It’ll have to be two practices in one, and I’m afraid my literacy practices have degenerated to the point where I am combining advice from two different nights, but the sets of sensei I keikoed with are different–focus on left hand not right shoulder twisting out, small men, not looking backwards, tuck your chin, continue to hold kamae as strongly as you do, snap left foot forward while pressing it down, attacking with the hip, open up roundly and properly in kirikaeshi, neither sharply open nor blocking your own vision. Whew.

I made a few good moves today, including surprising Sensei with a kote for ippon and generally being more relaxed, although the grading seminar to which I wasn’t really invited because it was targeted at those for kodansha. Much work to do, and all before the next practice Saturday.

Kata practice again focused perhaps a little too much on demonstration and not enough on action practice. My 4-5-6 is still a little dodgy. Actual keiko was helpful. Sensei proper remarked that maybe his way of teaching isn’t effective, but then reflected that when-he-was-our-age-and-rank, he was pretty horrible too, and that his sensei passed away, never having seen the progress. Sad, but likely true. For me specifically, I managed a good nuki-men and a decent follow through men, and he noted that I am probably trying too hard to get my hand where it is supposed to go. He estimates that I succeed one time in ten. Left hand should be the focus. I also need to work on my kote, as my timing is okay, but my angle is off.

Tonight was rather disappointing, because it was all superbasic kihon and then keiko against kohai only, which meant very little challenge and still some sweat but not enough seme/tame, and so on.

Two practices: mixed reviews on both, with such things as not hitting elbows, relaxing, keeping my sagital plane parallel, watching distance, seme, and of course right hand (not too much!)

Missed the first hour or so because of a meeting, so I only got jigeiko, but with four or five sensei and some actual praise, even if Sensei says that as a schoolteacher I probably always break the chalk. I did get some good straight men and some better feeling kote and seme, once in a while. Relax! Don’t let my tip come up–keep it pointed forward and move in to screw up maai when attacked rather than lifting up.

Two practices after a nine-day absence, but still some of the same habits, which include flinching backwards when I should be moving forward, lifting too much with the right hand, shifting my body weight inappropriately, leading forward with my right shoulder, and so on. Good to be back, so much more work to do in the month and change remaining before sandan shinsa!