Interview with Alex Bennett - 7th Dan

This is an interview with 7th Dan, Alex Bennett. In it he talks about the mindset for keiko and ultimately for all your Kendo. As what you do in your keiko feeds into your gi-geiko.

This is a wonderful interview for me because Alex has a knack for easily communicating the fundamentals of Kendo. In particular his discussion of seme and of the winning/overcoming first with the spirit then with the cut.

The Cut is the Exclamation Point for a Sentence Started with Seme

My read is that the cut is almost like an exclamation point at the end of the notional sentence: "I have overcome you and myself". A sentence that starts and owes its substance to seme.

This is the first part of an interview with Bennett Sensei. The whole interview is for sale in Kendo-Guide.com. I haven't really thought about getting it at this stage but if the rest of it is like this interview and you are interested in lifting your Kendo game this would be gold.

UPDATE: Okay, in the ten minutes since publishing this post I have bought the digital download of the entire video. (Yeah, I am a hopeless Kendo geek!)

Ganbatte!

A Bit on Training but Mostly More Kendo Reading...Lowry and Twigger

This post started as a discussion about training and digressed into a discussion about books.

What I will cover today is what I am going to look for when I start reviewing videos of my suburi and then I am going to go off course and talk about two books that helped me with my Kendo - both provided me with an insight into mindset from two different directions.

The Discussion about Training: Suburi - What I am Looking Out For

Well I am through most of the cardio-training now and despite a mild addiction to spinning (a good thing), I am none the worse for wear.

I have been looking in two directions at the moment in terms of training.

One direction was in terms of suburi or Kendo specific training I've been making good friends with my suburi-to and working on men cuts including men cutting while in the horse stance.

I believe the cutting is getting better judging by what I can see in the reflection on our sliding door and by the shadows. The next phase is to film myself. I have a tripod and just bought a $1.99 bracket so that I can mount my iPhone on it.

Suburi - Good Habits to Gain, Bad Habits to Repair

What will I be looking at or for:

• opening swing - in particular how far back my kissaki (sword tip) and my tsukagashira (hilt butt) go
• shoulders - as I mentioned before I have a tendency to lift these (think of a shrugging action) which is a habit that needs to be fixed (it is a tell, also it is just tiring and slows me down)
• tenouchi (am I snapping my wrists and is there an obvious stop at the end of the cut)

I want to get a little more into bokken training so late last month I put an order in for Dave Lowry's Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword a bit of a punt. (I just checked my order status and it should be here next week!)

The Bit About Books and Reading

Dave Lowry: Autumn Lightning

I have read Lowry's work before and have a lot of respect for him and his treatment of the martial arts.

When I was getting into Kendo I ordered and read Autumn Lightning which is an account of his study of Kenjutsu - unfortunately my copy is packed away somewhere but thanks to the miracle of Amazon I can reveal that I enjoyed it- I even wrote a review!

I am afraid at the moment my lasting memory of the book is how his Sensei taught him to sit on the toilet - suffice to say the posture is unconventional but functional, more to the point it means you are ready to leap into action if necessary.

There is much more to the book than this and this recollection does not do it justice.


Twigger: Bad Ass Aikido

While I am on the topic of good reads, try Robert Twigger's: Angry White Pyjamas: A Scrawny Oxford Poet Takes Lessons From The Tokyo Riot Police. I seen some reviews of this book and picked it up on a whim to read on a flight to Australia.

Twigger learns Aikido with the Tokyo Riot Police so on the face of it it does not seem very Kendo related but three words make it so: Tokyo Riot Police.

When I first started training, the Japanese Riot Police were a source of huge admiration to us for two reasons:

• they were paid to train in Kendo
• they were hard-arses Kendo wise - gi-geiko, kakari-geiko so tough you lost control of everything (I mean everything)

About the only thing that was madder (in a positive Kendo sense) than a Japanese Riot Police Kendoka was a Japanese Imperial Guard Kendoka (and by this I mean the police unit tasked to guard the Emperor of Japan).

So I bought Twigger's book to get an insight into the Tokyo Riot Police mindset. The discovery - these guys are bad-ass too.

And yes, I wrote an Amazon Review of that too! (It is probably one of the ways I remember what I have read.)

Note: I am no Aikido expert - I don't do it (although I do admire it) so I cannot comment on the accuracy of the Aikido in the book or its value for an Aikidoka.

Oh yeah, what was the second direction my training was taking?

I started this post talking about training and got into books. I said at the start I was looking at my training in two directions, and covered one - suburi and bokken training - here.

I will cover the other one - fitness and gym training - in my next post.

Recommendations for a Good Read?

If you have any good reading recommendations - Kendo, martial art, or mindset related, please feel free to share them in the comments section.

Until then.

Ganbatte.

Habit Building 101 - Don't Look Now! You Could Already Be a Success!

Someone (I think it was Earl Nightingale) once defined success as the progressive realisation of a worthy goal.


Or put a little more directly - success is about getting what you want

. Hopefully what you want is worthy but really you are the best judge of that.

The key for me with this quote is that success is not just the getting of the goal but also the actual steps you take to get that goal.

That is, if you are pursuing your goals you are already succeeding.

The process of self realisation is already a success and therefore something to be positive about.

I find this a comforting thought.

It's About Action

You will notice that this definition of success does not talk about how big the progress has to be - it just has to be progress.

This was brought home to me by a quote from Confucius I saw recently:

It doesn't matter how slowly you go as long as you don't stop.

Okay, this is not directly relevant but I think still on topic.

It's not about the speed, it's about the consistency of action.

Success in Kendo - Comes in Small Steps

One of the great joys for me with Kendo is that you can see the rewards of practice and persistance. 

You see it most obviously in a better cut or more generally a better gi-geiko or shiai result.

This result is the product of many factors - well actually three:

• Ki - spirit
• Ken - sword
• Tai - body

Coalescing into one whole. (Yeah, you probably knew that was coming.)

Arguably this is a state of perfection that is will rarely be achieved.

But for me this really doesn't matter - I know I will never really achieve this state at least not consistently- what matters for me is the pursuit of this state.

To achieve this state I need to focus on a number of factors including:

• my footwork
• my core strength (posture)
• my cutting: hand position, stroke/swing, timing, shinai position
• my awareness of my opponent; and 
• my awareness of myself: what am I thinking, am I thinking
• my breathing (am I breathing?)
• my projected spirit (kiai, kensen)

(And I don't think this list is exhaustive)

This will only come with consistent practice, focus, awareness AND patience.

It is probably the last bit or absence of this that screws me up the most.

It's About Patience

How do you practice patience?

• Try to learn something - really - just try and learn something. 
• Set yourself goals - not as sticks to beat yourself with but yardsticks so you know when you have made progress
• Keep track of your performance ("yardsticks"as noted above)

Examples:

My attendance at the gym.

I go regularly, I check into Foursquare each time so I (and any poor sod on Facebook who friends me) can see my attendance.

I weigh myself - not because I am a masochist - but because getting my weight down is a goal, also I need to know my weight so I can get a more accurate calorie consumption estimate.

I make a note of my calories that I consume. Right now I am using machines which calculate this so it is easy. (I also wear a heart-rate monitor and strap which helps). Yeah the machines give me estimates but as long as they are consistently accurate or inaccurate I can still see my progress.

How does this relate to patience - simple:

Training is frequently painful ("the burn")

But I progress and while I am training I tell myself I am progressing, making a difference

And it is the self talk, the messages that help me develop patience.

They also help build the mental toughness and reference points for later training at the dojo AND when I am doing other work: 

Basically because I know I can do it at the gym, I know I can do it at my desk AND at the dojo!

Here's to your success and mine.

Have a great day.

Ganbatte!

Habit Building 101 for Kendo: "Just Fricking Do It"

Today, a short post.

Now that my cardio training is developing, or more specifically my cardio training routine is locking into place, I have started work on suburi - yes the actually cutting practice.

I put off suburi for a couple of reasons:

• not sure where to start
• a little embarrassed about training outside

When I did start my suburi I did it without those thoughts in mind. Basically I had not plan in mind and I didn't really think about the social aspects of training outside.

I just got down and did it.

I am glad I did.

It is all too easy for me (and I suspect maybe for others) to over think stuff:

• "I need this to do that"
• "This is not right and I really need it to be in place first"

But when it comes down to these are just excuses or fancy window dressing for the procrastination store. So to get round all that:

Just Fricking Do It

The first time will probably be ugly and messy, but it will get you into action.

Also, once you have done it once you have a better idea of what you want change or modify - basically you now have a baseline.

What Next?

You guessed it, do it again.

A little smarter.

In my case, I am now only using the suburi-to - because I want to work on improving my arm strength and have started counting or tracking my repetitions.

Focus on Form First

As I said with in my post of leg exercises - I am doing things a little slower than I would like because I want to keep an eye on my form.

Fortunately with a suburi-to it is heavy enough to discourage excessive swinging - although I am mindful that I need to focus on form and control and not rely on the bokuto weight - otherwise when I start using a shinai or a bokuto things will go to crap fast.

Keep Track


I will also be keeping a record of what I do - this will ensure my suburi practice has a consistent structure and also that I can keep track of my progress, for me a good incentive.

Rinse and Repeat


The next step is to repeat my suburi training until it becomes a habit or a routine. As I said in an earlier post this can take around 30 days.

How I can help myself with this is keeping track of what I do (as I said earlier) and also trying to do it at around the same time each day. Again, constructing a routine.

Progression


One other thing I will work on is progression - that is adding a few more cuts or repetitions to my training - building up strength and stamina.

My basic rule is that each day I do the same as the day before or more. You can do this quickly - that is take big steps - or gradually - take smaller steps but either way make sure you are progressing or adding.

Variation


I know I will probably get a little bored with the same routine everyday so I will also be mixing things up a bit - there are several suburi I can use so I will have a few mixes to keep things interesting.

The other benefit of variation is that it means I can work on a greater range of muscles.


Hopefully you gain a few ideas from this post. If you have suggestions I would be happy to hear them. I am not a guru in any shape or form.

Until then, just fricking do it.

Ganbatte.

Leg Exercises for Kendo Outside the Gym

Yesterday, I did not go to the gym but did some more suburi and in particular dusted off some suburi that were aimed at improving leg stength and endurance.  I am going to talk about two that I use:

• lunge with men-suburi
• horse stance with men-suburi

Why Leg Exercises for Kendo are Important

As I have said before, in Kendo the legs are important - if you can't move your legs into a cutting position you won't be able to cut.

This means that I wanted to focus on two things - leg strength (including endurance) and flexibility (agility).

To date I have been working on the strength - I have yet to give much thought to agility exercises beyond stretching. I have thought about Yoga as one option and will explore this further.

Leg Strength Exercises Outside the Gym

These exercises have focus on the quadriceps - these are the primary muscles using in running and jumping.

I try to combine these with some cutting practice (so I can work a bit of upper body at the same time).

I have a couple of drills:

• lunge with men-suburi
• horse stance with men-suburi

Lunge with Men Suburi

Is modeled on your basic lunge:

There is an animated image of a person doing a dumbell lunge here (the leg movement is the same).

1. start from chudan no kamae (you can use a shinai or bokuto - I used a suburi-bokuto)
2. without moving your left foot, push your right front forward. Allow your left knee to bend.
3. (at the time) raise your hands to begin a men cut (remember you want a BIG movement)
4. Drop your body downwards and bend the right knee to about 90 degrees, your right knee should be directly over your foot. (If your right knee extends past your toes than you are going too far.)
5. As you drop, cut men (kiai or exhale).
6. Push back from the right leg and come back to chudan no kamae
7. Now swap, pushing out your left leg and repeat the exercise with your left leg forward.

Tips:

• start slowly, if you have not done a lunge before or just beginning, focus on getting the lunge right (leave the men cut for now)
• keep a straight back and focus on dropping your body downwards (if you find you are leaning forward slow down and correct yourself)
• when cutting, make sure the tip of your bokuto or shinai stays above the head during the back swing (the tips regarding jogeburi from Kendo World are relevant here)

Horse stance with men-suburi

The horse stance was a favourite of one of my teachers. I remember being quite sore and now, having read a few sources I see why.

The Horse Stance works most of your leg muscles, your abs and your back. It is a great way to improve your leg strength and work on core strength.

How to assume the Horse Stance

1. spread your feet until they are two shoulder widths apart
2. keep your feet flat on the ground and your toes facing forward (they might point outward)
3. drop down - bending your knees
4. tuck your tail and keep your back straight (your spine is perpendicular to the ground)
5. hold this position
6. add a men-suburi cut - starting from chudan no kamae, cut men and return to chudan no kamae

Tips:

• Variation: as you cut men, briefly drop into a deeper stance, as you come back to chudan move back up to the original horsestance.
• Variation: to work the calves, try standing on the balls of you rather than flat footed. This is a slightly more advanced position - you need to have good balance.

I hope to get some illustrations put together (stick figures or maybe photos - shock horror) to help explain these exercises better.

They are certainly worthwhile in my opinion.

As with all new things, start slowly and focus on form first rather than speed. It is better to do it correctly slowly, that do it wrong quickly.

Until then, Ganbatte.

Muscles Used in Kendo

Today I want to look at the muscles you use in Kendo. I am doing this mainly to help me work out what my gym training regime can look like.

What Got Me Thinking about Kendo Muscles?

I saw a question in Quora today that asked: What muscles are used most in Kendo?

The suggestion was the shoulders and the arms - which is true but I think incomplete (yes I left an answer after writing this post!)

So it got me wondering: what muscles are used in Kendo?

Now, the cheeky Kendoka would say, all of them (especially after a hard training) but I reckon if asked to think about it a little more (and maybe after good drink of water) he or she might provide a more specific response.

Here is what I think, based on a mix of what I have been told, read and also what hurt most at the end of training - in the last case I need to put in a caveat that just because it hurts doesn't mean it was right!

Why does it help to know what muscles are used most in Kendo?

Knowing the answer to this question may help direct my gym training.

In addition, if you know those muscles are going to be used, you can focus your warm ups and warm downs.

Note this discussion is about what I can do, outside of Kendo specific training (such as suburi and kiri-kaeshi - both of which are important and effective training routines).

What muscles get used in Kendo?

"strike with the koshi (hips), strike with the legs and feet."

Noma Hiroshi (The Kendo Reader)

The Heart - Cardio

Good cardio fitness is essential for Kendo. I have always likened shiai and gi-geiko to sprinting (even wind sprinting) in terms of the cardio load it puts on the body.

Cardio training that looks at building endurance/stamina and strength (especially with interval training) is definitely something to include in your training programme.

Legs - Calves, Quads, Hamstrings.

I have said before that Kendo footwork is critical. Good footwork gives you a better chance of being in a cutting position.

By this I mean being in the right place to cut and also being able to cut cleanly and with the appropriate zanshin. 

So agility and hence footwork, is critical.

This suggest that legs in particular the calves (the "springs") are important. That said, training the calves alone makes little sense, and in fact, exercises focussing on the whole leg (calves, quads, hamstrings) is more appropriate.

The Core - the abdominals, gluteals and the lower back muscles

In past lives I have taken Pilate's classes and am grateful for the experience. Pilates is a rich set of exercises and philosophy and I cannot do it justice here, all I can say is that if you have an opportunity to try it - try it!

Many Pilates exercises focus on training the core:

• the abdominals
• the lower back muscles
• the gluteals

For Pilates practitioners this is the 'powerhouse' because these muscles form the centre of strength and control for the body.

These "core" muscles also play a critical part in Kendo, as they keep the Kendoka's body upright and in a cutting posture - to quote Miyamoto Musashi in the The Book of Five Rings - part of the posture for combat requires you:

"tighten the abdomen so the hips do not bend"

Abdominal strength or more broadly core strength not only ensures you can maintain a strong cutting position for longer, but also ties in with the concept of "hara" - as the "hara" is physically in the abdomen or belly.

A strong core helps your project your spiritual strength - which is a critical element of Kendo.

The Wrists

"strikes and cuts are not made with force of strength; even when striking a drum, the correct sound is produced by using a sharp wrist action"

Itto-ryu Kikigaki (quoted by Noma Hiroshi)

In terms of muscle areas to work on I would say it is the wrists, because you use these to create the snap: tenuchi.

There is a tendency to focus on the shoulders when cutting - certainly this is my crime - because it seems that upper body and in particular shoulder strength, will work to your advantage - strength is equated to speed.

This is incorrect, in my experience, upper body strength tends to ruin the cut, either:

• the shoulders tense up before you cut, which slows you down (since you need to release the tension to cut) or 
• they tense up just as your cut, which gives away that you are about to cut

Does this mean you should neglect your shoulders?

Certainly not, since you will use these in cutting! 

However, arguably you should work on endurance and flexibility of the shoulders rather than strength.

The Muscle in Your Head

One of the last muscles you need to work on is the one between your ears. 

Your success at Kendo will depend on your ability to control yourself in the thick of gi-geiko or shiai and remain composed, open to possibilities and alert.

The whole topic of attitude and your mindset in Kendo is too broad to cover here (and frankly an area I am still learning and thinking about).

Exercise of your Muscles Used in Kendo - coming soon

These are just a few of my thoughts on muscles used in Kendo. Over the next few days I will try to find some resource and tips on specific exercises you can do (or more specifically I will be doing!) in addition to Kendo training.

Until then, Ganbatte!

Bokken Training - Warm Up and the Left Hand

Today, owing to a busy schedule this morning I was not able to get to the gym so instead spent a little time doing some suburi with my bokken (or bokuto). So today I am going to talk about what I did and also share a video I found on how to train your left hand (stop smirking) and also a link on joge-buri tips.

My Bokuto

I actually have two - the standard tachi size and a suburito the heavier bokken - apparently made famous by Miyamoto Musashi.

Today's Training Goals - Warm Up

My aim in the morning was to warm up physically and mentally so I do some men suburi and some men suburi in horse stance (great for the quads - especially if you pulse - push up on the upswing and go down on the cut).

I also practiced some katate suburi or one handed (left-handed) cutting, with the aim of strengthening my cutting hand. In the past my right hand has always dominated which as a consequence has detrimentally affected my cutting: tending to pull it off centre.

Solo Training in Kendo - What to Watch Out For

When training by myself I like to keep an eye on a few things:

• wrist position - I want to make sure that my hand and wrist do not flatten out. That is if I drew a line from the top of my wrist along the back of my thumb it should describe an angle of around 30 deg. 

• tenuchi - I want to ensure that at the point of cutting I am squeezing the tsuka, wringing it like it was a towel (a good way to learn tenuchi by the way). Tenuchi will also assist with ensuring you have the right wrist position.

• swing - unless I am practising joge-buri - I try to keep my kensaki (the tip of my blade) above my head. My rule of thumb is that pommel of your sword (the tsukagawa on a shinai) should NOT be visible and the kissaki should point in the direction of the sky.

I found a good link in the Kendo-Guide.com on jogeburi - this has illustrations and tips and pointers. Well worth the refresher.

Training your Left Hand

By the way if you are looking for a way to strengthen your left hand (stop smiling guys! you know what I mean :)) check out this video from Hiro Imafuji - all you need is a bottle:

Until next time, Ganbatte!