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Kendo reflection - Douglas



Greetings Sensei's Sam and Marleen. After Saturdays Kendo grading I was very disappoined with my efforts, to the extent that I felt I didn't deserve to be advanced to 4th.kyu. When I recieved my first grading some months ago (6th kyu) I was excited, happy and proud that I had achieved something.

Saturdays grading for me was atrocious !!! After all the times I /we have as a dojo executed proper maai, seme men, isoku i to no maai, waza, kirikaeshi, kote, men & do cuts as well as kata my mind just went blank. for example: Normal proceedures like kote cuts then moving to motodachi's left, or men cuts then moving to moodachi's right were totally lost on me. I ran into awatea nearly every time, Kendo kata I didn't know who was uchidachi and who was shidachi, I just waited for awatea to move then I did the opposite kata to him.

Sensei Sam I needn't say more I know it you know it, I did a lousey job!!! So Iam very disappointed in myself just now.
BBBUUUTTT to be positive I shall pick up my shinai and like a true Samurai work even harder!! :)
regards Doug

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