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My thoughts about 09 NZKF Kendo seminar by Annie Ko

Annie accepts her Nikyu certificate from Alex Bennett sensei


Last week was the first kendo camp since i start doing kendo~(haha~ plez forgive my bad english ~hopfully its not too bad to understand....) that was really lots fun, i met and train with lots of kendo people around the whole New Zealand, and of course there were really some cool people inside.

well...actually that was my third times to join the kendo events, but the first time i havent even wore hakama yet, and the second time is the National Champ in AKL last year, due to it was a comptition, so i didnt train and play with people much. But this time i really learn lots of things
and realise more about kendo. we r very lucky to invite a 7th dan Sensai, Morioka Sensai, to flight from janpan to teach us this time. Although he cant speak english to us, but i can still feel the enthusiasm that he has to kendo is really higher than any of us in the dojo.

For me, before the camp, kendo is kind of exercise for me, maybe because i still have a little bit tranditional thinking about "girly kendo", althought i try to attend the training every section but honestly...i didnt "think" about it too much and thats probably why my kendo cant improve...

I m 2kyu after the camp, as Sam Sensai said, i m still a kiddy garden kid for kendo (perhaps lower~) indeed! i can walk, i can run, but i cant walk and run properly...

There is really LOTS of things i have to know in kendo.

I do learn lots of things in this camp but most of the things we've already heard it from Sam and Marleen sensai. During the camp, i fought with all the girl senpais and Morioka Sensai and Allen Sensai, I try to ask them the same Q which confused me all the time when i m doing shiai, which is "what is oppotunity?" "how can we create oppotunity?" and "how can we feel the oppotunity?"
Most of them tell me "experience~" more experience i have, then i can feel more about opportunity~ i know its probably too early for me to think about this in my stage...but i just cant stop thinking about it~ some Senpai told me something and Morioka Sensai told me through the shinai while we r doing gikeiko.

After the training, i wrote the notes down after, due to my small brain cant load too much things as time goes by...> <>Sensai's words:
*3ways to motivate urself:
-are u trying to do it or are u forced in to do it?
-do u think u can do it ir not?
-do u make it ur responsbility or someone else?

*dont think too much about try to hit ur opponent.

* dnt think too much about trying "not" to be hit.

* self-reflection if u are successful and gratitiude when u get hit.

* prepare well before strike.

* have the faith and will power to overcome all adversity.

* 3check points, back+stomach, left foot shoulder

* if MIND changes ATTITUDE will change
ANTTITUDE.. ACTION..
ACTION.. HABBIT..
HABBIT.. PERSONALITY..
PERSONALITY.. FATES..
FATES.. LIFE..

* you can not change OTHERS and PAST, but u can change URSELF and FUTURE.

* what greatly change ur mind is not great effort but small habit.
.................................................................................

that's all the notes i have before, during and after the camp which i learn from all the Sensai and Senpai ~ in the end, i would like to thank all the Sensai and Senpai, especially Sam and Marleen sensai~ without them, i couldnt have this awsome experience in kendo.

And again.... hopfully my english is not too bad to understand...my english is just like my kendo,
still got lots of things need to learn...."

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