Jodo at Mt Fuji 

Japan

Sensei sent us a note from Japan.

He says training is of a high standard. I'm sure that means hard.

It will be interesting when he returns.

Entering Techniques

I was shown how the entering technique of Irimi is used in kenjutsu.

Using irimi while blocking the attack, you put yourself almost behind the attacker. Thus, allowing yourself to attack and complete the movement.

There is so much that can be applied to this movement. So much to study.

Sensei's Shugyo

Our teacher has left for Japan for 4 weeks.

There he will visit Sensei Nishioka's dojo to train and learn, returning to share his knowledge with us. Meanwhile we will continue to train under the guidance of the seniors.

Recently a former student visited the dojo. He has been living in Japan for the past 3 years and training full time in jodo. He shared some excellent knowledge with us. It really opens your eyes to the fine points of kata and makes you realise how far you still have to go.

It will be interesting to see what our teacher has to say when he returns.

Progression

I've been shown nearly all of Seitei kata set now.

I'm hesitant to say that I've learnt it but I guess that we never consider ourselves to be good, no matter what level we reach. There's only one more kata left for me to see and then I will prepare for the Omote set.

The kata are getting interesting now. Obviously Seitei is for beginners and the early kata are fairly basic, but the last few have quite a number of moves and they make me concentrate a lot more. There's 12 kata that make up the set. The Omote kata set also comprise of another 12.

I like jodo and I'm starting to see all the kenjutsu that's hidden in the jo kata. Kenjutsu is what jodo has come from and eventually what jo goes back to. So we are told. I think it will be many years before any of us see the full circle of learning.

Anyway, for now, I enjoy what I do.

Thinking of Concepts

I find it harder to write for this blog.

Because Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo doesn't have any gradings there is no monthly build up like in other martial arts. It's easy to write for my other blogs, usually they are entries on my preparation for an event.

This is more challenging as I'm not building up to anything. I have to find where my focus is with this training. I think I have to look more inside myself.

Kata

Good kata practice today. I learnt two new ones, the names of which I can't remember.

Next week I'm going to take a notebook to training and write down all the names of the kata I have learnt. It's time I know the names as well as the movements.