have collected the deposit of buying name tag for some beginners.)

The followings are the content of this extra practice

At LG 3002

  1. Footwork (Ashi-sabaki)
    suriashi footwork
    1. Okuri-ashi (with right foot at front)
    2. Okuri-ashi (with left foot at front)
    3. Eight Direction
    tsugi-ashi (繼足)
    Advance footwork
    More in reference (1)
    hiraki-ashi (開足)
    Advance footwork
    Ayumi-ashi
  2. Swing the shinai by standing still the left leg and move the right leg
    Reference (4) on 10-10-2016 (Mon) practice
  3. Fumikomi footwork with hands
    5-stages

At LG 4204

  1. Suburi

  2. Stationary men cut
    Both hands
    Single hands

  3. Stationary sayu men

  4. Sliding Men without receiver
    Two versions
  5. Forward and backward men
    The senior will practice the different version.

  6. Tobikomi men

  7. For the seniors, we will practice with bogu.
    jigeiko

17-10-2016 (Thur), 0500pm-0600pm HKUST LG 1 Lobby (i.e. outside the badminton courts) 0600pm-0700pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the 7th extra practice. It will be hold by Coleman and Anthony. We have booked the LG 1 Lobby today. If the floor of LG 1 Lobby is not as good as that outside of LG 4204, we will go to the outside of LG 4204.

(The floor of LG 1 Lobby is not good. We go to the outside of LG 4024 for the first hour practice.)

The followings are the content of this extra practice

Outside LG 4204

  1. Footwork (Ashi-sabaki)
    suriashi footwork
    1. Okuri-ashi (with right foot at front)
    a. forward
    b. backward
    c. lateral
  2. Fumikomi footwork with hands
    5-stages

At LG 4204

  1. Suburi

  2. Stationary men cut
    Both hands
    Single hands

  3. Stationary kote cut

  4. Sliding Men without receiver
    Two versions
  5. Forward and backward men
    The senior will practice the different version.

  6. Tobikomi men

20-10-2016 (Thur), 0500pm-0700pm HKUST LG 3002

It is the 8th extra practice. It will be hold by Anthony and Nero.

  1. Many Footwork

24-10-2016 (Mon), 0500pm-0600pm HKUST outside LG 4204, 0600pm-0700pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the 9th extra practice. It will be hold by Coleman.

  1. Three methods of hitting men.
    a. Draw the left leg and raise the shinai at the same time.
    b. Push the right leg a little bit and raise the shinai at the same time.
    c. Approaching step (Launching the right leg by pushing from the left leg), tsugi-ashi (pulling the left leg by the right leg) and raise the shinai at the same time.

27-10-2016 (Thur), 0500pm-0700pm HKUST LG 3002 0700pm-0800pm somewhere

It is the 10th extra practice. It will be hold by Anthony. Anthony will arrive after 0600pm.

  1. Many Footwork

31-10-2016 (Mon), 0600pm-0800pm HKUST LG 4204

It is the 11th extra practice. It will be hold by Anthony. Star and Gilbert will come to help.

03-11-2016 (Thur), 0500pm-0700pm HKUST LG 3002

It is the 12th extra practice. It will be hold by Coleman and Anthony. Star will come to help.

Today, we have 2 new comers. They are Kristy and Tracy.

Practice For the Girls

  1. How to hold the shinai. For details, please read the notes for practice “29-9-2016”.

  2. How to stand and do the kamae. For details, please read the notes for practice “26-9-2016”.

  3. The three distances. For details, please read the notes for practice “26-9-2016”.

  4. The reasons why we need to “move and cut” instead of “stand still and cut”. For details, please read the notes for practice “03-10-2016”
    1. Cutting bread
    2. Occupy the center line by sliding off the opponent’s shinai
    3. Start the attack at the safe distance

  5. Suburi

  6. Men cut

  7. (Pushing the left leg) and (stamping the right leg with downward swing).

Practice For the Boys

  1. Kirikaeshi

Practice Together

  1. (Pushing the left leg) and (stamping the right leg with downward swing).

  2. Sliding men with three beats.
    1. (Pushing from your left leg) and (launching the right leg in sliding manner with upward swing such that the shinai touches the hip)
    2. Use the right leg to draw the left leg in sliding manner with downward swing (i.e. cutting).
    3. Stand back to restore the original position.

Note

The above content has been polished/rearranged so that the materials stated above are guaranteed to have been covered by the senior members. I have also added some remarks so that it is easier to follow.