Tonight we reviewed and learned kneeling iai one through nine, standing iai one through ten, and one-step sparring techniques one through eight. Following is an attempt to summarize each move as a memory aid.

Kneeling Iai:

1) Rising to left knee, draw with right temple cut, head cut, shake and return
2) Turn 90 right rising to left knee, draw with right temple cut, head cut, shake and return
3) Turn 90 left rising to right knee, draw with right temple cut, head cut, shake and return
4) Turn 180 left rising to right knee, draw with right temple cut, head cut, shake and return
5) Rising to left knee, draw with right temple cut, advance to right knee with head cut, begin to put away sword and rise to right L stance, low block, raise to jodan bringing right foot up, drop to left knee with head cut to below knee, rise to right kendo stance with sword vertical at left, shake and return
6) Face 45 right, rising to right knee, blocking left head cut, stand and step to left kendo stance with head cut, L stance with sword vertical in back, shake and return
7a) Draw and stand with blade rising horizontally and directed left, step into right front stance with right-handed left kneck cut, left hand bracing sword at gedan, shift to L stance bring blade vertical next to forward right leg, S arc shake and return
7b) Draw and stand with blade rising horizontally, shifting back into left L stance, blade horizontal and directed forward, step into right front stance with right-handed left kneck cut, left hand bracing sword at gedan, shift to L stance bring blade vertical next to forward right leg, S arc shake and return
8) Draw and stand natural stance, blade going to jodan, advance right and left feet into wide natural stance making head cut, advance right and left feet into wide natural stance with chudan head cut, raise sword to jodan, sink to right knee with slow head cut to knee level, switch right hand grip and retrieve cloth, place sword across cloth on knee, clean and return
9) Rising on both knees together, draw with right temple cut, head cut parting knees to drop stance, shake and return

Standing Iai:

1) Draw with right waist cut right front stance, bring sword horizontal directed forward in right cat stance, thrust forward in right front stance, left head block in right L stance, flip opponents blade and place sword in jodan, cross step twice with head cut in right front stance, shift to right L stance with blade vertical behind, shake and return
2) Draw with vertical rising cut right front stance, turn 90 right by stepping even with left foot and right back stepping into left front stance with right kneck cut, shift into left L stance with right temple block, turn 180 by stepping even with right foot and back stepping into right front stance with left kneck cut, look 90 right, bring left knee up and blade vertical behind, stepping down into right L stance, shake and return
3) Sink into stance, draw vertically raising left knee, back step into right front stance with left kneck cut, place sword vertical on left, bring left knee up jumping and turning 180 right with right temple cut landing in right front stance, flip blade back into shoulder, rotate left 180 stepping back into right L stance, shake and return
4a) draw, cut right kneck, cut left kneck
4b) draw, cut right kneck, rotate 180 cut left kneck
5) draw, cut left kneck, bash with pommel, cut right kneck dropping to left knee
6) draw, block down right thrust, head cut, begin to put away, bash forword with pommel, complete draw, 180 left turn, advance and head cut, place blade in crook of arm, 180, shake and return
7) draw with 360 spin dropping to left knee, rise stepping back to left L blocking down right thrust, thrust forward
8) walking forward, stepping left front stance draw and turn 405 (1 and 1/8) with right waist cut, ending in left L stance with blade hidden behind hind leg, stepping forward to right kendo stance with rising vertical slap with blade, rotate blade 180 and shift forward into right front stance thrusting jodan
9) walking forward, stepping right forward, bash with pommel, look 180 and short stab with left hand guiding, palm blade and rotate right 180 horizontal slap blocking, short thrust, cross step into right front stance with jodan thrust

One Step Sparring:

1) Left head block, right wrist cut
2) Right head block, head cut
3) Right wrist block, one-handed right temple cut
4) Left wrist block, bash blade and right temple cut
5) Right waist block, bash blade and right waist cut
6) Left waist block, shift and left thrust
7) Left thrust block, step forward and out with right leg, shifting forward to right front stance with right temple cut, step back with left leg into right L stance making one-handed left temple cut
8) Right thrust block, blade goes horizontal toward opponent, drops low and bashes opponents blade to jodan, slide left in horse stance and cut opponents hind leg
9) Opponent has right gedan guard; advance with left gedan distraction, right gedan bash, head cut, opponent returns with head cut as you drop back into left L stance with left one-handed thrust
10) Opponent has left jodan guard; advance and engage opponents blade circling in clockwise motion flipping opponents blade high, opponent attempts counter but beat them with U or V cut to abdominal region

We first practiced kneeling iai one through five and standing iai one through three tonight. We’re preparing as best we can for the upcoming testing which should occur within a month or so. Next we practiced fighting techniques one through six. Sensei then had us line up along the wall and called out pairs to perform what every he asked for. My focus was lacking this night and I did not do fighting techniques one and six correctly.
We then moved on and practiced the shooting star technique against an opponent that makes three strikes (head, temple, temple), retreats and charges with a jodan attack.

Basics and then sparring. I need to work on more random evasion and better use of block-and-counter.

Kneeling iai one through ten, standing iai one through six and fighting techniques one through six.

Class tonight was primarily focused on standing iai five through seven and fighting techniques one through six.

Tonight we reviewed kneeling iai 1 – 5, standing iai 1 – 3, and combos 1 – 6 (of which 5 and 6 were new for me).

Combo 5: attacker makes right waist cut, defender makes right waist block, knocking the attackers blade downward, then steps to the left making a cut to the opponents exposed right side.

Combo 6: attacker makes left waist cut, defender makes left waist block, levels blade and shuffles in with a thrust to the chest, blade horizontal.

We then were video taped doing the kneeling and standing iai for Master Shaw to review when our sensei visits him next week.

There were a couple new students tonight, so we reviewed the basic cuts and blocks (head, temple, wrist, waist, thrust) , then drilled on them. Near the end of class, we machine-gun drilled the head and temple blocks.

The Myo Sim Kendo class is back on Monday evenings and I attended tonight. I had intended to review my past journal entries in preparation as I have not kept up my practicing, but I didn’t make the time. Luckily, I had forgotten very little and the class went well for me, though I do need to recondition my body (hands, legs and feet).
We reviewed standing iai one through eight (skipping seven) with our boken, then did attack and defense drills with shanai. There were three students including myself, so a small class tonight. It was good to be back.