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So I've hit a somewhat stagnant point. In terms of pure, physical speed and reactions, I've hit my peak, or come close to it. However, now that that's the case, I'm starting to realize I may have relied on that too much throughout my training. I'm having trouble "seeing" my opponent and being able to "read" them to use preemptive techniques like suriage-men, etc. How should I stop relying purely on my basic, physical style and try to take it to the next level?
Either a lot of very hard work or age will help you overcome it. You need to get pushed to a point of sheer exhaustion to educate the body that fighting comes from relaxation when we do our best work and not speed and strength.
I've been on the floor with Maeda Sensei when he was in his 80s. He knew what you were going to do before you did. :laugh:
There were days he couldn't tie his own shoes but his Kendo was impeccable. I think he may have been an exiled Jedi Master.
Hi, Alex. We all get older and as we get older we need to do adult kendo. "Reading" your opponent in order to do ohji-waza is not sufficient. You need to pressure them into the attack you know is coming so that you can do the ohji-waza. For shikake-waza, you need to create your opportunity through pressure: once you have broken their kamae, you can take the point even if you are not so fast.
This is all stuff that you need to be able to do to pass 4 dan and up, classified by my sensei as "mental things": seme, tame, zanshin. For me, it is more interesting than the purely physical/technical kendo we require for 1-3 dan.
This is a great post. In Judo and BJJ I am fond of lifting weights to failure prior to class. Your muscles are like jello and you don't have the strength to try to force things. You are quicker to transition to Plan B - Plan C - Plan D etc.... Rather than trying to force square pegs into round holes with big hammers.Quote:
Originally Posted by hyaku
Maybe just for fun do a 1,000 push ups before Kendo class.
A prime example is to watch a man in his 80s fight young nanadan and make them look like beginers.Quote:
Originally Posted by CEB
I used to do High school keiko with my students on an almost daily basis. Around 50 of them, the best waiting in line to 'try and better me. We won the high school national twice in my time. Often after practice I would go on to do keiko at the Uni as they had no full time sensei. All healthy Yondans.
Exactly how much effort does it take to lift a shinai? Something that weighs as much as an umbrella. How much does it take to bring it down? Let go of it to fall to the ground and it will probably move even faster. My left calf muscle is over developed through pushing off the hips. I have elbows muscles like a tennis player as hard as golf balls from the snap on executing a cut with snap. apart from that? A fair amount a stamina. Kendo uses a different muscle set, most the main muscle in use your brain. By all means push yourself to limits in daily practice but not muscle building. Just in Kendo.