Today I demonstrated several iai as part of a Kendo exhibition for the cultural awareness day at the mall. Ivan was unable to make it. I lead our demonstration, performing kneeling iai 1 and 7b, standing iai 1, 2, and 7, and the jo kata. A couple Japanese students abroad also demonstrated their sport kendo Kirikaeshi in full bogu.
Tag: event
-
I competed in the Best of the Best for 2013 (it was held a little late). I achieved a 54%, taking fourth place out of ten competitors.
-
Day Two of the sword fighting exhibition went much better. The weather was mostly overcast which cut the sun and temperature a lot. Kaiden Brennan had left Saturday evening, but Joshua was able to join us. We had a good morning and afternoon set of steel melees, followed by bokken, followed by a few more steel. Generally, everyone seemed to agree it had been a good event and weekend.
-
Today was the first day of the Ravenswood Faire at Hawes Farm in Anderson, CA, which I arranged for the Western Circle to provide a sword fighting exhibition in the style of previous Arata Farms events. I could and should have been better prepared. It was very windy so we were unable to erect the canvas walls for the blind nor the awning to cut some of the copious Redding sun, and the fighting arena was not actually ready when we arrived, nor anyone in charge available. None the less, we got the hay bales arranged and started the fighting, running a set of steel melees, some wood, and a few final steel matches for the crowd that had gathered. Brennan, Dave and Faith had come in the day prior, and most of the Redding students were present. After the first set, Head Kaiden Gad arrived with Vea, Steel Wind, and Kris, bolstering our steel numbers to 8 (with Sal and myself) for the afternoon sets of melees, and for the bokken melees we had Steven, Jesse A, Jesse B, Elijah, and Chris join us. Faith, Sabrina, Mary Ann and Antonio helped out with logging, video, cameras, and crowd management.
After the exhibition, we returned to the Redding Dojo for a feast and to recoup. -
Hiroko and I performed a kendo demonstration for the cultural awareness day at the local mall.
-
I traveled to the Northern Reaches dojo in Gardnerville with four of my students for the 2013 Snow Event. There were 9 regular melees and 3 scenario melees, totaling 18 matches for myself with 4 melee wins. This was followed by additional 1 on 1 matches in the snow, of which I had 15. Back at the dojo that evening, a few had 18 more one on ones which I marshaled.
-
I journeyed to the Half Moon Bay Dojo for the 2012 Best of the Best tournament. I achieved a 68% victory rate, which did not place, but I fought cleanly and was happy enough with my performance.
-
Special outdoor practice at Dan’s property today. We started at 8am with class stretch, then Brad had us doing kihon up and down the vineyard rows. After a break, we did some kibidachi oi tsuki, then a 30 minutes kibidachi. After another break, we finished with some self defense kumite, working first with group attacks, then with armed attackers (knives, bats, etc).
-
I had the opportunity to travel to the SKA headquarters dojo between Santa Barbara and Ventura to train with Shihan Oshima Sensei. There were two classes, first a morning Brown Belt practice lead specifically by Oshima Sensei, then an afternoon all-ranks session lead by Mori Sensei with a lot of input from Oshima Sensei.
During the Brown Belt practice, we did some kihon and reviewed the kata Basai. In the later session we did some more kihon, sanbon kumite, and my rank group worked on Heian Nidan. Notably, he corrected my initial Heian Nidan block, adjusting my upper (horizontal) arm to be a little lower in order to be much more effective. The principle difference that I felt internally was a transferring of the power from the the upper shoulder muscles to more of a core muscles focus. Some other key points were the importance of rounding the shoulders, focusing the strength forward, not backwards out the shoulder blades, and of placing the center of balance in the correct location in front and back stance to avoid sweep susceptibility and ensure smooth movement. -
First day of Shadowwood. There were a number of melee matches, with a field of 16 fighters. In addition to several last-fighter-standing matches, there was a two team match, a Hunger Games inspired match (half as many weapons as fighters in a pile at start), and an additional two-person team match where one had the last used weapon of the previous match, and the other started with none.
Before taking dinner, I tested for and received the rank of Crimson Chain and was awarded full Kaidenship. Details to follow in a separate log.
After the dinner, there were two castle sieges, for which I was on the attacking force both times (and died both times at the gate in our attempt to break through). -
I provided a solo demonstration of Myo Sim Kendo at Shasta College as part of a cultural awareness event. I introduced the differences between boken, shinai and iato and katana, and then demonstrated kneeling iai 1 and 5, and standing iai 1, 5 and 7. As a solo demonstration, I was unable to go through any partner drills.
-
Performed a demonstration of Myo Sim Kendo at the Shasta Mall as part of a cultural awareness exhibition. Hiroko, Ivan and I performed a few iai and demonstrated parry (1, 3, and open attack variations).
-
Day two of my second weekend at Arata’s Farm. Today, we had two rounds of steel melees as well as one round of boken melees. I used one handed for the second set of steel.
-
I returned for my second weekend at Arata’s Farm. Today, we had three rounds of steel melees as well as a round of boken melees. I used one handed for the second set of steel.
-
This was my second day at Arata’s this year. We had a total of 50 steel melees (15/15/20). I had intended to use one handed sword today to continue working on my Complete Blade requirements. Gad insisted that I also use a shield to be better prepared to instruct on it for my students. Generally, I did fairly well for my first time using a shield. I used a very low stance to provide better target coverage. I need to work on my timing so that a block and counter strike are simultaneous, not a one-two. I did successfully use an adaptation of the original Phantom to bind my opponents blade with the shield, roll (cw spin) around them, and make an effective cut and draw to their exposed torso. In post analysis, having a barrier at their back was likely significant in preventing them from escaping too easily with an extended retreat.
-
Today marked the 2011 Best of the Best tournament, held this year at the Arata’s Farm coliseum. There were nine steel ranked and battle capable fighters present (including Gad) and two boken fighters. Kaiden’s Kris and Craig assisted with marshaling. I tied for fourth place with a 55% victory in 19 matches, Vea won the tournament with an 80%. Notably my students Sal (red rope) and Steven (trainee) participated, too. After the tournament, we finished with five melees as a finale.
-
Special training event with Godan Sensei Ken Osborne. Focus on assessing your opponent, keeping technique simple, using weight shift and balance (and lack there of in opponent).
-
Special session with Jeremiah Sensei, who was on travel in California and came to visit us. Hiroko, Ivan and myself were in attendance. Some others were invited, but none made it. We reviewed Standing Iai 1 – 8, One Steps 1 – 10, Free Fighting 1 – 2, and he instructed on Free Fighting 3 – 5 and the Jo Staff Kata, as well as the partner drills. At the end of the session, he granted Ivan his Green Belt rank, and surprised Hiroko and I with a rank of Brown Belt.
Partner Drills are a scenario based set of progressional attacks and counters. First the two partners determine the setting (against a wall or cliff, low ceilings, beach, etc), then they start with (step 1) a single (unblocked) technique, (step 2) an attack with evasion, (step 3) and attack with evasion and second attack, (step 4) an attack with evasion, and a second attack with a preemptive counter, and (step 5) an attack with evasion, followed by the start of a second attack with an attempt at preemptive counter that is its self blocked or preempted and a successful attack completed.
-
Second day at Arata, with 7 steel fighters and 1 steel choreographer (Sal, green braid). Two sets of 15 rounds.Weather today included bouts of light right, making for light mud in the arena.
-
I hosted a Day of Combat in Redding today. We have eight fighters on the field and a few guests. The event site had a variety of terrain available to us, so we started with 10 melees in a hollow/grove, then moved to a gravelly location for another 2 melees, followed by 2 melees in a rocky dry creek bed, and finished with one scenario melee of President in a slightly less rocky section of the creek bed where there was a lot of young willow growth. The temperature ranged from low 90s and up, possibly over 100 in the creek bed, however everyone stayed hydrated and there were no injuries besides the normal bruising.
Afterward, we reconvened at the Redding Dojo for food, a review of the video, and a little bit of Bushido Blade on the PS1. -
I attended the Best of the Best this year. It was steel only this year, and there were only 10 competitor slots of which nine were allocated to previous champions and special guest fighters. I opted not to compete for the final slot and was thence asked to assist with the marshaling. I additionally fought some 35+ boken matches in the second circle after the primary tournament was over.
-
Another weekend of sword fighting, but only Saturday this time. Details to follow.
-
The second day dawned and we returned to the gladitorial hay arena at Aratas Farms. This day we had 5 ranked steel fighters in attendance and I obtained another 30 matches between melees and one on one sparring.
-
Today I began steel fighting in earnest. I arrived at the Arata’s Farm in Half Moon Bay with plenty of time to spare. I have failed to upgrade my armor for steel fighting as yet, so Kaiden Gad loaned me torso armor and Martin was very kind to loan me his metal gauntlets. The day proceeded with a total of 8 ranked steel fighters (plus a few lower ranks to die in pre-arranged methods for the audiences benefit). I fought approximately 50 steel matches all totaled (log to be included later), of which around 35 were one one one sparring. All matches were with my two handed steel sword.
After the event, I worked with Kaiden Gad a bit. We reviewed the six deflections, which in brief are: right dash, left dash, stepping forward right bash, stepping forward left bash, catch left stepping forward toss right, catch right stepping forward toss left. We also reviewed practiced moves. One of my previous 13th move concepts, The Phantom, is getting some use, so I will keep that one. We also covered The Samurai (cross forward as pull back right, cross forward with chop to mid section, turning counter clockwise with draw, reorient and chop to back (neck) to finish opponent swiftly). Last we looked briefly at The Femoral, but Gad would like to see me get The Samurai strong first. I also got some clarification on a few items in regard to lefties vs righties for my own class instruction.
-
Best of the Best competition today with 16 sword fighters. Details later.