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Tuesday, December 18, 2007

If at first you dont succeed

Well if i didn't do a good enough job of screwing up me achillies tendon before i certainly did it now went to keiko( keiko: Practice.)on Monday and as soon as i got onto hardwood with my bare feet i could tell it was gonna be bad but i suffered through it i figure with the wrong way i planted my feet in the original keiko when it first started hurting and with Mondays keiko it is now gonna take awhile to heal but what doesn't kill you......... .So i will probably miss next keiko and let it heal but we will see i have been using the tried and true method of nursing an injured foot back to health,R.I.C.E.(Rest,Ice,Compression,Elevation).At Monday's keiko we started 3 new katas (kata: A prearranged sequence of movements (techniques) used in martial arts training.) two of them i caught on right away but the third damn with the foot taking up all my concentration it was shitty but even a bad day at keiko is a good day.On the upside got to know Sensei better had a good conversation with him after and he really is a good man he seemed genuine in every sense and also very willing to lend his knowledge(not just about kendo) and wisdom if you are willing to receive it he is from Kyoto originally and is going there this holiday season to visit his mother(93yrs old) for 2-3 weeks.He liked the fact i was learning Japanese and i guess it will make it way easier to communicate for him as so much of kendo terminology can only be explained in Japaneses. after keiko Sensei is easy going and humor I think we will have a long and rewarding relationship.I think when i do move to Japan i think i will move to Kyoto as it is very centralized and is the most historic city there but still has a good nightlife, wll have to investigate

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Teddy Bear Toss

I just wanted to put a quick blurb in about the Vancouver Giants WHL hockey teams charity event that happened tonight at the Pacific Colosseum which was a great success over 10,700 people in attendance and twice as many stuffed toys thrown on to the ice all of which go to children's charities we (inc. myself)could all take a little more time out of our lives to help people not as fortunate.We all get the giving spirit around this time of year which is nice but we need to keep that spirit going all through the year.That will be my 1st New Years resolution to spend less time doing nothing and more time doing the right thing, why?Because it is the right thing!Oh and by the way the Giant's won 2-0...... go G's!


P.S. I am going kendogi shopping next week should be pretty sweet new gear cant wait!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

What Was I Thinking?

Well people i did the absoluely unthinkable yesterday................ I MISSED KENDO CLASS!!!!
I feel like a P.O.S for doing it too.I did have an excuse though but excuses are like assholes everybody has one and the are usually shitty.My excuse however was that the ankle mention in my previoue post was bothere me quite a bit so instead of going to class and probably irratating it for the next three weeks(and really hurting it bad)and maybe missing a few classes i decided to miss one class let it heal up and go twice as hard on monday.So this morning i was awoken by a hwling cat stuck in a tree in the park across the street.It was so loud and finally after an hour or more someone went and coaxed it down i am assuming that the suceeded because i havent heard anything in along time. But maybe it didnt come down and is still stuck there.......stay tuned.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Ashes to Ashes

Well Mondays practice was especially hard due to the fact that earlier in the day i tripped like a fool going up my stairs and hurt my ankle.it really felt like a sprain at class but i worked it through it mostly because of the fact that i thought it was just sore from going hard with footwork.Well it wasn't but what doesn't kill ya....... did a sprain ever kill anyone? Probably not but it hurts like hell that's for sure .well Sensei Uegaki told me i need to practice straightening my arms more in my cuts and strikes i tend to bend my left elbow at the bottom of the cut and it need to be straight with a small downward flick of the wrist at the end. I wish i had a higher ceiling in my apartment well if i could i would live in a Dojo but that going to happen anytime soon,so for now maybe I'll just use the park across the way but is that gonna be to smart?? A 6foot tall black guy with tatoos, i might add, swinging a wooden sword around in east Vancouver?? Well you never know till you try it and it maybe kind of an exciting change to a pretty dull life as of late(except for Kendo nights).My other asked me when i was going to get a wife the other day?? kind of a strange question because i know she doesn't want me to get a girlfriend maybe she want grand kids or something ?She got a bad phone call today her brother who had a stroke a couple of weeks ago took a turn for the worst.Don't think he is long for this world and i think it makes her concerned about her own mortality as he is her last of i think 6 brothers ..ya its 6 well she did get to have allot of contact with him in the months before the stroke. You know the need to do more research into the fact that when 2 people or living together for over fifty years somehow their life force becomes connected and when one dies the other usually dies within the first year and it seems it is mostly occurs when the male spouse outlives the female ie: the saying "he died of a broken heart".I think that women may have a stronger life force than men as they tend to live a quite a while longer after their male partners pass on.hmmmm makes me think ?????

Friday, December 7, 2007

Once again its on

Well another practice down and another step taken towards Japan you never know what your breaking point is till your forced to face by a 77 yr old man with a samurai sword making you do so.But you do it and go on and after you feel way better for having done it well like i say"Don't be pushed by your problems be led by your Dreams".
At this pace i should be going for my next Dan in 6 months or less,don't want to rush it because "chance favors the prepared mind",basically with a little less bullshit spun into it i wanna make sure i know everything i can .I would rather take the extra months and be sure i am ready or fo that matter Sensei Uegaki be sure i am ready than race into it half assed. I'll have some photos from the Dojo to post next week so check em out.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

55th All Japan Kendo Championship was held on 3rd November 2007 at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.



Teramoto ( Osaka) 1 st place !!!!Teramoto ( Osaka ) beat Takanabe ( Kanagawa ) at the final match. -- Final match -- After Takanabe get first Men, Teramato hit 2 Men

Kendo - The Way of the Sword

SHIAI RULES, SHORT VERSION
1. Goals of a kendo match (shiai)
A shiai or a kendo match is fought between two competitors in an individual match or between two teams of 3-5 persons. In the European Championships and the World Championships the size of the teams is 5 persons for male and female teams. The juniors compete in teams of three at the European Championships.
The maximum amount of points scored in a kendo match is two. The match is fought until either opponent has scored two points or until time runs out. After that the opponent with more points wins the match. The match time is from 3 (juniors) to 5 (adults) minutes.
The match may also end in a draw in the preliminary phase of the competition or in the team match. In the drop-out phase of the competition there may be no draw between individuals or between teams. Then there will be an overtime (encho) which ends until either opponent has scored one point.
In a team match each team member holds a specific position in the team and has a match with a member of the opposing team holding the same position. In a team match the team with more wins on its side wins the whole match. If both teams have an equal amount of wins, then the team that has alltogether scored more more points, wins.
2. Scoring of points
A point is scored by performing a valid strike on the opponent. Valid strikes are the following:
a. MEN (head). The forehead and the left and right areas above the temple. The forehead is the cushion part of the helmet and not the metal screen. However, the screen may become a valid strike point if player throws their head back.
b. KOTE (hand). The area on the forearm covered by a padded glove. Generally the right forearm, the left forearm can also be a valid point.
c. DO (torso). The left and right sides of the torso.
d. TSUKI (throat). The tsukidare (throat flap on the helmet). A valid strike, or YUKO DATOTSU is defined as an accurate strike or thrust made to the valid parts in kendo equipment with the SHINAI at its DATOTSU BU edge (the part of the shinai ment for hitting) with KIAI (spirit and positive voice), the right posture, and ZANSHIN (mental and physical alertness against the opponents attack; positive follow through of attack and strike).
3. Refereeing
The match is refereed by three referees, who are standing inside the court (shinpan), a presiding referee for a match court (shinpan shunin) and a referee director for the entire tournament (shinpan cho). There are usually several courts in a tournament.
Of the three referees inside the court, the one standing alone on one side is the head referee who calls the start, ending, scored points and penalties in a match. The two other referees assist him and stand on the opposing side to the head referee. In order for a point to be scored, 2 of 3 referees have to agree on its validity. If both assisting referees agree on the point, then the head referee has to announce it a valid point.
The presiding referee for a match court supervises the referees on the court. The referee director is the highest authority in the competition and may give directions to all match courts.
Referees give their judgings using a red and a white flag. These flags correspond to red and white ribbons tied to the contestants backs.
4. Posting of match results on a score board
A score board holds the names of the contestant on opposing sides. Officials mark scored points, IPPON, warnings, HANSOKU and draws, HIKIWAKE on the score board.
(1) HANSOKU, warning. A red triangle tag shall be posted near the applicable name.(2) Upon two HANSOKU being committed, a tag ( I ) for ippon shall replace the HANSOKU tag but shall be posted near the name of the contestant not in violation.(3) Tags for scored points shall be posted in the same manner as the previous example: (M) men, (K) kote, (D) do, (T) tsuki(4) When an overtime match has been fought, the tag (E) ENCHO for overtime will be posted over the center line and in the lower half of the space.(8) When a match ends in a draw, a tag (X) for HIKIWAKE, draw will be posted over the center line

The Aims of Budo

The Aims of Budo

1. To act respectfully and with courtesy towards yourself, your tools, your fellow students, and your dojo.
2. To be self-disciplined and to practice to develop a strong and flexible spirit and body.
3. To develop trust and trustworthiness.
4. To develop self-confidence based on competence.
5. Know yourself and your art.
6. Act honourably, truthfully and sincerely, with compassion for all people and things.
7. Improve yourself in order to establish peace and harmony in your family, your society, and your world. To be caring and compassionate.
8. Use attention and wholeheartedness in all that you do.

Monday night class

Well Monday's class was murder i have too drop about 20 lbs to get my cardio up ,but on the good side my strikes are getting harder ,faster and more accurate.Uegakai Sensei seems pleased with my progress will bring a camera to Friday's class and ask to get some good shots of the senior members of the Dojo.So look for some great action pics in regards to my previous pics posted of my neighborhood i just wanted to convey that no matter where you come from you can always do your best to overcome your situation if you want to remember "cream always rises to the top" for the lack of a better proverb.Unlike 15Th century Japan we are not relegated to our original stations in life.

Monday, December 3, 2007

DTES



here is some of the unfortunate things that go on in an otherwise great neighborhood

The Bushido Police

Since i set this blog up for MY personal use i have been visited by the "Kendo cops" who made some cracks about "living the bushido way" so for you "comedians" out there i have changed it please if you dont like this blog stick it up your A*# because i wont change a damn thing about My blog

Kendo and Zen

The Way of the sword is the moral teaching of the samurai, fostered by the Confucianist philosophy which shaped the Tokugawa system, together with the native Shinto religion of Japan. The warrior courts of Japan from the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period encouraged the austre Zen study among the samurai, and Zen went hand in hand with the arts of war. In Zen there are no elaborations, it aims directly at the true nature of things. There are no ceremonies, no teachings: the prize of Zen is essentially personal. Enlightenment in Zen does not mean a change in behavior, but realization of the nature of ordinary life. The end point is the beginning, and the great virtue is simplicity. The secret teaching of the Itto Ryu school of Kendo, Kiriotoshi, is the first technique of some hundred or so. The teaching is "Ai Uchi", meaning to cut the opponent just as he cuts you. This is the ultimate training... it is lack of anger. It means to treat your enemy as an honored guest. It also means to abandon your life or throw away fear

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The code

Bushidō (, Bushidō?), meaning "Way of the Warrior", is a Japanese code of conduct and a way of life, loosely analogous to the European concept of chivalry and the Iranian concept of jawanmardi, among others. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery and honour unto death. Bushidō developed between the 9th to 12th centuries as set forth by numerous translated documents dating from the 12th to 16th centuries (as mentioned below). However, some dependable sources also state the document might have been formulated in the 17th century.
According to the Japanese dictionary Shogakukan Kokugo Daijiten, "Bushidō is defined as a unique philosophy (ronri) that spread through the warrior class from the Muromachi (chusei) period." Nitobe Inazō, in his book Bushidō: The Soul of Japan, described it in this way. "...Bushidō, then, is the code of moral principles which the samurai were required or instructed to observe... More frequently it is a code unuttered and unwritten... It was an organic growth of decades and centuries of military career."