Iaido Training Session 45

What happened to our dojo? One minute there's about 4 of us in there, rattling around like peas in a tin and then there's barely enough room to swing a cat (ana). Lucy is back from Yapan for a bit, we are being visited by Andrea Setti and four of our beginners turned up tonight (although they remind me that tonight was their one year anniversary since beginning training - oops).

Anyway, I was determined that I should get some practice in so we started with everyone doing a couple of shots per seitei form. I insist that we don't do them in order these days as I am sure it tends to make people's mind see it as an objective to get through them all as soon as possible. I prefer to do them in a more abstract order, the first one of each being done slowly and expansively and the second being at normal speed. By having this abstract order it is my hope that everyone views each kata as something of a mini-project to work on while we train.

People started filtering in and all too soon our 10-person training space was filled with about 12. It becomes too dangerous to even try practising at this so most of the high grades dropped out and helped teach.

After a while I was getting itchy feet so I asked everyone to stop, for the lower grades to clear to the sides and got everyone else to do a 7-form embu. This was repeated at the end of the lesson with a 5 form embu.

So what did I do. Well I focussed on the bits that I know were highlighted in the recent video analysis including:

• Making sure the front foot is placed before nukitsuke is executed
• Ensuring furikaburi actually passes by the left ear (this by the way makes a much nice rhythm to the kata instead of just launching it above the head)
• Lifting the elbow into ochiburi
• Keeping my posture straighter instead of leaning back
• Doing noto without moving my thumb
• Trying to relax the hands so that hikinuki and ukenagashi ni furikaburi happens more naturally
• Driving the sword forwards and out on the draw of Kesagiri
• Making a larger initial cut in Sanpogiri
• Keeping wakigamae moving and keeping the sword behind me in Shihogiri

I think I am doing quite well on this so far and want to keep up this attention to detail while I focus on some of the other stuff that people have advised concerning hara and posture.

Thanks for tuning in...