Tournament somewhat disappointing: lost first match to a hiki-men that was more good timing than good contact (opponent too tall and hands too high), then tied second match in team match (we went down 0-4-1). Always next year.

Tonight very sweaty. Sensei says I don’t really take in and listen and “feel” his advice. I should regear . Victorious sensei, however, does not that I’ve changed (“transformed”) in terms of being more observant and building up, trying different things, “using my head” which is different from what Sensei tells me to do. The issue is always that the advice is different. More footwork!

Shiaigeiko after some rank-based rotations. I win, but with more effort than I perhaps need to. I suspect that I am attacking too soon and from too close in, but the problem with dojo-based shiaigeiko is not only the rapidity with which symbolic capital is both gained and lost, but also how much prestrategizing there can be, given how everyone knows just about everyone and you’re not really and truly feeling someone out for the first time. I am perhaps more guilty of this than I should be in the first place. Working hard also with a view ahead to shinsa: I should be reducing the extent to which my torso flinches backwards and my left knee bends for any reason whatsoever: I still tend to stoop down rather than truly plant myself.

A very crowded Sunday practice with all of the out of towners but not nearly enough time to practice with everyone. Apparently my same bad habits surface, though. That is, to list yet again: a bendy back leg, waiting when lifting, lifting while bending right elbow too much, flinching backwards, planting myself when striking, leaving left leg behind, not lifting straight up, hitting with too much right hand. Whew!

Camp without visiting sensei, but somehow many of the lessons he tries to transmit regularly. This is interesting because I haven’t figured out completely how it is that the dojos are affiliated with each other, and what their relationship to sensei actually is, especially since Sensei is so entrepeneurial and of a generation where his mentors have already passed on.

Focus was on kihon no kirikaeshi, which was deconstructed to be reconstructed. Starting with grip in kamae and distribution of weight on left foot (my revelation was how much easier it is to put the whole weight on the whole ball of the foot, although the lifeline or whatever may still need to be how to push), and then the various parts that go into proper sayumen, including the position and angle of the left hand. My main defect is that when I lift up, I bend my right arm. then again, I am getting conflicting reports about the extent to which my right arm is/should be bent in kamae. Sensei wants more, but I suppose it is correct that I should not be bending my right arm any extra when lifting up. Shoulder power only!

Shiai practice at seminar was quite good, although I was up against kohai: three matches 2-0 won. Back at home, though, I won one and lost one 2-0. Should work mostly on my kote–I have been having pretty good luck with the CCW-circle kote. May be more effective than my ura-harai kote at this point, as that I’ve not been landing.

A lot of work to be done on kata. But first to work on not flinching or scrunching up as much. Relax!

Shiaigeiko has been mixed. I typically win one, lose one. Last night I lost to two straight ippon to a taller beefier kohai I often have trouble with. I need to go through more and use my body, since my head and hands are apparently where they need to be already. It’s true that I don’t see that. The second match was more even. After some wrangling, I manage to pull off a hiki-doh. Opponent takes kote to tie, but I win with a kote which I achieve by doing what is always told to me: relaxing in kamae, and then pouncing on the opening that is then created. Of course, I can only say that after the fact…

Better at shiaigeiko, feeling more relaxed generally. First match was a men for my as shodachi, and then tangled up for the rest of the time, though definitely contact sporadically. Second I took men for first ippon, but opponent landed a beautiful doh and then edged out my kote for a men. I’ve said before how much I prefer playing seniors: nothing to lose and a better challenge.

Been having a bad run of late when it comes to shiaigeiko: last night to my own tokui-waza of kote-nuki-men, today to a doh and then a kashira no gote. But if you can sell it, it’s for real. I need to move my body forward more energetically–I am vacillating between being too aggressive and not spotting and creating suki while other times just waiting too much. I need to work on my momentum, especially since I thrashed both of my opponents (well, more so) in regular keiko. Amp it up!

Bonus keiko is always great, despite a start-soggy gi: kirikaeshi, uchikomi, waza-to-order (kohai want too much kihon: do? (no, nuki-do or kaeshi-do), men? (debana-men)) including ura-harai-kote and anti-jodan waza before highly energetic keiko.

Shiai season with double practice today. First was against a sandan who was very physical and rough, pushing me out twice (or rather, into the wall). He got a men, I responded with a kote nuki men. I felt like I landed multiple strikes on his menbuton, but was told later that I was too close. I should have attacked more from my legs of course. And too bendy.

Second was a kohai (ikkyu) who gave me more trouble than he should have because his arms stay too high after the strike. I managed a hiki-doh. Then did some kote with semete, both men-semete-kote and tsuki-semete-kote. The last one counted, though I could tell that it clearly wasn’t ippon. Still took it though!

Mending kote is hard.

So the absence of my seniors for a shimpan seminar meant that I was not only motodachi but also number 2 absolutely speaking today in keiko. This is barely an improvement, as I was also told that I need to be more smooth, like pouring a beer, not so rough and tense. I cannot even begin to type the sound effect Sensei uses to mock my tightness. GRRRRRK?