Nanseikan Kendo Club 剣道クラブ南西館

g'day! this is Natsu i'm gonna make a report on the VKC, which was held on Aug 24th Sunday at Ballarat. Me, Eli, Kurt and Jimmy entered VKC which started at an unhuman time(7:30am!! gosh!) and went though all day till well past 7pm. KYU INDIVIDUAL Jimmy was the first match of the day, fought against Son.N(UMKC) and Ryo.S(MBK), both really good matches, but unfortunately lost. Kurt won against Nicole.S(UMKC)(^o^), but lost to Rachel.L(MBK). Eli got through the first stage, beat Viet.H(UMKC), but lost to Andy.M(UMKC) at the next stage. Every ones matches were really great WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL I got through the first league, but lost to Chiaki.K(Fudoshin) at the next stage. DAN INDIVIDUAL I lost to Tom.M(UMKC), and Ruben.B(MBK) ...(ToT)\meh KYU TEAM Nanseikan was against MBK. The team order was senpou-Jimmy, chuken-Kurt, and taishou-Eli. Good match but lost...Still, good fight everyone!!!! OPEN TEAM We were against Fudoushin (like last year). Senpou was me, chuken Kurt and tais...

A great vid of Toda sensei. I've done jigeiko with him on several occasions. Ask me at training for some stories about his kendo. b

Good luck and ganbatte kudasai to Jimmy, Natsu (both pictured above), Kurt and Eli as they strive to do their best (or better!) next Sunday at the 2008 Victorian Kendo Championships in Ballarat. Those of us who can't be there will be thinking of you. b

Here's a great video of how a shinai is made. That's a lot of work for something that doesn't cost very much! The same YT user has also posted one about making bogu which is well worth checking out. b

Chiba sensei's Oji waza Video sent by ichibyoshi Note how straight Chiba sensei's cuts are after suriage, and esecially how stright his kote strike is. b

Looking back at my notebook most of my notes from Chiba sensei are about training drills and small aspects of waza that are best conveyed in the dojo. But there is one thing he said which is worth writing down: "If you're opponent wants to strike, let them." b PS - Eli just reminded me of another great tip from Chiba sensei: "People ask me how i win matches... i say to them, practice till you win." BAYM! :) (tnx Eli)

Just got home from the first evening's training of this year's shortened seminar and am writing down some of the major things he mentioned with us this evening. Chiba sensei emphasises strong tenouchi and being able to strike cleanly and powerfully even from a short cutting action. He took us through basic suburi, emphasising not stopping the cut on impact, but letting the shinai cut and then rebound from the target. He also stressed that kihon or basic cutting action and what you do in jigeiko or shiai (competition) are not different. What you do when practicing basics is what you should do when competing. Chiba sensei also emphasised natural standing posture in chudan no kamae which is difficult to describe in words without demonstrating. Probably the main thing he showed us was the way you should imagine that the cut is going through the target, e.g. cutting men you should cut as if the sword is continuing through to the chin, cuting kote you should cut as if to pass through...