Class has been moved to 8:30 through 9:45 and tonight there were only four of us. There may be a Saturday morning spot selected also or in place of this Monday night class, but for now this is the schedule. Which is okay, it means I can get more done in the evening before class, and my original Western Circle of Swordfighters class ran from 7:00 until 10:30 or even 11:00 on occasion (incidentally, THOSE were some good classes!).
Tonight we went through kneeling iai 1,2,3,4,5,6,7a and 7b!
Number six I had forgotten. It begins at a 45 degree to the right, rises onto the right knee, blocking to your left, then rises to both feet, making a left-circling head cut, left foot forward. You then step back into right-forward backstance, blade held back and verticle, shake & double shake, then put the sword away.
Numbers 7a and 7b are both assisted sepulka, the first rising to the left knee, then standing in natural stance as your blade ascends horizontally, then step into right front stance with a right kneck cut ending close to the ground. The second rises into a left-forward backstance, blade over head pointing forward, then advance to right front stance and same cut.
After kneeling iai came standing iai 1,2,3,4a, 4b and 5, the last three new to me. Standing eyoi are in sets of three; the first begins with a horizontal draw, the second with a rising arc draw, the third with a downward arc draw. Number 4a draws in right front stance, advances to left front stance with left kneck cut, advances to right front stance with right kneck cut, shifts to back stance, blade behind, then shake, second shake, and away.
Number 4b begins the same, drawing and advancing to left front stance with cut, then the right leg sweeps forward with your blade, turning you 180, then you advance to right front stance with cut. Katana is tipped back into the crook of your right arm and you spin 180 again, shake, second shake and put the blade away.
With all this, we still managed to grab our shanai and go through the first four shanai drills (left and right head blocks and wrist blocks with associated counter attacks).
After class, I asked about shoulders and wrists, specifically when making a low-target angled cut. In the WCoS, the wrist is not to be bent down (“broken”) to keep a strong cut. Here, the shoulders are to remain as forward facing a possible and the left wrist appears to bend down to accomodate the cut. He confirmed what I had observed, but said he would bring it up with his instructor(s) as when the chance arose.