[_tppga_]

There is an expression that deals with progression in Japanese martial arts in general......Shu-Ha-ri....

Shu....means to obey or to protect....it is means that the beginning student obeys or accepts instruction and correction from his sensei without question....it's emphasis is on the developement of the basics for a solid foundation to build on....

Ha.....generally refers to the newer yudansha ranks and means to break free or to ask why.....it is in this stage that the student with a solid foundation begins to question their sensei about everything....it is very difficult for the sensei but a growing period for the student...in this stage the student also has begun to take part in the instruction of younger/newer students

Ri....occurs when the advanced yudansha has learned practically all they can from their sensei and are ready to break free....to experiement and develope on their own.....

This process of Shu Ha Ri is not necessarily in a linear fashion but is more like circles that overlap each other in each of the stages....

I once hear a story about a kendo student who engage is a match with his old sensei....every time the student would try to strike his sensei he would be dealt a blow before every landing a technique......afterwards the student questioned his sensei....."Sensei am I not younger than you"...Yes was the reply....."Sensei am I not stronger than you"....Yes was the reply...."Sensei am I not a lot faster than you".....Again Yes was the reply......"Sensei then why is it that every time I try to strike you I feel your strike before I ever touch you'......the old sensei looked at his young student and said...."It is really very simple....every time you move you take two steps and I only take one"......

[Zhgrlpil]

My goal as a new kendo player and a female, is to one day be on the women's Team Canada, and maybe someday, do Nito Ryu as one of the the only woman in the world to do it.

[Arrecteve]

Originally posted by kendokamax

[snippage
Yes I received sometimes tsuki when I was jumping without thinking too much. It was a bit dangerous, but helped me being less afraid. Debana techniques? I don't mind being hit by debana techniques when i'm doing keiko! I don't mind IPPON ( I do, but try not tooo much)!

[more snippage]

There is a difference between shiai kendo and jikeiko kendo is there not?
Being hit is fine during keiko, however I feel that if you don't contemplate the reasons behind why you were hit, you waste a valueable opportunity to improve your kendo. You may be working on something completely different, and yet paying attention to the reasons why you are hit can help with increasing your effectiveness immensely. This was sort of where I was leading with my original post.
-Ares2907

[tarmpriopay]

My medium term goal is to get back to Japan sometime in the next 2-3 years and make my first (hopefully successful) attempt at 5 dan. It's a bit of a daunting step because I would be by far the least experienced (in terms of years of training) 5 dan in the country. So in doing so I would have to face a lot of personal demons about feeling worthy of the grade. But then, I've got my goal, the rest, I suppose, is part of the journey.

b

[VonErmad4]

yes guys must at least be second dan and 19 years old to try out for team canada.

and women has to be at least first dan and 18 years old.

I think the qualification are low because there isn't that many young people with high grades in canada. So they give the chances to more people to participate in the selections. But even if the qualification is low, not everyone with second dan and up tries out.

[ElectraDupu]

You shouldn't. Team Canada is very strong, placed third in the last WKC.

[Lapsinuibense]

argh.

Confound what are you talking about....

[Shark&Nike]

Yeah, Canada's teams (both men's AND women's) kick some serious @ss.

Well, I kinda wished that Matthew Raymond would play itto kendo though... I'm guessing his itto kendo is a lot more graceful... But I suppose you don't get good at nito by not playing it!

[TudareWQT]

maybe chanbara might be more his thing.

[CreativeAcrobate]

Confound,
Your last post was hilarious. I'll let Max respond to this but I know our entire dojo is going to get a kick out of this. You simply have no idea what you're talking about. I'll go into detail if Max lets me because I really want to say something but can't just now.
I'm still laughing.

[nermise]

So begins this Clone/Flame War, hmmnn.

*sits back, popcorn ready, watches events unfold*

[NEWyear]

Originally posted by Confound
I know exactly what I'm talking about. Unstructured kendou is not worth the time, and those who prefer to throw waza and correctness to the wind will reap the rewards on their exams.
c So, you are saying that practically all junior and senior high school students in Japan are lost causes???

Your black and white view of the world may be impairing your ability to openly accept (and analyse of course) information from all aspects. There is no one and absolute correct way to do something. There are always variations on the theme and sometimes, there's even conflict between the teachings of different sensei

We have many tools at our disposal that can be utilised in training. Just because it doesn't conform to ones notion of "correct" does not mean that it's useless or even worse, an impedence to progress.

Kuri

[Laqswrnm]

Oh man, oh man, oh man this is killing me....I want to sink my teeth into your post Confound and show how you got it all, and I do mean ALL, wrong but I can't do it just yet or maybe ever. I say this without malice by the way, you just really got it wrong about Max's kendo. Sorry if there are no fireworks KhawMengLee ... may I call you Khaw, or Meng, or Lee, or anything easier to type... without being disrespectfull).
I want to flamme but cannot. This is tough. Must...find..inner...discipline.

[agildeta]

heh, just call me Meng.

[Pharmaciest2007]

heloo
ah I don't have a computer anymore now so I have been away for a while now....anyway

Counfound

Why do you practice kendo? Why couldn't I enjoy training the way I feel is the best way for me to do so. Why do I have to mimic old nanadan sensei and become like them when i'm only 21 years old!! It's nothing wrong to try to do a kendo like a nanadan but I don't want to do that, i'm not 60 years old yet! I have still 40 years to go into improving/changing my kendo. That kendo comes with experience and with wisdom that I don't have and don't believe I can or want to have just yet!

I think it's totaly wrong to supress too much the youth in our kendo. As Kuri was saying do you think there is only one way to do kendo? sigh...

Not even I elvolve as a person/kendoka but even kendo does!
Did you know that kendo has elvolved a lot since 40-50 years?
You know masahiro miyazaki champion of zennihon for a couple of time? well his kendo is a bit different from the classical kendo.
He uses his right hand to get a little bit more range and get over the men and shinai of his opponent (just to hit with the tips of the shinai). This week our sensei introduced/explained us to the way that miyazaki does his men-uchi. I was very impress to see that our sensei could accept that new way of doing men uchi. What I mean is if you are too close minded to see that there is more than 1 good way to do and enjoy kendo... well go back to playing ping pong.


As for saying that I will never get pass shodan...

I'm aware that in grade exams you have to show and big waza with strong seme. So i'm going to do that and I'm not going to do my crazy kendo at the exam. That "crazy" kendo, I do it only in my dojo with my friends. Also as I said before it's a way for me to improve myself and enjoy my kendo. In life there is time to be serious and time to be stupid, same goes for me in kendo.



maybe chanbara might be more his thing. This piss me off, what do you know? Kendo is, trust me.